Well, as if the Oscar race couldn’t get any tighter, last night the BAFTAs happened, and threw some more wrenches into the whole thing. Since the BAFTAs are the British equivalent of the Oscars, they are pretty much considered the best predictor of the Oscars themselves.
Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress actually some of the closest races we’ve seen in quite some time (finally, the ads for the Oscars declaring this the “most suspenseful year yet” that they run EVERY SINGLE YEAR are true!), considering who took home a “British Oscar” last night. With no Matthew McConaughey to run against here (he didn’t score a nod in the UK), Chiwetel Ejiofor took home Best Actor. Even without his strongest competition up against him, this does strengthen Ejiofor’s chances come March 2nd. 12 Years a Slave took home best film overall, while Gravity took home “Best British Film” (I really didn’t know those were separate categories), just confirming, after the now infamous PGA tie, that Slave and Gravity will be duking it out come Oscar night. Lupita Nyong’o may have taken home the SAG Award for Slave, but Jennifer Lawrence took the BAFTA, making this category a complete toss-up between the two.
The only things that seem sured up at this point are Best Actress and Best Director. Despite Amy Adams’ best efforts to sneak back into the race, Blanchett took home the BAFTA for Blue Jasmine last night, perhaps sealing her fate. Meanwhile, Alfonso Cuaron, on a streak after his Golden Globe for Gravity, was given Best Director.
We’ll keep predicting and profiling until March 2nd, but thanks to the BAFTAs, we’re more confused than we were before. Fantastic.