It was the movies, then the actors, now the actresses. The Oliver goes to:
Best Actress
1. Emma Stone — This was a difficult category for me as I have not seen Elle nor Loving. Both Isabelle Huppert and Ruth Negga have received high praise. I give a slight edge to Ms. Stone as she was good at being a singer which she is not. Does that make sense? I am sure this was out of her comfort zone. Go La La Land.
2. Natalie Portman — The camera was on her in close up fashion the whole time and she had no place to hide! Nice job as Jackie.
3. Anybody but Meryl Streep
4. Repeat
5. Meryl Streep — I still can’t get her screeching out of my mind. I am not a Streep fan but I loved her (and her singing) in Ricki and the Flash. Perhaps it takes talent to sing that bad but it was excruciating for us mortals. Whoever thought Florence Foster Jenkins was a good idea should be made to listen to her singing for 8 hours per day for the rest of his/her life.
Best supporting Actress
1. Naomie Harris — As I was viewing Moonlight and watching Mahershala Ali’s performance, it was Harris’ performance as the drug addicted mother that was better, and she was in the entire movie.
2. Viola Davis — Putting up with Denzel Washington’s character in Fences is sufficient in and of itself to deserve this position.
3. Octavia Spencer — While good, Taraji P. Henson was the highlight of Hidden Figures.
4. Michelle Williams — Her performance in Manchester by the Sea may have been the best of this entire category but her screen time was very, very short. In my opinion, she is as good as Kate Blanchett or Kate Winslet and should be recognized as such.
5.Nicole Kidman — This one baffles me. Not much screen time and not much of a character in Lion.
Any of the three ladies in Hidden Figures were more deserving.