-
-
I remember watching this live and being stunned.
I know Streep had the “overdue for a third” narrative, but her film had received relatively poor notices. And while she had won the Globe and BAFTA, the latter could be chalked up to the fact that she played Margaret Thatcher.
As for Davis, while her film wasn’t a critical darling, it was a great commercial success. She had the CC and SAG in addition to an amazing narrative as a character actress who had earned her position through decades of hard work. Her co-star Octavia Spencer won the Supporting trophy too. And of course, she would have only been the 2nd woman to ever win in this category.
I guess the Streep narrative was there, but I’ve never wrapped by head around how she beat a juggernaut like Davis that year. Did Davis have some major weaknesses?
ReplyWas it really an upset ? Meryl had the Globe + BAFTA combo, Weinstein’s lobbying machine and an overdue narrative. And for what it’s worth, she actually won a trifecta award for Iron Lady unlike Viola
I always thought she was the favorite to win. SAG loved The Help but the movie was pretty much a filler BP nominee. I don’t think AMPAS went too crazy about it, at least not enough to justify two acting wins
ReplyCopy URLFYC :
Best Actress - Viola Davis, Frances McDormand
Best Actor - Delroy Lindo, Chadwick Boseman
Best Supporting Actor - Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman
Best Picture - Nomadland
Best Director - Chloé Zhao
SAG Ensemble - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Cinematography - NomadlandMeryl would’ve won even without Weinstein. She was giving her most transformative performance since… well, the last time she won for Sophie’s Choice. Playing Margaret Thatcher is different from playing someone like Julia Child, or a fictional character such as Miranda Priestly. Especially when the film covered such a wide-ranging period of the PM’s life. Streep was doing things with her voice, accent, inflection that immediately stood out from the other nominees. It didn’t even matter that the film was a structural mess.
At the time, I was not using goldderby but I did read a few articles while following the season and I was always surprised by the confidence in Davis by most pundits. She won the SAG award because The Help was so incredibly popular with actors, and Streep had won SAG just three years prior for Doubt. But with no directing or even a writing nomination, The Help simply did not have the support needed to win two acting Oscars. In fact, outside of Best Picture, the actors were the only branch to nominate it anywhere.
ReplyCopy URLThanks for the responses! Very insightful.
Was this the first time that Streep had been considered competitive for the win since 1982? Or did people think she could win in 2008 and 2009 too?
She was also competitive in 2002 for Adaptation., 2008 for Doubt and 2009 for Julie & Julia. I think she would’ve easily won for Doubt in 2008 if Winslet had been nominated in supporting as she campaigned.
ReplyCopy URLIt's about the chaotic editing in Moulin Rouge!
She won the SAG award because The Help was so incredibly popular with actors, and Streep had won SAG just three years prior for Doubt. But with no directing or even a writing nomination, The Help simply did not have the support needed to win two acting Oscars. In fact, outside of Best Picture, the actors were the only branch to nominate it anywhere.
Which is why even if Viola Davis wins SAG this year, there’s almost no way she’s winning the Oscar for Ma Rainey’s
ReplyCopy URL
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
