Oscars 2021 Predictions: A look at the frontrunners

Although COVID-19’s attack on the cinephiles is something that is hard to ignore, despite so many odds, a handful of quality films were released on OTT space and garnered all the praise and recognition. 

This year, owing to the conditions, Oscars allowed the OTT space to be one of the contenders and gave streaming giants, Netflix and Amazon Studios, and many more to pick the prestigious Academy Award. Months before, official noms announcement, here we bring you our 2021 Oscar prediction list of the frontrunners. 

Last year, while '1917' was a winner of the award season but at last 'Parasite' prevailed and took home the biggest prize. So, predicting the Best picture is the toughest one. This year, while cinemas were shuttered, the academy allowed films that routed their way to the streaming service.

By looking at the award and critics choice, Chloé Zhao’s 'Nomadland' is one of the top contenders, while Netflix is strong with at least three films, 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom', 'Mank' and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7.'

Here are leading contenders for this category:

'Nomadland'
'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'
'Minari'
'Mank'
'The Trial of the Chicago 7' 
 

This category could make history, with at least one woman of colour making it to the lineup for the first time with Regina King and Chloe Zhao.

Like every year, this time also one is a standout that is Zhao (Nomadland), the director and her work has received universal rave reviews from the whole world. After it, Lee Isaac Chung 'Minari' and George C. Wolfe 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom' are on the list. 

Here are leading contenders for this category:

Lee Isaac Chung 
Chloe Zhao
George C. Wolfe 
Regina King 
Aaron Sorkin
 

The most-eyed category of the night. The prestigious award of the 'Best Actor in a Leading Role' will surely be given to the actor whose spectacular performance had made us go whoa. Among many of the noteworthy performances, the one that made to the top of the list is late actor Chadwick Boseman, whose mesmerizing performance in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ has attracted us all. Following, him other frontrunners are Anthony Hopkins for his performance in ‘The Father,’ Riz Ahmed for his breakout role in ‘Sound of Metal,’ Steven Yeun for ‘Minari,’ 

Here are leading contenders of this category:

Chadwick Boseman, 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'
Riz Ahmed, 'Sound of Metal'
Anthony Hopkins, 'The Father'
Delroy Lindo, 'Da 5 Bloods'
Gary Oldman, 'Mank'
 

2020 was a bag full of great roles for female actors. This year's list has veterans like Viola Davis, Frances McDormand, who have been nominated before. This year's list could also have newbies like Zendaya, Vanessa Kirby who have proved their mark from their excellent work. 

Here are leading contenders for this category:

Frances McDormand, 'Nomadland'
Viola Davis, 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'
Vanessa Kirby, 'Pieces of a Woman'
Carey Mulligan, 'Promising Young Woman'
Zendaya, 'Malcolm and Marie’ 

Another exciting category that attracts most of the eyes. Last year, Brad Pitt won his first Oscar for his featured performance in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'. This year, Leslie Odom Jr.’s performance in ‘One Night in Miami’ as well as Paul Raci’s in ‘The Sound of Metal’ are touted to be one of the 'Best Supporting Actor' contenders. Chadwick Boseman too might be awarded posthumous for his role in 'Da 5 Bloods'. 

Here are leading contenders for this category:

Leslie Odom Jr.  ‘One Night in Miami’ 
Paul Raci’s 'The Sound of Metal’ 
Chadwick Boseman 'Da 5 Bloods'
Sacha Baron Cohen 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'
Daniel Kaluuya 'Judas and the Black Messiah'

Like the male actor, some female stars too gave breakout performances that needs everyone's attention. Maria Bakalova for 'Borat Subsequent Movie film and Yuh-Jung Youn in 'Minari', are one of them who are sure to score a nod.

Here are leading contenders for this category:

Olivia Colman, 'The Father'
Maria Bakalova, 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'
Amanda Seyfried, 'Mank'
Yuh-Jung Youn, 'Minari'
Ellen Burstyn, 'Pieces of a Woman'

The Best International Feature race is the toughest and interesting one and always poses a question till the D-Day. The best work from the world is submitted and is hard to choose the final five nominees and then the winner. Among them, Denmark's  'Another Round' aka 'Druk' seems to be the frontrunner, following Mexico’s 'I’m No Longer Here' and France’s 'The Two of Us'.

Here are leading contenders of this category: 

'Another Round' (Denmark)
'I'm No Longer Here' (Mexico)
'Two Of Us' (France)
'The Mole Agent' (Chile)
'Sun Children' (Iran)

This year, Pixar first Black-led movie, 'Soul' is the frontrunner in the Best animated feature category. Meanwhile, the 'Wolfwalkers' poses the biggest Oscar threat to 'Soul'. Another Pixar leading contender in the category is 'Onward' which may score a nod too. 

Here are leading contenders for this category:

'Onward' (Disney/Pixar)
'Over the Moon' (Netflix)
'Soul' (Disney/Pixar)
'The Croods: A New Age' (Universal/DreamWorks)
'Wolfwalkers' (Apple TV+/GKids)