LOS ANGELES — With Hollywood’s Biggest Night less than a week away, excitement is building with so many of the big races still too close to call.
Forget the front-runners, if you want drama on Oscar night, look to the supporting categories.
Take the Best Supporting Actor – could it be Stellan Skarsgard for “Sentimental Value?”
“I’m at ease with not having an Oscar, but when you get a nomination like this, it’s fantastic,” Skarsgard said.
Or could it be Sean Penn or Benicio del Toro for “One Battle After Another.”
“I never saw it coming, it’s like getting t-boned by a lot of love,” del Toro said.
Also nominated is Jacob Elordi for “Frankenstein.”
“I’ve dreamt of that for quite a while,” Elordi said.
And Delroy Lindo is nominated for “Sinners.”
“When I got my Actors’ Equity card, that for me, this is real, this is official,” Lindo said.
The category is wild because anybody could win.
Entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo says she thinks Sean Penn gave one of the best performance of his career.
“I think if you’re going to bet, your money is on Stellan Skarsgard, ‘Sentimental Value’ is a movie that a lot of people really like, and Skarsgard is a phenomenon,” said film expert Chris Connelley.
“Any of the five can win, I mean it with every fiber of my being, we have a race for the ages,” said Clayton Davis, chief awards editor for Variety.
That’s not the only interesting race, there’s also Best Supporting Actress.
“It feels nerve wracking, emotional,” said Wunmi Mosaku.
“It’s overwhelming when it’s your first time,” said Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.
“I took that leap of faith, you know, and I feel like it was a promise from God that you gotta follow your heart,” Teyana Taylor said.
“Gladys brought me to the Oscars, who would have thought? People saying, you know, we see you,” said Amy Madigan.
Erik Davis, managing editor for Fandango, said Madigan was nominated 40 years ago for her first Oscar.
“And then you have Teyana Taylor, new school, sort of emerging, flexing muscle, Teyana won the Golden Globe, Amy won the Critics Choice,” Davis said.
So who is going to take home the Oscar?
“History has not been kind to horror movies at the Oscars, so if I’m looking at that, I’m saying Teyana Taylor, also, I’m New York born and raised, so that honestly is giving my edge to Teyana Taylor,” Davis said. “And both her and Amy do this. They’re not in the movies for that much time, but when they’re in there, you can’t take your eyes off of them.”
So who will win? We’ll just have to wait until Oscar Sunday to find out.
March 15 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2026 Oscars live on ABC and Hulu.
Live red carpet coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT with “On The Red Carpet at the Oscars.”
Catch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, or stream on Hulu and OnTheRedCarpet.com.
The 98th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. and will be followed by “The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose.”
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