Is Denzel Washington a Lock to Win His Third Oscar for 'Gladiator II'? — 'For Your Consideration'

On an all-new episode of For Your Consideration — Hollywood’s #1 awards-themed talk show — Scott Mantz, Perri Nemiroff and Jeff Sneider discuss the Best Supporting Actor race.

This was the most contentious episode of the season thus far, as I feel strongly about Jeremy Strong’s performance as Roy Cohn in The Apprentice, while Scott and Perri argue that no one saw the Donald Trump biopic, so Strong doesn’t stand a chance.

They aren’t wrong about the film’s meager box office haul, but I’d argue that there are performances nominated every year from movies that barely registered at the box office. In my opinion, box office is relevant when it comes to getting a Best Picture nomination, but I believe a movie’s gross is irrelevant when it comes to the Oscar chances of individual performances.

Sure, it helps to star in a big hit, but Strong’s work is undeniable in The Apprentice, and I suspect people will watch the Trump movie… but only after the election… and only if he loses. Still, based on the work alone, it would be insane not to nominate Strong, but then again, stranger things have certainly happened in Oscar Land…

Meanwhile, I’ve run the numbers and believe that Denzel Washington is destined to win his third Oscar for his supporting turn in Gladiator II, in which it sounds like he’s having an absolute blast, having known full well what he signed on for and made a meal of the plum part. Scott and Perri agree that another nomination is waiting in the wings for Washington. Are you not entertained?

Of course, Denzel’s biggest competition may come from Kieran Culkin, who runs away with Jesse Eisenberg’s Searchlight release A Real Pain. He’s coming off an Emmy win for Succession and is a real threat to steal this race, though veteran actor Guy Pearce also looms large with his performance in A24’s The Brutalist and shouldn’t be dismissed, even though there are times I think he goes a little too “big” with his righteous anger.

Still, Washington, Culkin, and Pearce feel like the safest bets this year, with the final two slots still up in the air. They’ll likely go to actors from either September 5, which boasts two potential nominees in John Magaro and Peter Sarsgaard, or Conclave, which also has multiple standout supporting turns from Stanley Tucci and others.

That said, there are plenty of other actors in contention this year, including Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), Samuel L. Jackson (The Piano Lesson), Brian Tyree Henry (The Fire Inside), Drew Starkey (Queer), and Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown).

As of now, our CURRENT PREDICTIONS include Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), Peter Sarsgaard (September 5), Stanley Tucci (Conclave), and Denzel Washington (Gladiator II).

We have ambitious plans for FYC this season, as we’d like to incorporate some interviews into the show, and possibly host some roundtables as well. So if you represent crafts contenders in the below-the-line categories, or you represent documentaries, animated movies, or international features, please reach out, as we’d love to work with you, and our advertising rates are a bargain considering our collective reach across social media.

I’ll also be sending each episode of FYC directly to actual awards voters (sans paywall).

For Your Consideration will now be taped on a weekly basis as awards season ramps up, so thank you for watching, and feel free to leave a comment on Perri’s YouTube channel, as we welcome constructive feedback from all FYC fans. I may even feature select comments in this newsletter — especially if they’re from the Hollywood community, which is also welcome to email me.

Watch the latest episode above, and until next time — when we discuss the Best Supporting Actor race — we'll FYC-ya later!

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