Historically the Best Actress Oscar has usually been awarded to an ingenue while the Best Actor prize is typically taken by a veteran. But these age biases could be changing. While a whopping 32 of the 92 Best Actress champs have been in their 20s when they picked up their Oscars, the last two women to win were 60-year-old Frances McDormand (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) and 45-year-old Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). And Colman’s closest rival was Glenn Close (“The Wife”), who was hoping for her first win at age 71. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2020 Oscars predictions for Best Actress.)
Fifteen of the 92 Best Actress winners, including Colman, were in their 40s when they took to the stage while 34 were thirtysomething. Julianne Moore was 54 when she finally won after four losses for “Still Alice” in 2015. The only other Best Actress winner in her 50s was theater veteran Shirley Booth who won for reprising her Tony-winning role in 1952’s “Come Back, Little Sheba.”
Had she prevailed, Close would have been the third oldest Best Actress winner in the 91-year history of the Academy Awards. Katharine Hepburn was almost 75 when she won her record fourth Oscar for “On Golden Pond” in 1982 while Jessica Tandy was 80 when she prevailed in 1990 for “Driving Miss Daisy.”
We had predicted Close to finally take home an Oscar after racking up six losses. Her pal Meryl Streep had defied the youth bias when, at age 62, she picked up her third Oscar in 2012 for “The Iron Lady.” Streep also had the overdue factor in her favor as it had been almost three decades since her second win for “Sophie’s Choice.” Likewise for Helen Mirren who was 61 when she was crowned champ for “The Queen” in 2007 after two previous losses. Geraldine Page was also 61 when she finally won on nomination #8 for “A Trip to Bountiful” in 1986. Katharine Hepburn, who was 26 when she claimed her first Oscar in 1934 for “Morning Glory,” had just entered her 60s when she won Best Actress back-to-back (“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” 1967; “The Lion in Winter,” 1968). The only other Best Actress champ in her 60s was Marie Dressler who won for “Min and Bill” at the 4th Academy Awards in 1931.
DISCUSS All the Oscar contenders with Hollywood insiders in our notorious forums
UPDATED: February 9, 2020
Please note: To read full descriptions of each film, check out our Best Picture predictions.
Leading Contenders
Renée Zellweger, “Judy” (Roadside/LD Ent – September 27)
Charlize Theron, “Bombshell” (Lionsgate – December 20)
SEE 2020 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture
Strong Contenders
Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet” (Focus – November 1)
Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story” (Netflix – November 6; streams December 6)
SEE 2020 Oscar Predictions: Best Director
Possible Contenders
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women” (Sony – December 25)
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Click on the linked categories below to read our previews of each of these races.
Best Actor | Best Actress | Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams (The Woman in the Window)
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)
Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)
Renee Zellweger (Judy)
P.S. I think Jojo Rabbit could be a surprise across the board.
it definitely can, but Scarlett is supporting in Jojo.Thomasin McKenzie is leading.
Cynthia Erivo for Harriet will be front runner if that movie is half good.
Amy Adams is not till next May
Lupita Nygoyo will be front runner
Mindy Kaling… Non Emma Thompson?
Renee Zellweger in Judy looks like a a smash reminding me of Marion Cotiilard in La Vien Rose, seeming better even than Cynthia Erivo in Harriet (the poster of Cynthia Erivo as Harriet shows the dramatic flair is not as good).
We will see.
But I must say Margot Robbie’s interpretation of her role as Sharon Tate has a very original flair. Audirnce would love it. But I notice some lapses in her acting in the trailer when she pull off her facial mask…..the way she blinked her eyes…..it was as if she was caught off guard…..reminding me of her loss of sturdiness when she played Mary Queen of Scotts.
There’s no trailer for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood yet, just fakes. Margot Robbie pulls off a fake mask in a video on the Vogue website. Someone edited that clip into a fake trailer.
*face mask not fake mask
Awkwafina – The Farewell
Nicole Kidman – The Goldfinch
Helen Mirren – The Good Liar
Lupita Nyong’o – Us
Meryl Streep – Little Women
I’m pretty sure that Nicole Kidman is Supporting in the Goldfinch. The film focuses on Ansel Elgort’s story.
Also Meryl is definitely Supporting in Little Women as well
What about Kate Winslet in Blackbird?
No definitive release date yet.
If Noah Baumbach wrote such magnificent parts for Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Greta Gerwig or even Adam Sandler, then I’ve high hopes for Scarlett Johansson (and Adam Driver, of course).
And I’m 90% sure she’ll go Supporting for “JOJO RABBIT”.
Maybe she’ll get the first Oscar nomination (or 2???) she’s overdue for.
Noah’s movies are not flashy enough for Academy i think.
Awkwafina??! SERIOUSLY?!!!
She’s been getting stellar reviews for The Farewell. The performance itself is completely out of the ordinary for her, considering she’s a comedian, but her work has been described as career-best.
Awkwafina. SERIOUSLY. She’s coming for her Independent Spirit Awards nomination and no one is gonna stop her.
Yes Awkwafina. She did do a pretty good job in the Farewell
Yes. Watch The Farewell.
#AmyAdamsforOscars2020
Amy Adams, “The Woman in the Window” (Fox 2000 – October 4)
Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet” (Focus – Fall)
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women” (Sony – December 25)
Meryl Streep, “The Laundromat” (Netflix – Fall)
Lupita Nyong’o, “Us” (Universal – March 22)
Isn’t Margot Robbie supporting in Once Upon A Time?
Also where’s Kristen Stewart for Against All Enemies? Amazon bought the movie and is planning a fall release.
O S C A R S 2 0 2 0
Lupita Nyong’o | Us
Awkwafina, “The Farewell”
Lupita Nyong’o, “Us”
Elizabeth McGovern, “Downton Abbey”
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”
Cate Blanchett, “Where’d You Go Bernadette”
Helen Mirren, “The Good Liar”
Penelope Cruz, “Pain & Glory”
Renée Zellweger, “Judy”
I think Lupita Nyong’O will be in the top 5. There are critics talking about Alfre Woodard’s performance in ‘Clemency’ and how they loved her performance.
Amy Adams, “The Woman in the Window”
Meryl Streep, “The Laundromat”
Penelope Cruz, “Pain & Glory”
Helen Mirren, “The Good Liar”
Alia Bhatt from Bollywood .. she is the biggest thing in the world and will win everything starting from 2020
Taraji has to be a front runner. She is long overdue!!
Please! I am done with this overdue rhetoric!
i hope Trine Dyrholm wins for her career best in ‘Queen Of Hearts ‘
Charlize Theron, “Fair and Balanced” will be fascinating because we know megan kelly so well
Renée Zellweger, “Judy” is a sure bet
Mindy Kaling, “Late Night” will get GG nom but no oscar
Meryl Streep looks tom boyish in The Laundromat, reminiscent of her role in The River Wild, but more scruffy looking in a wear of beatiful combination of pastel shades.
Meryl Streep will win. With the other actresses listed as “leading contenders”, they are all pale in comparison to her!!!
Huh?? How do you know? Have you all seen the movies?
I just want to ask if there is a reason that Marvel movies barely ever get nominated? I’m not a feminist or anything but I think Brie Larson should be nominated since she
gave me a movie with a female lead that I actually liked (*cough* *cough* Wonder Woman and Doctor Who Series 11).
Does anyone else think that Florence Pugh did a magnificent job in Midsommar? After all the backlash last year with Toni Collette not receiving a nomination for Hereditary, Ari Aster’s followup could make a welcome presence felt at the 2020 awards
I couldn’t agree more, but seeing how Toni Collette was omitted last year even though Collette’s role was a little more fleshed out and layered in the actual movie itself (in my opinion, not saying she was necessarily better) I can’t help but think that it will happen again, or maybe Lupita Nyongo will get a nom for Us and that will be the only horror movie in the category. But I do honestly hope i’m wrong becuase both Pugh, and Ari Aster deserve some sort of recognition. Hopefully Midsommar can sneak into the production design/visual effects categories although I think that is even more unlikely.
LOL @ Robbie in leading and ScarJo buried. Scarjo is probably top 2 right now.
I don’t see Jennifer Hudson as the lead for CATS. She’s mostly to be in the Supporting Actress category.
Catherine Deneuve in La Verité
Maybe I’m the only one who thinks Florence Pugh in Midsommar is Oscarworthy
No love for Jessie Buckley in “Wild Rose”?
Site unseen tells me Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet” or Zellweger for “Judy”
Margot Robbie is supporting boo, and the fact that you have her in over Cynthia Errivo is insane!
Kate Winslet for Blackbird
Great article on the Best Actress race!
Has anyone heard any “early” reviews of Renée Zellweger’s performance in “Judy” yet?
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Renee Zellweger, Judy
Florence Pugh, Midsommar (bully me please XD)
Is Harriet showing at any Festivals? It seems weird that it opens in early November with no Festival screenings. Is it not good?
Been reading a lot about jlo’s performance in hustlers .. long shot??
Lupita, over the top
Amy Adams, long over due
Aquafina, showing more than comedy
Alfre Woodard, great performance
Renee Z, you’re back and better than ever
Jennifer Lopez, finally recognition
Streep, would not be the movies without her on some list.
How about Roseanne in She Devil?
Sorry Alfre Woodard, it so happened Renee Zewellger is in this year. In any other years you would have been the foremost contender.
“……is in the race this year……..”
I am glad you put in Taraji P Henson.
Would love some buzz for Mary Kay Place in Diane. Hoping the Independent Spirit Awards at least show her some love.
Disgrace that Rosa Salazar is´nt mentioned for her role in Alita: Battle Angel. :/
Taraji P. Henson gave a great performance in THE BEST OF ENEMIES, considering she should have won as Best Actress for HIDDEN FIGURES and wasn’t even nominated, she’s overdue.
I hope the Academy doesn’t SCREW up and snub Lupita Nyong’o come Monday.