For the first time since 1935, the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Actor are all first-time nominees. This is quite the turnaround from last year when every actor had previously been nominated. Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Austin Butler (Elvis), Bill Nighy (Living), and Paul Mescal (Aftersun) make up this year's list of nominees. The mix of veteran actors and some new talent breaking through, on top of the fact one of them will be a first-time winner, makes this category so interesting.
Each actor has performed excellently and deserves the nominations, but Colin Farrell, Brendan Fraser, and Austin Butler seem to be leading the race. With each of them picking up several different awards this awards season, it is probably fair to view this as a three-horse race. However, between winning other awards, brilliant performances, first-time nominees, and each actor having their own special story as to how they got here, each actor has a good reason to win. Here's why it's so hard to call.
Another Biopic Win?
When it comes to the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, biopics have always done well. In recent years a large portion of the winners of the Best Actor category have been actors playing real-life figures. In 2019, we saw Rami Malek win the Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, possibly the main indication that Austin Butler could win this year. Much like Malek, Butler took on the role of one of the biggest and most famous artists the world has ever seen. And he arguably put in an even better performance.
Butler completely embodied the role of Elvis. His performance has received rave reviews from fans, critics, and the Presley family, who Butler thanked when he picked up his BAFTA. However, given that his performance was certainly worthy of a nomination, and the Academy having a soft spot for biopics, he would be considered a shoo-in for the award for most years. And while he may be the favorite, he is up against tough competition.
Renaissance
Both Colin Farrell and Brendan Fraser are familiar faces that have put in some memorable performances over the years. However, it hasn't always been plain sailing for the pair. Fraser spent a significant amount of time out of the limelight and claims the reason for this is that he was sexually assaulted by the ex-president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Philip Berk. Farrell has also had his own difficulties that have affected his life and career. The actor has admitted to suffering from drug and alcohol problems in the past.
The two actors now find themselves thriving. Both are enjoying a renaissance. In recent years Farrell has gotten to flex his acting muscles in some very interesting roles. He has arguably been the best actor of 2022. The Banshees of Inisherin obviously being his finest performance. His performance as the slightly dull but nice Pádraic had viewers laughing and crying. This performance and the fact that Farrell comes across as a genuinely lovely person gained him many fans. This is something he has in common with Fraser. Both are fan favorites, and Fraser's performance in The Whale has had fans feeling heartbroken. Both actors seem to thrive in these profound emotional roles, and the results are excellent. Their stories of how they have gotten to this point in their career are fascinating and could be a factor in winning the Oscar. Either of them would be worthy winners of this year's Best Actor Oscar.
More Unpredictable Than Ever
In other years there has often been a clear winner for the award. Whether it was just one standout performance or an actor yet to win the award after several nominations, the winner has often been predictable. But this year is entirely different. The fact they are all first-time nominees adds to the unpredictability, as no past winning or losing experience could influence the result.
The three front-runners, Farrell, Fraser, and Butler, have all shared the awards this season. Farrell has picked up awards such as the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best actor. Butler has received the Golden Globe for Best Actor in Drama and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. And Brendan Fraser has taken the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and the Critic's Choice Movie Award for Best Actor. This just shows how competitive this category is and why this year's Oscars is so hard to call.
Only one of the actors can win on the night, but no matter who it is, there is no doubt that they will be deserving. Whatever happens, each actor can take pride in the fact that they have received their first nomination and put in an Oscar-worthy performance.