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Daniel Day-Lewis is on the brink of making Oscar history as the first three-time Best Actor champ. He is the overwhelming choice of our Experts (see latest odds here) to win for his work as America's 16th president in "Lincoln." He previously prevailed in 1989 for "My Left Foot" and in 2007 for "There Will Be Blood."
Only two other men have three Oscars: Jack Nicholson with two Best Actor wins and a supporting award and Walter Brennan with three Best Supporting Actor prizes. The all-time champ is Katharine Hepburn who claimed Best Actress four times.
At the start of the season, Joaquin Phoenix was way ahead for his work as a wayward soul in "The Master." However, he has seen his odds drop preciptiously, particularly after his dismissive remarks about his 2005 Best Actor bid for "Walk the Line." (Track changing odds in this race by scrolling down to the bottom of this page.)
Coming on strong is Denzel Washington who headlines "Flight," Robert Zemecki's first live-action film since "Castaway" in 2000. Washington, who won this award in 2001 for "Training Day" as well as a Supporting Actor Oscar in 1989 for "Glory," plays a pilot who goes from hero to zero after it is revealed he was drunk when he pulled off a miraculous landing. Acting the boozehound has proven to be a winning way with the Oscars.
One-time supporting nominee John Hawkes headlines Sundance sensation "The Sessions" as a real-life polio victim who hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt). Day-Lewis won his first Oscar for playing a physically-afflicted fellow with similar longings for the love of a woman.
Looking for his first Oscar nomination is Hugh Jackman who hosted the 2008 Academy Awards. He takes on the role of the valiant Jean Valjean in the film version of the 1987 Tony-winner "Les Miserables."
And Anthony Hopkins is hoping for a bookend to his 1991 Oscar for "Silence of the Lambs" for playing film director Alfred Hitchock, who was snubbed by the academy despite five bids for helming such classics as "Psycho" and 1940 Best Picture champ "Rebecca."
