Best actor race is the tightest of all the Oscars
(CBS) Though everyone talks about Best Picture, when it comes to the Oscars, the tightest race of the evening is the one for the Best Actor statuette.
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Special Section: Oscars 2012
George Clooney has been garnering enormous buzz for his emotional performance as a man dealing with the loss of his wife and learning to raise two growing daughters on his own in "The Descendants." He is getting some stiff competition from long-time friend Brad Pitt, who Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's, looking for a new way to take his team all the way in "Moneyball." And then, of course, there is Jean Dujardin, a first-time nominee for the silent blockbuster "The Artist." The film has garnered 10 Oscar nominations, including one for best picture.
An underdog in the race is my personal favorite. Demian Bichir wowed audiences with his inspired, subdued performance as Mexican illegal immigrant Carlos Galindo, toiling as an undocumented day laborer, trying to raise a family and become the owner of his own gardening and landscaping business.
When it comes to best actress, Viola Davis' impeccable performance in "The Help " may just put a roadblock in Meryl Streep's run for a third Oscar for her portrayal of an aging and ailing Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." Hot on their heels is Michelle Williams for her uncanny portrayal of screen siren Marilyn Monroe. If she wins, it will be an interesting turn of events, since the icon she portrays was never herself nominated for an Academy Award.
In the supporting categories, Christopher Plummer seems like a shoo-in for his role in "Beginners," but also in contention is a strong performance by Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." Someone receiving less recognition than he deserves in this category is 70-year old Nick Nolte, whose sterling performance as an alcoholic dad in "Warrior" was one of the highlights of the year in film.
In the best supporting actress race, Octavia Spencer of "The Help" tops the leaderboard with Berenice Bejo for "The Artist" close behind. Interestingly enough "The Help" has two cast members going toe-to-toe in this category - Jessica Chastain is also nominated.
Of the nine candidates for best picture, "The Artist" looks like the frontrunner. If it does pick up the coveted award it will be the first silent film to win the top honor since "Wings," which won the award in the Academy's inaugural year of 1927. The film is also the first silent release since Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie" back in 1976.
Hosting the glitzy evening will be none other than funnyman Billy Crystal, who returns to host for the ninth time. He last presided over the awards show back in 2004. The only other host to hosted more times was Bob Hope, who notched up 19 Oscar ceremonies.