This year, as with any year, the Oscar for Best Actress will be tightly contested. What is interesting to note is that of the two front runners, one is Sandra Bullock. Never before nominated Bullock is a surprise entrant and threat to two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep.
“Julia & Julia” has Streep giving us a truly memorable performance as chef Julia Childs.
Her performance was naturally considered a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination. Bullock in “The Blind Side” was considered good, but was not really considered to be a candidate for nominations until the movie became a box office smash. Bullock has always been a well-liked person in Hollywood circles and many now feel that she has a good chance to grab one of the little gold men. She is viewed as a person who tirelessly works to promote her movies unlike other leading ladies who prefer to take a backseat whenever they can. Although Streep remains the likely winner Bullock with her recent SAG award cannot be counted out.
The other contenders in the category are Carey Mulligan (“An Education”), Helen Mirren (“The Last Station”) and Gabourey Sidibe (“Precious”). In the Best Supporting Actress category, the nominees are Penélope Cruz (“Nine”), Vera Farmiga (“Up in the Air”), Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Crazy Heart”), Anna Kendrick (“Up in the Air”) and Mo’Nique (“Precious”).
Bullock’s movie is about an uneducated and overweight African-American teenager with a horrible home life who is taken in by a rich Republican couple. The story chronicles his success in football and his changing fortune. “The Blind Side” has also been nominated for Best Picture.