Oscars 2023: My predictions & the winners
Tonight, awards season (finally) comes to a close with the 2023 Oscars. The conversation about who will win an Academy Award has been ongoing for months and now the time has finally come to find out.
I’ve decided to overhaul this prediction post – instead of the usual list, I have looked at the main categories and decided who will win versus who I want to win, with a little comment for each.
Best Picture
Who will win: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Who I want to win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Comment: To be honest, I’m not ride-or-die for any of the Best Picture nominees this year but I picked All Quiet on the Western Front because it is the nominee I rated highest. I do not understand the hype with EEAAO – I’ve watched it twice and thought it was good but nothing special both times.
Winner: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Actor
Who will win: Austin Butler – Elvis
Who I want to win: Paul Mescal – Aftersun
Comment: I would be elated if Paul Mescal won for Aftersun but I know that’s a long shot. It’s quite a tight race this year as I thought all five were terrific. Brendan Fraser could cinch it for The Whale but I’m putting my money on Butler.
Winner: Brendan Fraser – The Whale
Best Actress
Who will win: Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Who I want to win: Cate Blanchett – Tár
Comment: I would be delighted if Michelle Yeoh wins this award because I’m loving her career resurgence, but I didn’t love EEAAO and Blanchett blew me away with her performance in Tár so I’m going with her.
Winner: Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Supporting Actor
Who will win: Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Who I want to win: Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin
Comment: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is one of my childhood faves so I will be thrilled if Quan, aka Short Round, won an Oscar. However, on a pure performance level, it’s Keoghan all the way for me.
Winner: Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Supporting Actress
Who will win: Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Who I want to win: Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Comment: My favourite performance in Wakanda Forever was Letitia Wright and she didn’t even get nominated. Hsu was the heart of EEAAO and she almost made me cry so she deserves it. I will be fuming if Jamie Lee Curtis wins this over her – I don’t understand why she’s nominated at all.
Winner: Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Director
Who will win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Who I want to win: Todd Field – Tár
Comment: The Daniels have been cleaning up at all the awards shows leading up to the Oscars so I think it’s safe to say they will win tonight. I couldn’t decide who to pick as my choice but I settled for Tár.
Winner: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Original Screenplay
Who will win: Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
Who I want to win: Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
Comment: I almost put Todd Field down here again for Tár but I really loved McDonagh’s screenplay. In fact, most of his scripts are so well-observed and manage to be funny and dark and heartfelt at the same time.
Winner: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Adapted Screenplay
Who will win: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell – All Quiet on the Western Front
Who I want to win: Sarah Polley – Women Talking
Comment: I thought Women Talking was terrific so I would love for it to win something, but I think All Quiet will take this home.
Winner: Sarah Polley – Women Talking
Best Animated Feature Film
Who will win: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Who I want to win: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Comment: While I really enjoyed Turning Red, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, this is Pinocchio’s year. Del Toro has dominated the category all awards season and I don’t mind that at all.
Winner: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Best International Feature Film
Who will win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Who I want to win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Comment: I would be surprised if another movie took home this prize because All Quiet has been the one to beat all season.
Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Documentary Feature
Who will win: Navalny
Who I want to win: Fire of Love
Comment: Navalny took home the win at the BAFTAs and I’ll be surprised if they don’t do it again at the Oscars. I personally really loved Fire of Love, which is streaming on Disney+ now.
Winner: Navalny
Best Original Score
Who will win: Justin Hurwitz – Babylon
Who I want to win: Justin Hurwitz – Babylon
Comment: Babylon should have received more nominations in general, to be honest, but I’ll be sad if it doesn’t win this category and Best Production Design.
Winner: Volker Bertelmann – All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Original Song
Who will win: Rihanna – Lift Me Up (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Who I want to win: Lady Gaga – Hold My Hand (Top Gun: Maverick)
Comment: I’m not super into any of these nominated songs but Gaga’s is more my cup of tea. Shame she isn’t performing.
Winner: Naatu Naatu – RRR
Best Sound
Who will win: Top Gun: Maverick
Who I want to win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Comment: I hope Top Gun: Maverick wins something because it was a brilliant blockbuster!
Winner: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Production Design
Who will win: Babylon
Who I want to win: Babylon
Comment: All Quiet could cinch this one but I would like Babylon to win because the sets looked amazing.
Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Cinematography
Who will win: James Friend – All Quiet on the Western Front
Who I want to win: James Friend – All Quiet on the Western Front
Comment: It’s not the most exciting line-up of nominees and I was shocked not to see Top Gun: Maverick or The Batman on the shortlist. However, I was most impressed by All Quiet’s cinematography so that gets my vote.
Winner: James Friend – All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Who will win: Elvis
Who I want to win: Elvis
Comment: Transforming Austin Butler into Elvis Presley at different times of his life is a huge challenge so this team deserves the win.
Winner: The Whale
Best Costume Design
Who will win: Elvis
Who I want to win: Babylon
Comment: I think I just want Babylon to get more love! I’d be happy if Elvis won this category too.
Winner: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Film Editing
Who will win: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Who I want to win: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Comment: The editing in EEAAO is just insane. The narrative travels multiverses and it looks so seamless.
Winner: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Best Visual Effects
Who will win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Who I want to win: Avatar: The Way of Water
Comment: The groundbreaking visual effects truly deserve this award.
Winner: Avatar: The Way of Water