Oscars poll: Will Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep win lead actress?
Up until Oscar nominations came out, many pundits believed the lead actress race was a close contest between Meryl Streep ("Julie & Julia") and Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side").
On one hand, "Julie & Julia" got the best reviews (66 at Metacritic compared with 53 for "The Blind Side") and Streep won more precursor awards, including laurels from the film critics in New York, Boston and San Francisco. Streep and Bullock both won Critics' Choice Awards and Golden Globes, but Bullock beat Streep at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Then "The Blind Side" pulled off a surprise Academy Award nomination for best picture, thus assuring Oscar watchers that voters take the flick — dismissed by many cynics as a Lifetime TV movie of the week without artistic heft — quite seriously. That may tip the balance in Bullock's favor, but does it?
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Photos: "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros.), "Julie & Julia" (Columbia)
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I just want the best actress to win. The media are manipulating opinion. Its being run like an election campaign but with only one person being promoted. SB comes across as a really great person in all this publicity but is that what its all about?
Posted by: Wendy Ellis | February 18, 2010 at 01:25 AM
Mel*MadaboutStreep , I totaly agree with you Sandra Bullock will definitly win Razzie awards ....and the Oscar`s that`s fact get use to this.....
A Razzie Awards for All About Steve is actually a honor ,it means that the movie is finally been recognize for something.she´s already a winner nomineted for Razzie and the Oscar`s and she´ll win Both!!!!!!!
Um fato nunca antes conquistado por ninguém...que eu me lembre.
Posted by: weslleybrazil | February 17, 2010 at 12:28 PM
Yes, we know she's been nominated 16 times but won only twice. However, how many people are actually aware of that fact? Seeing how she gets nominated endless times gives the feeling that she's won a lot of times too. A lot of Academy voters are ignorant to the nominees' track record, and I highly doubt they take their time and effort to learn this kind of information. So, since they think she won thousands of Oscars already, they come to the conclusion that she doesn't need another one, so they always find someone else to give it to.
I wanted to believe Meryl Streep could win this year (would be really nice to see her winning again), but it seems less and less likely by the day. There are other Oscar polls out there, and many of them have Sandra Bullock at 1st, way ahead of Streep.
Posted by: Gustavo | February 17, 2010 at 04:22 AM
Dont worry sandra bullock fans, she WILL get her award...uhm the RAZZIE that is! Haha.... We all know that Meryl Streep will take home her third oscar this year.... GO MERYL!!!!! there is no one like you, youre the best!
Posted by: Mel*MadaboutStreep | February 16, 2010 at 12:10 PM
Believe or not, this race is actually between Meryl Streep and Gabourey Sidibe.
Even Kate Hepburn had to wait 34 years between Oscars 1 and 2. And then won on the last three nominations of her career. LOL.
Posted by: Terrence | February 15, 2010 at 09:03 PM
Amen to that, Frank! I totally endorse this view of us not honoring our best and greatest as they truly deserve to be honored!
Posted by: June | February 15, 2010 at 01:43 PM
Responding to Roxy's post..."Say amen somebody"
If I may present another 2 cents, I so agree with Roxy & have said the same thing in conversations with friends.
Posted by: frank | February 14, 2010 at 03:01 PM
Meryl should just stay home or away from the Oscars this year and maybe from now on. They have totally taken her for granted and she should just stay home and let the world see them as the frauds that they really are.
She has lost so many that was by right, hers, that she should just snob the bloody Oscars...then we will see what exactly they are reduced to being without The Greatest Actress Of All Times--Just honoring themselves and patting each other on the back, mediocre and mediocrity together as always... always at the expense of greatness.
If they don't give Meryl it for J & J, it would be a total fraud! It would stink to high heavens and back...and then, they could all totally and ceremonously kiss my...Ahhhhh! Don't worry, I would never ever dream of saying that word...I just don't feel that mediocrity ever deserves anything but a good kick in the...Again, I won't say it. but all I would say, as clearly and as loudly as I can, is...Stop giving Meryl Streep's Oscars to others!
There! Now I've finally managed to say it.
Posted by: Roxy | February 13, 2010 at 07:31 PM
That Meryl Streep has been embarrassingly overlooked for a 3rd oscar for roles (ironweed/cry in the dark/bridges of madison county etc etc) she should have WON for is just unreasonable. I mean Cher won OVER her for god's sake. Yes I am a huge fan but who the heck can say SB did better work and should win over M this year? No way. T's me off.
Posted by: frank | February 12, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Meryl Streep all the way! There is no one even in the same league as her and it is high time she wins an Oscar.
Posted by: Amanda | February 11, 2010 at 07:57 PM
When you consider that Streep has LOST for such performances as 'A Cry in the Dark'... 'Out of Africa'... 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'... 'Ironweed'... 'Silkwood'... 'The Hours' and many more, it makes you wonder what kind of crediblity the Academy has to begin with. Bullock, on her best day, can't touch Streep. If 'Miss Congeniality' wins for that passable but mediocre acting performance, the Academy will truly be admitting it's nothing more than a popularity contest. She's a really entertaining person to watch on film and talk shows, but Sandra Bullock is not a great actress. The Best Actress Oscar should be praise for an OUTSTANDING job.
Posted by: BRADLEY | February 11, 2010 at 07:22 PM
As much as I would like Sandra to win the Oscar, I really don't think it will happen. Hollywood has this love affair with Meryl Streep, so I believe she will win. I do love it when the underdogs win though (that being Sandra). Its also cool to see newbies win, so I believe Gabourey Sidibe could give us a suprise win.
Who knows. The Oscars can be very unpredictable at times.
Sandra does have the People's Choice Award, Critic's Choice Award, Golden Globe and Sag Award in her favor though.
Posted by: UnBreatheMe | February 11, 2010 at 01:51 PM
Interesting comments. Bullock's win would be a better story, and exactly when did doing a great job and being likeable enough to win an Academy Award become less important that technical perfection?
Posted by: HowardTooMuchInOhio | February 10, 2010 at 05:56 PM
I agree with Kanye, to even contemplate giving sandra Bullock an Oscar is a joke. The Academy Awards will become a joke and lose it's priority, in other words it will become cheap. Meryl Streep is going to win because she deserves to win. Her performance was incredible. The Oscars shouldn't be about charity, I mean how do you lose for Out of Africa, The Bridges of Madison County and Music of the Heart? Meryl Streep is going to win!!!!!! And she MUST win.
Posted by: Rachel | February 09, 2010 at 05:08 PM
Manny--come on--wow an actress acts what a strange reason to indicate she doesn't deserve to win? And Bullock did what?
And to say Meryl was "wooden" --are you familiar with Julia Child--Streep was doing Child's mannerisms to a tee.
It was a sublime performance where I actually forgot I was looking at 5'4" Meryl Streep and thought 6'+ Julia Child was in front of my eyes.
Posted by: RJ | February 08, 2010 at 12:17 PM
Hollywood and movie-goers are taking Meryl for granted! After so many nominations and no recent win, it's time for Julie/Julia! MBMunson
Posted by: Mary B. | February 08, 2010 at 07:23 AM
GOOOO MERYL!
Posted by: Malinda Gray Streeper for Life! | February 08, 2010 at 12:53 AM
I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS POLL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS NOW....BULLOCK IS IN WAY OVER HER BLIND SIDED HEAD WITH THIS CATEGORY.....IT'S REALLY FUNNY.....
Posted by: DIANE | February 07, 2010 at 04:08 PM
Oh Manny, your movie taste is so ugh.. I bet you're not good movie critic.
Sandra Bullock will not win Oscar. BUT don't worry fanboys, she will win RAZZIE next month. That's for sure.
That's all.
Posted by: Kanye | February 07, 2010 at 02:06 AM
I appreciate Meryl Streep as an actress, but the fact of the matter is she was acting in her role as Julia Child, as she seemed mechanical. If she is awarded the Oscar for this performance it is more as a lifetime achievement award. I have seen all the performances of the ladies nominated, and Sandra Bullock's performance was effortless and indeed Oscar-worthy.
Posted by: Manny | February 06, 2010 at 11:06 AM
Neither of these actresses deserve to win the Oscar. It's such a shame, because you know it's inevitable. Stupid award shows.
Posted by: Cyrano De Bergerac | February 06, 2010 at 09:20 AM
I have hope that the Academy won't turn this into a popularity contest. We all know who this award should go to based on the movie performances and we all know that this actress has been passed up to often. She is excellent and genuine.
Academy members get it right and I will lose all interest in this TV event annually viewed in my household if Meryl Streep is not honored for her excellent portrayal of the wonderful Julia Child.
Posted by: chuck | February 05, 2010 at 05:51 PM
I liked Sanda B. in the The Blindside very much, but if you are going for over-the-top performance, it's got to be Streep for Oscar 2010.
Jeff Bridges for Best Actor.
Supporting Actor - Christopher Waltz
Actress: Monique
Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow
Best Picture - The Hurt Locker
Posted by: moe | February 05, 2010 at 10:29 AM
MERYL STREEP IS JUST AMAZING!! I mean who can even deny it? I think everyone already knows who deserves it most and who should REALLY win that oscar!!! Shes just such an inspiration to every person who wants to become an actress! I just love her and really hope that she will get the oscar for her outstanding performance in julie and julia.. Shes really good and shes real and that matters.. Sorry sandra but you still have to go a long way! Meryl, I adore you and know that you will take home that well deserved oscar a third time!! Congrats on yet another outstanding performance! MERYL STREEP FOR OSCAR 2010!!
Posted by: Melissa | February 05, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Meryl Streep for the win.
Truth is, I have only seen Meryl's and Sandra's performances among the five nominees. Choosing between the two, I'd go for Meryl Streep. Obviously, she was great as Julia Child, as she has always been with her previous 16 nominations. But what sets Meryl's Julia is that she has played this character so sincerely and with joie di vivre that it didn't look like it was a mere parody. Think about other people playing the role and you simply can't imagine them do it and yet here is Meryl giving us all she has got not just to please critics or add golden boy statuettes to her already full awards cabinet.
I love Sandra but it should be Meryl this time to get the Oscar.
We just only see a new side of Sandra with the Blind Side, and if that's what pleases the AMPAS, and not the performance who clearly nailed the character with sheer brilliance, then a big shame to the Academy.
Posted by: lovelovelove | February 05, 2010 at 09:26 AM