The 90th Academy Awards air this Sunday night on ABC, and it appears that Best Picture is the only category that’s somewhat up in the air.
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro‘s “The Shape of Water,” the story of a mute woman who falls in love with an aquatic being, leads all films with 13 nominations. Christopher Nolan‘s “Dunkirk” earned the second-most number of nominations, with eight. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” scored seven.
So far, experts give “The Shape of Water” a slight edge to win best picture, followed by “Three Billboards.” In the best director category, del Toro is said to have the edge, and because “Three Billboards” director Martin McDonagh wasn’t even nominated, Nolan is the next most likely winner.
Experts believe best actress and best actor are likely going to Frances McDormand and Gary Oldman, because both have won so many awards this season for their work in “Three Billboards” and “Darkest Hour,” respectively.
Same goes for “Three Billboards”‘ Sam Rockwell, who’s swept most of the supporting actor awards at other ceremonies. He’s expected to score gold on Oscar night, as well, though some experts think Willem DaFoe could nab the trophy for his role in The Florida Project.
As for supporting actress, experts say Allison Janney has a slight edge for her role as Tonya Harding’s abusive mom in “I, Tonya,” though Laurie Metcalf’s role as a frustrated mother in “Lady Bird” is a close second.
But while viewers will tune in to see the winners, they’ll also be watching to see how Jimmy Kimmel, in his second year as host, handles the #MeToo/Time’s Up movement that has dominated Hollywood for months. At the Golden Globes, host Seth Meyers met the topic head-on, but Kimmel has said that he doesn’t want to make the evening “unpleasant” for people who’ve dreamed of winning an Oscar their entire lives.
The three-hour-plus telecast will also include performances of the Best Original Song nominees. Oscar-winner Common, Academy Award nominee Mary J. Blige, Gael García Bernal, Andra Day, Natalia Lafourcade, Miguel, Keala Settle and Sufjan Stevens will sing nominated songs from “Mudbound,” “Coco,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “Marshall” and “The Greatest Showman.”
Presenters at the show include Helen Mirren, Nicole Kidman, Jodi Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Christopher Walken, Sandra Bullock, Lupita Nyong’o, Jane Fonda, Gal Gadot, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish, Viola Davis, Jennifer Garner, Chadwick Boseman, Emma Stone, Tom Holland, Armie Hammer and Mark Hamill.
The 90th Academy Awards airs Sunday, March 4, on ABC, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Here are the nominees in the key categories:
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Original Song
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Animated Feature Film
Production Design
Cinematography
Costume Design
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Short Film — Animated
