Oscar preview - Best Actor

In the first of our Academy Award previews, The TOMB examines the contenders for 'actor in a leading role'.

Feb 27 2006

With the Academy Awards less than a week away, The TOMB thought it was about time we gave you the low-down regarding the likely winners and losers on Sunday night, so here, without further ado, is our guide to Oscar 2006.

Today we're going to have a look at the nominations for best actor, a category that was wide open late last-year, but now appears to have turned into a one-horse race.

Our first nominee is Terrence Howard, who is pretty much making up the numbers with his 'Hustle & Flow' nod. It's been an amazing year for Howard, with his performance in 'Crash' garnering as much attention and praise as his work as pimp-turned-rapper DJay in 'Hustle', but don't expect him to be carrying off the Academy bling at the end of the night.

David Strathairn also has little chance of winning, in spite of the fact that his performance in 'Good Night, and Good Luck' is without doubt the best of his career. Strathairn won't be complaining however, as his uncanny impersonation of Ed Murrow in the film has seen his Hollywood stock sky-rocket in recent weeks.

Heath Ledger is a revelation in 'Brokeback Mountain', and he seemed like a good bet when the film first hit screens late last year. However, in spite of the fact that 'Brokeback' is all set to sweep the board at the ceremony (more on that later in the week) Ledger's fine effort has recently been overshadowed by two equally impressive performances.

First up is Joaquin Phoenix, who appears to be possessed by the ghost of Johnny Cash in the entertaining biopic 'Walk the Line'. The fact that he sings Cash's songs himself in the film lends yet further credibility to his remarkable performance, and in any other year, he'd be a shoo-in for the big one.

This isn't any other year however, and Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of Truman Capote in Bennett Miller's excellent 'Capote' is already being talked about as one of the performances of the decade. He's already the odds-on favourite to win, and having finally caught the film last week, I can only agree - Hoffman lights up the screen from start to finish and if this consistently brilliant actor walks away with the Oscar come Sunday night, no one will be more deserving.

Oscar Preview 

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