The Joker star is simply one of the Hollywood actors to hot-foot it from London to Los Angeles in time for the Academy Awards on Sunday.
In an attempt to combat falling ratings, this year’s ceremony is being held earlier than usual. The slew of other awards ceremonies over several months was thought to be damaging interest in the Oscars, which mark the conclusion of awards season.
Oscar-ologists have been closely studying the nominations list for patterns, trends, quirks and clues about who might win what.
1. It’s been 15 years since the winner of best actress and best picture were in sync.
Very rarely does the winner of best actress also star in the winner of best picture – the last one who did was Hilary Swank in 2004’s Million Dollar Baby.
That’s probably not going to change this year.
Renée Zellweger is the favourite to win best actress for Judy, which isn’t even nominated for best picture.
2. Scarlett Johansson has joined a rather exclusive club.
She is only the 12th person to receive two acting nominations in the same year. She is nominated for both best supporting actress and best actress for her performances in Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story respectively.
The other 11 people who’ve been nominated twice in acting categories at the same Oscars ceremony include Al Pacino (1993), Sigourney Weaver (in 1989), Jamie Foxx (2005) Emma Thompson (1994), and, most recently, Cate Blanchett (2008). But none has ever won in both their categories.
3. There’s a competing couple in the best picture category.
Directors Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, who began dating in 2011 and have a child together, are up against each other for the top prize.
Baumbach’s for Marriage Story and Gerwig’s nomination for Little Women make them the first director-couple to go head-to-head for best picture. This almost happened in 2009, when Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron both had films nominated. However, they had divorced some 18 years earlier. Coincidentally, Laura Dern, who is nominated for best supporting actress, stars in both their films.
4. Cynthia Erivo could end up with a massive EGOT.
In fact, if the Harriet star wins an Oscar to go with her Emmy, Grammy and Tony awards she’ll become the youngest EGOT winner in history. Erivo has two chances to do this on Oscars night – because she’s nominated for both best original song (she co-wrote Harriet’s anthemic original song Stand Up.) and best actress. The 33-year-old would take over from Robert Lopez, the current record holder, who completed the quad in 2018 at the age of 39.
5. Toy Story 4 could better the Oscars record it set with Toy Story 3.
The prize for best animated feature film was introduced in 2001. Since then, only one sequel – Toy Story 3 – has won.
So a victory for Toy Story 4 would make it not just the second sequel to win best animated feature, but the second to win within its own film series.
