TEMPLE, Texas — The biggest night in Hollywood is back in 2023.
The 95th Academy Awards are set to honor the best of the big screen on Sunday, March 12.
The past year saw the return of blockbuster juggernauts like "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Avatar: The Way of Water", as well as surprise hits like "Everything Everywhere All at Once" taking the industry by storm.
Industry veterans like Jamie Lee Curtis, Angela Bassett and Steven Spielberg are nominated for awards alongside relative newcomers such as Barry Keoghan and Austin Butler; not to mention the triumphant return of fan favorites like Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Frasier.
So who will bring home the iconic golden statues this year? 6 News director Shawn Hobbs gave his picks for who will take home the night's biggest awards.
Best Supporting Actress:
Nominees:
-Angela Bassett, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"
-Hong Chau, "The Whale"
-Kerry Condon, "The Banshees of Inisherin"
-Jamie Lee Curtis, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
-Stephanie Hsu, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
Shawn's Pick?: Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett has been a powerhouse in Hollywood for years, having been nominated for another Academy Award in 1993 for her performance as Tina Turner in "What's Love Got to Do with It", as well as wins and nominations for numerous Emmys, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and more.
Bassett turns in a powerful and emotional performance as the grief-stricken Queen of Wakanda in "Wakanda Forever", and Hobbs says an Oscar would not only honor her work on that movie, but her career as a whole.
Hobbs says Bassett's nomination for this movie could be a perfect opportunity for the Academy to honor her work not only in "Wakanda Forever", but for her acclaimed body of work as a whole.
Bassett is already the first person to ever receive an Oscar nomination for a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, and if she wins, she would also become the only woman to ever win an Oscar for a superhero movie.
Best Supporting Actor:
Nominees:
-Brendan Gleeson, "The Banshees of Inisherin"
-Brian Tyree Henry, "Causeway"
-Judd Hirsh, "The Fablemans"
-Barry Keoghan, "The Banshees of Inisherin"
-Ke Huy Quan, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
Shawn's Pick?: Ke Huy Quan
According to Hobbs, and most people in the industry, Ke Huy Quan taking home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor is almost a foregone conclusion.
Quan has cleaned up at awards show so far for his role in "Everything Everywhere All at Once", and the momentum does not seem to be slowing down.
Quan's nomination is quite the comeback story in Hollywood as well. Quan made a name for himself as a child actor with "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "The Goonies", but has struggled to find roles ever since.
Quan is definitely back now. His performance in the film has garnered unanimous praise and has swept through the awards circuit. Shawn Hobbs even goes so far as to say Quan is the best part of the already widely praised movie.
Hobbs said that if there is an upset, it would be either Brendan Gleeson or Barry Keoghan for "The Banshees of Inisherin", but Ke Huy Quan seems to have the award all but locked down.
Best Actress:
Nominees:
-Cate Blanchett, "Tár"
-Ana de Armas, "Blonde"
-Andrea Risenborough, "To Leslie"
-Michelle Williams, "The Fablemans"
-Michelle Yeoh, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
Shawn's Pick?: Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is another Hollywood veteran who is no stranger to the Academy Awards. Blanchett has already won Oscars in 2005 and 2014, and has been nominated for several more.
Blanchett has also been a favorite at awards shows so far this year for the role, a fact that Hobbs says could either help or hurt her chances going into theOscars.
Michelle Yeoh is also a popular choice for the award, taking on the starring role in awards favorite "Everything Everywhere All at Once", but Hobbs put his vote just slightly more in favor of Blanchett.
Hobbs also gave a nod to Danielle Deadwyler, whose performance in historical drama "Till" he said was tragically overlooked, missing out on a nomination completely.
Best Actor:
Nominees:
-Austin Butler, "Elvis"
-Colin Farrell, "The Banshees of Inisherin"
-Brendan Fraser, "The Whale"
-Paul Mescal, "Aftersun"
-Bill Nighy, "Living"
Shawn's Pick?: Brendan Fraser
Like Ke Huy Quan, Brendan Fraser has received universal praise for his transformative performance in A24 drama "The Whale", and has already raked in numerous awards for the role.
Also like Quan, Fraser's nomination is also a comeback story, after Fraser's career had gone largely silent over the past years. His optimistic and humble speeches at previous awards ceremonies have endeared him to even more fans in the wake of "The Whale"'s success.
With the help of some incredible, also-Oscar nominated makeup and practical effects, Fraser morphs into the role of a 600-pund recluse trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter.
Far removed from his roles in movies like "The Mummy" or "George of the Jungle", Fraser is not only Hobbs' pick for the award, but many other's as well.
Austin Butler is also a frontrunner for his impressive performance as the legendary Elvis Presley in "Elvis", but Hobbs says the young star's age may work against him.
Best Director:
Nominees:
-"The Banshees of Inisherin", Martin McDonagh
-"Everything Everywhere All at Once", Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
-"The Fablemans", Steven Spielberg
-"Tár", Todd Field
-"Triangle of Sadness", Ruben Östlund
Shawn's Pick?: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
Like Ke Huy Quan in the same film, Hobbs says that the directors of "Everything Everywhere All at Once" are practically shoo-ins for their work on the multi-verse hopping adventure film.
Affectionately known as "the Daniels" for their shared first name, Kwan and Scheinert are the clear favorites for the award so far.
Hobbs says Academy favorite Steven Spielberg still has a chance for "The Fablemans", mostly due to his unrivaled career in the industry, but Hobbs, and most other outlets, seem to agree that the Daniels have this one in the bag.
Best Picture:
Nominees:
-"All Quiet on the Western Front"
-"Avatar: The Way of Water"
-"The Banshees of Inisherin"
-"Elvis"
-"Everything Everywhere All at Once"
-"The Fablemans"
-"Tár"
-"Top Gun: Maverick"
-"Triangle of Sadness"
-"Women Talking"
Shawn's Pick?: "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
The film that has taken the industry by storm, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" is the current favorite to be named this year's Best Picture. While Hobbs said the space-bending romp was not his favorite movie of the year, it is the most likely to take home the award.
A critical and fan favorite, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has been a favorite for awards as well, with its unique premise, outlandish visuals and strong performances.
While Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical "The Fablemans" was an early favorite for the award, Hobbs said it has been overshadowed since by A24's multiverse epic.
Another fan favorite may have a shot at the statue however according to Hobbs, "Top Gun: Maverick" was also one of the biggest and most acclaimed movies of the year.
While blockbuster action movies are typically not frontrunners during awards season, Hobbs points out that many blockbuster films such as "Titanic", "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" and "Mad Max: Fury Road" have all received Best Picture nods, with "Titanic" and "Lord of the Rings" even taking home the win.
Hobbs also credits "Top Gun: Maverick" with helping to save the theater experience, a feat which is sure to give it a little more appreciation from the Academy.
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