![Bradley Cooper has been a favorite of mine since his time on "Alias," but it wasn't until recently where he achieved true A-List status with a string of films that showcased his range. With his performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" - his first Oscar nomination - he finally got the respect he deserves. His performance is strong and his chemistry with co-star Jennifer Lawrence carried the film. In any other year, he'd be a serious Oscar contender. But not this year.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/b2/b6/b2b63b5df49fef4cb8b15dc5aef571ca.jpg?itok=9sFq2c0x "Bradley Cooper has been a favorite of mine since his time on "Alias," but it wasn't until recently where he achieved true A-List status with a string of films that showcased his range. With his performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" - his first Oscar nomination - he finally got the respect he deserves. His performance is strong and his chemistry with co-star Jennifer Lawrence carried the film. In any other year, he'd be a serious Oscar contender. But not this year."){kind=small}
![Joaquin Phoenix's first performance since "quitting" acting to then star in the fake documentary, "I'm Still Here," shows that he is much more effective when not playing himself. He's been nominated twice before, for "Gladiator" and "Walk the Line," but his performance in "The Master" was both physically and emotionally demanding, easily deserving of a nomination. Despite his public loathing towards award shows, his recent weird reputation following his documentary and the polarizing effect "The Master" had on the masses, Phoenix - like Denzel - stands no chance of winning Best Actor...because the award is already locked up (read on!).](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/7d/fd/1361549268_4622_Master.jpg?itok=bLPh1XQx "Joaquin Phoenix's first performance since "quitting" acting to then star in the fake documentary, "I'm Still Here," shows that he is much more effective when not playing himself. He's been nominated twice before, for "Gladiator" and "Walk the Line," but his performance in "The Master" was both physically and emotionally demanding, easily deserving of a nomination. Despite his public loathing towards award shows, his recent weird reputation following his documentary and the polarizing effect "The Master" had on the masses, Phoenix - like Denzel - stands no chance of winning Best Actor...because the award is already locked up (read on!)."){kind=small}
![The Oscar race for Best Actor is one of the least interesting this year. Sure, all five nominees gave incredible performances, noteworthy in that many of them, like Denzel Washington, continue to top their already impressive bodies of work. In "Flight," Denzel gives one of his best performances ever, but the film itself never really got of the ground in the eyes of voters. It wouldn't have mattered because this year's Best Actor is already a lock.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/a3/8a/a38a0e2fa21738bc264236149e6ab7f2.jpg?itok=uv-u6ACf "The Oscar race for Best Actor is one of the least interesting this year. Sure, all five nominees gave incredible performances, noteworthy in that many of them, like Denzel Washington, continue to top their already impressive bodies of work. In "Flight," Denzel gives one of his best performances ever, but the film itself never really got of the ground in the eyes of voters. It wouldn't have mattered because this year's Best Actor is already a lock."){kind=small}
The 85th annual Academy Awards are coming this Sunday, Feb 24, 2013 and this week leading up to them is known as "Oscar Week," the official build-up towards movie's most prestigious awards show. So who is going to win at this year's Oscars?
Check out the links below to get my picks in all 24 categories. In this installment of my "Oscar Week Predictions," I'll be looking at two biggies, the categories of Best Actor and Best Actress. One of them is all but a lock while the other category may yield a few surprises.
Click the "List" button below to get started! Be sure to get your ballots ready by reading all of my predictions in all of the other categories, including Best Picture!
Follow film critic Tom Santilli on Twitter, @tomsantilli.
![The Oscar race for Best Actor is one of the least interesting this year. Sure, all five nominees gave incredible performances, noteworthy in that many of them, like Denzel Washington, continue to top their already impressive bodies of work. In "Flight," Denzel gives one of his best performances ever, but the film itself never really got of the ground in the eyes of voters. It wouldn't have mattered because this year's Best Actor is already a lock.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/6f/a6/6fa620358578b2592f925ea5b52aad93.jpg?itok=-Lza0ge4 "The Oscar race for Best Actor is one of the least interesting this year. Sure, all five nominees gave incredible performances, noteworthy in that many of them, like Denzel Washington, continue to top their already impressive bodies of work. In "Flight," Denzel gives one of his best performances ever, but the film itself never really got of the ground in the eyes of voters. It wouldn't have mattered because this year's Best Actor is already a lock.")
![Joaquin Phoenix's first performance since "quitting" acting to then star in the fake documentary, "I'm Still Here," shows that he is much more effective when not playing himself. He's been nominated twice before, for "Gladiator" and "Walk the Line," but his performance in "The Master" was both physically and emotionally demanding, easily deserving of a nomination. Despite his public loathing towards award shows, his recent weird reputation following his documentary and the polarizing effect "The Master" had on the masses, Phoenix - like Denzel - stands no chance of winning Best Actor...because the award is already locked up (read on!).](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/7d/fd/1361549268_4622_Master.jpg?itok=_1HutrU3 "Joaquin Phoenix's first performance since "quitting" acting to then star in the fake documentary, "I'm Still Here," shows that he is much more effective when not playing himself. He's been nominated twice before, for "Gladiator" and "Walk the Line," but his performance in "The Master" was both physically and emotionally demanding, easily deserving of a nomination. Despite his public loathing towards award shows, his recent weird reputation following his documentary and the polarizing effect "The Master" had on the masses, Phoenix - like Denzel - stands no chance of winning Best Actor...because the award is already locked up (read on!).")
![Bradley Cooper has been a favorite of mine since his time on "Alias," but it wasn't until recently where he achieved true A-List status with a string of films that showcased his range. With his performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" - his first Oscar nomination - he finally got the respect he deserves. His performance is strong and his chemistry with co-star Jennifer Lawrence carried the film. In any other year, he'd be a serious Oscar contender. But not this year.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/0c/db/0cdb1cb9cacaaf57b2a4f01f20eea809.jpg?itok=33Aswv4z "Bradley Cooper has been a favorite of mine since his time on "Alias," but it wasn't until recently where he achieved true A-List status with a string of films that showcased his range. With his performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" - his first Oscar nomination - he finally got the respect he deserves. His performance is strong and his chemistry with co-star Jennifer Lawrence carried the film. In any other year, he'd be a serious Oscar contender. But not this year.")
![Talk about a gifted actor. Hugh Jackman receives his first (and in my guess, not his last) Oscar nomination with his tour de force performance as Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables." The former Oscar host is one of the most talented leading men in Hollywood and his theatrical background made him a perfect fit for this screen version of the classic play. He gives an emotionally raw performance that was slightly over-shadowed by the career-defining scenes with co-star Anne Hathaway, but if there was ever an outside threat to unseat Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor, it would be Jackman.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/a7/b5/a7b564a06e4cc489fc1fa4e9889dbf03.jpg?itok=sEO2jRV3 "Talk about a gifted actor. Hugh Jackman receives his first (and in my guess, not his last) Oscar nomination with his tour de force performance as Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables." The former Oscar host is one of the most talented leading men in Hollywood and his theatrical background made him a perfect fit for this screen version of the classic play. He gives an emotionally raw performance that was slightly over-shadowed by the career-defining scenes with co-star Anne Hathaway, but if there was ever an outside threat to unseat Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor, it would be Jackman.")
![Yes, it should come as no surprise that Daniel Day-Lewis will win Best Actor for his transformational performance in the title role of "Lincoln." Day-Lewis continues to blow us away because we never really get to see him as himself in a movie, so each time he mutates into another character, we seem all the more impressed. Take his previous Oscar winning performances, with "My Left Foot" and "There Will Be Blood" (Day-Lewis has four Oscar nomination in total). He has swept every single major acting award over the past few months and no backlash has seemed to form, even as overall momentum for "Lincoln" has seemed to be on the decline. Yes mark it down, Daniel Day-Lewis will win Best Actor for the third time, and much deserved.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/01/e3/01e37367e8cfa5d50e5841da7ea71b12.jpg?itok=b0EbzdZ6 "Yes, it should come as no surprise that Daniel Day-Lewis will win Best Actor for his transformational performance in the title role of "Lincoln." Day-Lewis continues to blow us away because we never really get to see him as himself in a movie, so each time he mutates into another character, we seem all the more impressed. Take his previous Oscar winning performances, with "My Left Foot" and "There Will Be Blood" (Day-Lewis has four Oscar nomination in total). He has swept every single major acting award over the past few months and no backlash has seemed to form, even as overall momentum for "Lincoln" has seemed to be on the decline. Yes mark it down, Daniel Day-Lewis will win Best Actor for the third time, and much deserved.")
![It is crazy to me how little attention "The Impossible" has gotten throughout awards season, but for those that have seen it, they won't soon forget Naomi Watts performance. It is the most heart-breaking, physically and emotionally demanding role of all this year's nominees, yet Naomi faces near-impossible odds at winning the award. This marks her second-ever Oscar nomination, having been nominated previously for her role in "21 Grams."](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/e7/4d/1361551047_5113_impossible.jpg?itok=dUpCpb9f "It is crazy to me how little attention "The Impossible" has gotten throughout awards season, but for those that have seen it, they won't soon forget Naomi Watts performance. It is the most heart-breaking, physically and emotionally demanding role of all this year's nominees, yet Naomi faces near-impossible odds at winning the award. This marks her second-ever Oscar nomination, having been nominated previously for her role in "21 Grams."")
![Jessica Chastain absolutely exploded onto the scene in 2011 gaining an Oscar nomination for her role in "The Help," so seeing her show up again this year in the Lead Actress category is no surprise. In "Zero Dark Thirty," she breathes life into what I found to be a lifeless character, but her emotional shifts carried the weight of the film and let the audience in on how we should be reacting. It is not out of the question that she could win Best Actress, although at this point she seems like a real long-shot. "Zero Dark Thirty" in general has really cooled down as far as Oscar buzz, but I wouldn't totally count her out.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/22/92/229222b5e597de485f124a97b013d3e9.jpg?itok=Gwac9eCm "Jessica Chastain absolutely exploded onto the scene in 2011 gaining an Oscar nomination for her role in "The Help," so seeing her show up again this year in the Lead Actress category is no surprise. In "Zero Dark Thirty," she breathes life into what I found to be a lifeless character, but her emotional shifts carried the weight of the film and let the audience in on how we should be reacting. It is not out of the question that she could win Best Actress, although at this point she seems like a real long-shot. "Zero Dark Thirty" in general has really cooled down as far as Oscar buzz, but I wouldn't totally count her out.")
![She is the youngest nominee ever in the history of the Oscars, at the precious age of 9. If you've seen "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and I hope you have, her performance as the young Hushpuppy is simply unforgettable. But working against her, is exactly her young age. Many voters may feel that the nomination is celebration enough and that she may have a future in this business, so giving her the win would be an unneeded reward. Also, when you have a first-time actor, it is hard to see just how much acting is going on versus them just being themselves. With Wallis, I was convinced she gave a great performance and was incredibly excited to see her get a nomination, but of all of the Best Actress nominees, Wallis is the absolute long-shot.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/a7/4b/a74b38d9b66924df4ba679f3972f9690.jpg?itok=nR_mcNqK "She is the youngest nominee ever in the history of the Oscars, at the precious age of 9. If you've seen "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and I hope you have, her performance as the young Hushpuppy is simply unforgettable. But working against her, is exactly her young age. Many voters may feel that the nomination is celebration enough and that she may have a future in this business, so giving her the win would be an unneeded reward. Also, when you have a first-time actor, it is hard to see just how much acting is going on versus them just being themselves. With Wallis, I was convinced she gave a great performance and was incredibly excited to see her get a nomination, but of all of the Best Actress nominees, Wallis is the absolute long-shot.")
![At the other end of the age spectrum, we have Emmanuelle Riva who at age 85 (she actually turns 86 on Oscar Sunday), became the oldest ever to be nominated for an award. The film "Amour" has tons of support as does Riva, who is also a first-time nominee. She has a real chance of winning and "Amour" will almost undoubtedly win for Best Foreign Language Film. With an impressive - although nearly unknown to American audiences - film career, the nomination alone could be seen as reward enough, but Riva's performance and being in the twilight of her career could bring her the best birthday gift a gal could ask for: An Oscar statuette. ](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/15/cd/15cdc091d64ddf142cae7cc0791b3c8d.jpg?itok=2g0s25mX "At the other end of the age spectrum, we have Emmanuelle Riva who at age 85 (she actually turns 86 on Oscar Sunday), became the oldest ever to be nominated for an award. The film "Amour" has tons of support as does Riva, who is also a first-time nominee. She has a real chance of winning and "Amour" will almost undoubtedly win for Best Foreign Language Film. With an impressive - although nearly unknown to American audiences - film career, the nomination alone could be seen as reward enough, but Riva's performance and being in the twilight of her career could bring her the best birthday gift a gal could ask for: An Oscar statuette. ")
![But above all of the other actresses - and it is not a lock by any means - my pick would have to be Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook." Not only was she a scene-stealer in the film, but J-Law has nearly everything going in her favor. She is a hot (in more ways than one) young actress coming off a powerful, Oscar-nominated performance in "Winter's Bone." She is the star of one of Hollywood's hottest properties, "The Hunger Games" and she has recent wins at the SAG and Golden Globes. She could also be where Academy voters choose to reward the film itself, since it seems unlikely to win in most other categories, including Best Picture. Look for Jennifer Lawrence to win her first of many Oscars on Sunday.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/5f/37/5f373f79fda9069d27679ed7bb8df349.jpg?itok=lSC2FqvF "But above all of the other actresses - and it is not a lock by any means - my pick would have to be Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook." Not only was she a scene-stealer in the film, but J-Law has nearly everything going in her favor. She is a hot (in more ways than one) young actress coming off a powerful, Oscar-nominated performance in "Winter's Bone." She is the star of one of Hollywood's hottest properties, "The Hunger Games" and she has recent wins at the SAG and Golden Globes. She could also be where Academy voters choose to reward the film itself, since it seems unlikely to win in most other categories, including Best Picture. Look for Jennifer Lawrence to win her first of many Oscars on Sunday.")
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