Will Kate Winslet's upset at the Golden Globes trip up the Oscars derby?
"You have to forgive me!" Kate Winslet gasped, thunderstruck up at the podium upon winning best supporting actress in a motion picture at the Golden Globes for "The Reader," beating front-runner Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona").
"I have a habit of not winning things," she explained breathlessly. That's an understatement. In the past, she has lost five times, just as she has at the Oscars, but now award gurus must re-think her Oscar odds, especially after her win three days ago at the Critics Choice Awards too.
But where will she show up at the Oscars, eh? It's virtually impossible for academy members to be influenced by Winslet's two recent award victories. Oscar nominations ballots are due in tomorrow. Academy accountants say that most voters submit ballots early.
Therefore, if there really is such strong kudos support for Winslet in "The Reader," and so little for her turn in "Revolutionary Road" (as seems to be the case), she could very well be nominated in lead for "The Reader." That will shake up the derby hugely, eh?
Remember, Oscar voters can put stars in whatever category they wish. Keisha Castle-Hughes ("Whale Rider") campaigned in supporting but was placed in lead. Ditto for Susan Sarandon ("Atlantic City"). James Cromwell campaigned in lead for "Babe," but got plopped in supporting. Now . . . whither Winslet?
Photo: Weinstein Co.
I am with Gej, I don't understand why Tom O'neal has been on this massive campaign to get Kate's bravura performance in Rev Road disregarded!
All the articles about Kate are how the voters are going to trip up, Reader may go lead, and how she may not get nominated at all.
I don't believe any of it. If Rachel Weisz can get in the supporting category for her larger role in Constant Gardner, which is what they campaigned for (for her) then Kate most certainly can as well.
One could argue forever the amount of screen time it takes to get in any category. She wasn't the main character/lead in the Reader... she was most certainly the main character in Rev.. it is as simple as that.
Posted by: Jim | January 15, 2009 at 07:06 AM
Overtaking Meryl Streep in best actress category? I don't think so. I saw both films. Meryl Streep's performance in Doubt was so strong as was Heath Ledger's for Black Knight. Kate Winslet's best shot is supporting actress but I wouldn't be surprised if Cruz or Adams stole for supporting. Liked the above predix - eventhough I think Sean Penn was amazing in Milk, I still think Langella should win. I know, I know - woulda, shoulda, coulda. All comes down to who does a better job of marketing themselves.
Posted by: Suz | January 13, 2009 at 06:09 AM
but the girl can NOT act!!
Posted by: david | January 13, 2009 at 01:01 AM
Well , I do have seen all the movies that have been nominated and do think that Kate Winslet definetly stands a much better chance at winning the oscars than the rest , while Meryl Streep is effective and Anne Hathaway competent enough , Kate Winslet just steals the show and the thunder with her performnace. She has played the characters in both the films so effectively that it would be a surprise if she looses. Moresoever winning in one category or the other doesn't really make a differnce because people would only remeber you as on Oscar Winning Artist and definetly not the category in which you have won.
But i do hope that Kate Winslet does wins the Oscar for Best Actress
Posted by: Rohan | January 12, 2009 at 11:55 PM
So, did she win because of her performances in these films or did she win because she has been snubbed in the past? And Kate wasn't a supporting actor in The Reader and should not be in that category. I feel for the women in supporting roles who are in fact supporting characters and not lead actresses angling for an Oscar nom. She seems like a lovely person but the award should be about the work and not about her popularity and appeal to the "average" woman.
Posted by: ho-hum | January 12, 2009 at 09:51 PM
I sense a lot of voters wanting to award both Winslet and Cruz and calling it a day, but her Reader performance is so obviously superior. Since it's obvious she is going to be nominated in lead, I'd love a total stunner where she gets it for The Reader; competes against Streep, Hawkins, Hathaway, and Kristin Scott Thomas (that's right, I think they will); and opens up a slot in supporting for Amy Adams.
Posted by: Zach | January 12, 2009 at 06:54 PM
Do a holocaust movie, win an award.
Posted by: Fazsha | January 12, 2009 at 12:01 PM
if you have actually seen the damn films, it is not a surprise at all.
winslet's performances in 'the reader' and 'revolutionary road' ARE better than cruz', streep's & hathaway's. just because mr. o'neill doesn't agree, he has slanted his article to make it seem the other way around.
not to take away from the 3 actresses mentioned AT ALL, but the work speaks for itself. as for 'oscar chances'- winslet seems the front runner in both- at the moment. only HELPED by the 2 wins, not BECAUSE of them. winning at the bfc and here puts her in the lead for a supporting win. penelope cruz was beautiful and did as much with the thinly-written role in 'barcelona', but god, didn't her dialogue sound just like that made by many others in several better woody allen movies? most of the critics urging for a cruz-win are probably men who are attracted to her. her role showed only a glimpse of what she did for almodovar in 'volver'...and i don't think of hathaway in 'rachel getting married' or streep in 'doubt' as OSCARFORBESTACTRESS roles. oscar NOMINATED roles, definitely. winslet's ROLE is the only one i can see winning now in lead. WATCH THE FILMS AGAIN, people. streep is nowhere near what she has done in 'sophie's choice', 'silkwood', 'a cry in the dark' or even 'the hours'. i would put it on par with 'one true thing'- an also-ran. hathaway had her best role to date, but really her role was that of a brat confronting her shortcomings and there was no scene where she really had an 'oscar moment' and i think people who vote NEED that scene to mark their X. winslet has several in 'revolutionary road'- particularly her final phone call regarding her children....
Posted by: Tyler | January 12, 2009 at 11:31 AM
What, was your article written before the end of the show? She won for Revolutionary Road, which you seem not to acknowlege.
Posted by: Gej | January 12, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Fearless OSCAR forecast:
Picture: Benjamin Button
Actor: Sean Penn
Actress: Meryl Streep
Sup Actor: Heath Ledger
Sup Actress: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
The Golden Globe is not a pre-cursor to the Oscars, not all the time.
If Meryl wins SAG, she's safe for OSCAR best actress.
Posted by: Gary | January 12, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Dude, seriously, you have to get over this "she is going to get nommed for lead in the reader" nonsense....she has been winning left right and center for The Reader in supporting....most visibly, last night....people will not forget that....
Posted by: filmboymichael | January 12, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Kate , will be nominated for supporting & lead , but will not win both. Lead actress catagory will between Anne Hathaway & Meryl Streep.
Happy for Mickey Rourke's win, it added new drama to the oscar predictions.
I hope Rosemarie Dewitt is not forgotten for Rachel Getting Married. for Oscar consideration.
Posted by: sally p. | January 12, 2009 at 01:34 AM
FINALLY!!! Justice is served. The greatest actress of our generation has won TWICE!!! She is the next ...Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Meryl Streep and now KATE WINSLET
Posted by: Chris | January 12, 2009 at 01:34 AM
Hey Tom, please tell me you've got a post in the works about Winslet's epic double Globe win! Some are saying it's Sigourney Weaver all over again, but one of hers was for comedy and, more importantly, she had that legendary 3-way-tie with Foster and MacLaine. Winslet won hers all to herself. That's a record feat, no?
Posted by: James | January 12, 2009 at 01:34 AM
I called it first! Kate Winslet for two wins
Posted by: Usman | January 11, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Great! Winslet has a solid and real character as a person and this integrity comes across in whatever role she plays. Sure beats that ho Angie, who "acts."
Go Kate!
Posted by: jolie | January 11, 2009 at 10:41 PM
she just won both. SO SHE'll get nominated both and also win BOTH IN OSCARS
Posted by: val | January 11, 2009 at 10:41 PM