Who should win at this year’s Oscars?

An Academy Award. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (Kevin Winter, 2014 Getty Images)

Can you believe the Oscars are actually happening?

It feels like these movies haven’t even been out, but there is already an awards show to celebrate them. Granted, a majority of these films were available to stream on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon, but given the ongoing pandemic, we have to wonder: Did anyone even pay attention to them coming out?

Recommended Videos



Regardless, the show must go on, and some of our favorite actors will take home an Oscar Sunday evening. So here is who we think will win on Oscar Sunday, and who should win.

Best Picture

“The Father”

“Judas and the Black Messiah”

“Mank”

“Minari”

“Nomadland”

“Promising Young Woman”

“Sound of Metal”

“The Trial of the Chicago 7″

Who should win: ‘Nomadland’

Who will win: ‘Nomadland’

All awards season, “Nomadland” has been winning all of the awards. The story of a 60-something woman who becomes a modern day nomad after losing everything during the Great Recession has resonated with audiences, and Frances McDormand is a standout.

Best Actress

Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Andra Day, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”

Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman”

Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”

Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”

Who will win: Frances McDormand

Who should win: Andra Day

The Academy loves McDormand (she’s won twice already), so this seems like an easy win for the actress since the movie she stars in is so good. However, Andra Day was a huge upset at the Golden Globes. Could she do it again? Her performance is much better, but she’s more famous in the music world than she is in the acting.

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”

Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”

Gary Oldman, “Mank”

Steven Yeun, “Minari”

Who will win: Chadwick Boseman

Who should win: Chadwick Boseman

This one seems in the bag for Boseman, who sadly died last year of colon cancer. Despite it being a tragedy, Boseman still probably would have won for his performance. If you thought he was great in “Black Panther,” just wait until you see him in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

There is a chance that Anthony Hopkins could pull an upset (he is really good in “The Father”), but this one seems like it’s written in the stars for Boseman.

Best Director

Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”

Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman”

David Fincher, “Mank”

Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”

Thomas Vinterberg, “Another Round”

Who should win: Chloé Zhao

Who will win: Chloé Zhao

Can we just take a moment and acknowledge how incredible it is that two women are nominated in this category? Only one woman has ever won this award, so it’s been a long time coming that more women get nominated.

Besides that, if Zhao wins (she’s won the award at every other major award show this year), she would become the second woman to win the award and the first woman of color to win the award. Let’s make history Sunday night, Oscars!

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

Glenn Close, “Hillbilly Elegy”

Olivia Colman, “The Father”

Amanda Seyfried, “Mank”

Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”

Who should win: Yuh-Jung Youn

Who will win: Glenn Close

This award seemed like it was Close’s to lose, but ever since Youn won at the SAG Awards, the tides may be changing. Still, it seems like Close will finally get her due. It’s just unfortunate that the movie she’s nominated for is really, really bad. It would almost be best if Close didn’t win, just so she could win for a better movie next time.

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen, “The Trial of the Chicago 7″

Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Leslie Odom Jr., “One Night in Miami…”

Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”

LaKeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Who will win: Daniel Kaluuya

Who should win: Daniel Kaluuya

Let’s be honest, Kaluuya should have won an Oscar for “Get Out,” so this will almost be like payback for getting robbed a few years ago. Regardless, he is fantastic in “Judas and the Black Messiah” and deserves every award he’s won so far this season. Stanfield or Raci could be a possible upset, but it seems unlikely at this point.


About the Author:

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.