Every award season has its dark horses. Sometimes, we have the one and only, and other times, we have two competing horses. The viewers, sitting comfortably in their homes, watching from behind screens or running around from event to event with no actual industry power, have no idea which horse is going to surge forward, leaving the rest—or, to be precise, his main nemesis—behind in a cloud of dust.
This Oscar race for Best Actor this year has been settled from the beginning: Adrien Brody. And how could he not win? He already has given a powerful, haunting performance that speaks to millions of people in “The Brutalist.” For artists, he plays the quintessential artistic plight: being too talented for one’s own good, with zero privilege or power to rely on, so that doomed artist becomes a chewed gum in the ever-hungry mouths of the Van Burens who have everything in the world except the arts. For anyone who has not been born with a race or an ethnic privilege, for immigrants worldwide, László Tóth is the manifestation of their crushed dreams and aspirations at the gates of the Western world. Their sweat, tears, and wasted years at the hands of the real owners of the modern world. Their awakened moments of suffering and realizing they can’t bask in the light of their own glory. Tóth is relatable and haunting, and Brody, with his sickly face and rat-in-a-mousetrap eyes, fully embodies that, accent perfection and other AI allegations aside.
Then we have Timothée Chalamet playing yet another American icon, another so-called biopic, which, by its looks, we’ll have plenty of in the upcoming years from the major film studios. But it’s not Bob Dylan and his legacy driving this Oscar race forward; it’s Chalamet himself. The 29-year-old actor is charming; he’s a modern, young American, driven and motivated by the hunger to win and aspiring for greatness in this industry. In a world where -sadly- more and more of the younger generations have turned into unmotivated slobs -as our workplace surveys can tell us about the Gen Z work mentality- Chalamet still retains that drive for perfection and glory. He admittedly talked about his desire to be one of the greats as he snagged the SAG award for Best Actor from Brody, preventing him from sweeping the televised awards this season. As his peers crowned him the youngest of their clan to win the prize, Chalamet now threatens Brody’s campaign at a second Best Actor win. It’s become a bit harder to spot who will win the Oscar this Sunday among the two as the date approaches with such a foreboding ultimatum.
Is it about the winner ultimately? Technically, yes. The writer of this essay even believes so. I firmly believe that the “treasure is in the journey” is crap sold to us by vampiric mega corporations and entities that want to control talented people. As László Tóth watches his legacy displayed in front of his eyes in the epilogue of “The Brutalist” and his grand work celebrated, he smiles, but he has become a shell of a man. That image alone is sickening and disturbing because it shouldn’t apply any longer as we witness talented, hopeless people committing suicide and losing their lives in the chase of an elusive dream. Brody’s campaign and the brilliant character he plays embodies that. But not Chalamet; his Dylan is rebellious and nonchalant but also out there to grab life by the throat. He represents the surviving artist who stays, lives and enjoys his success. Even if the film does not focus on the rebellious, politically-charged vibe of Dylan that hardcore fans are accustomed to understanding and loving about him (even though Dylan experts seem to be on the movie’s side), Chalamet still represents a different side to being an artist while playing Dylan, the winner artist.
There’s nothing sad about “A Complete Unknown.” There are no heartbreaks or sad stories for Dylan. He just holds his guitar and plays through concerts, women, and the folk music industry. His attitude is brash and unapologetic, creating a version of an artist who has won his freedom. He is the polar opposite of Tóth, losing himself in the art to the point of destroying himself and everyone around him. But we cannot set aside the privilege that Dylan has, and Tóth hasn’t even sniffed a hint of it. Yes, Dylan was the grandson of immigrants, but that doesn’t compare to the immigrant who sets foot on a foreign land as the first of the family, a.k.a Tóth. The grandchildren may harvest the benefits, but never the founder. In this slice of Dylan’s life, nothing could ever stand in the face of artistic freedom. Dylan defies everything to flee and plays his music how he wants it, and it is no surprise that the world bows to his will. Will Chalamet follow in the footsteps of the character he played?
It’s all about the winner ultimately in a race. No matter how we sugarcoat the sentiments and the statement, it is still about the winner. Even Samuel L. Jackson, in all his brash honesty, dissed the lies about being honored to be nominated and firmly stated that at the end of the day, it’s all about winning. So, who is going to grab that Oscar? Will Chalamet be the first ’90s-born actor to grab it? Or will Brody, in all his veteran acting glory, add this to his -deserved- “The Pianist” 2002 win? Some people are affirmative that Brody will win. I am leaning into this postulation, and why shouldn’t I? Brody’s performance is my second favorite in the race after Colman Domingo’s powerful turn in “Sing Sing.” But does that rule out the last-minute surprise of Chalemet winning completely? My skeptical mind knows no limits to how these powerhouse award entities and their games. One never knows what direction they’re leaning into. The appraisal for Chalamet is personal; he’s an industry darling and a fan favorite. Brody is respected and admired, and his performance is stronger and more deserving -in this writer’s opinion- but he doesn’t have that glowing spark of youth or the passionate fervor Chalamet has as a performer.
Who is it going to be? Who do we think is more deserving? Is it really about the “best” performance after all? Was Brendan Fraser really better than Austin Butler? What about Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett? Did Emma Stone deserve to win over Lily-Gladstone’s more nuanced, grounded portrayal of Mollie Burkhart? Is it about the performance or the performer? Does the campaign have the allure or the suave, cool actor sitting in the background who is not really into the game of campaigning for a win that may not ever come? There’s only one way to find out. That is to tune into the Oscars on Sunday, March 2nd, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Who do you think will win the Oscar for Best Actor at the 97th Academy Awards? Please let us know in the comments below or over on our X account and check out our latest Oscar winner predictions here (or you can listen to them on the podcast here).
