The Odyssey actors campaigning for an Oscar nomination - The Independent
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The Odyssey is looking to follow its box office juggernaut success with awards glory – and its Oscar campaign has suddenly taken shape with the unveiling of the actors being pushed for nominations.
Christopher Nolan’s epic has become the director’s most successful film since its July release, and received rave reviews from critics, with many praising the ensemble cast for their performances, big and small.
It’s now been reported by GoldDerby that six of the film’s stars will be in contention for Oscar nominations: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo and Samantha Morton.
Damon will reportedly be considered for Best Actor, Hathaway and Morton for Best Supporting Actress, while Holland, Pattinson and Leguizamo could receive Best Supporting Actor nominations.
The interesting detail here is Hathaway being lobbied in the Supporting Actress category. There was a question mark surrounding whether she would be pushed for Best Actress, for her role as Odysseus’ wife Penelope, especially considering that category feels lower on contenders at the moment than, say, Best Actor.
Leading the Best Actress charge is Julianne Moore for her role in Jesse Eisenberg’s comedy The Debut, alongside Sandra Hüller for her roles in both Fatherland and Rose, as well as Inde Navarrette for her star-making role in horror hit Obsession.
It’s also somewhat surprising considering her placement alongside Morton – who is considered a nomination shoo-in for her brief, but memorable role as Circes – could split the vote and mean Hathaway loses out. The same could be said for the trio of male actors in contention for Best Supporting Actor – it seems likely that only one of those will make it in.
Voters could opt for Pattinson, who played the villainous Antinous, as a consolation for not nominating him in the leading actor category for his role in Primetime, in which he plays controversial To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen. Meanwhile, Best Actor could be claimed by one of a crowded field of contenders, led by Andrew Scott (Elsinore), John Malkovich (Wild Horse Nine) and his Odyssey co-star Damon.
His closest Odyssey competitor is Leguizamo, who delivered a heartfelt performance as Odysseus’s loyal servant Eumaeus.
The Odyssey actors who will reportedly miss out on nominations include Himesh Patel, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page and Jon Bernthal. The Independent has contacted Universal for comment.
Nolan could be in the running to win his second Best Director Oscar, having won for Oppenheimer in 2024.
Other Oscar contenders currently include Martin McDonagh’s comedy-drama Wild Horse Nine, historical Spanish drama La Bola Negra, Olivia Wilde's sex comedy The Invite, Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 3, which will be released in December. The nominations will be announced on 21 January, with the ceremony scheduled for 14 March.
