An Upset for Moonlight? Oscar Preview and Predictions

Will 'Moonlight' upset 'La La Land'
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2017 2:01 PM CST
This Year's Oscars May Be Full of Milestones
Jimmy Kimmel will serve as host for the evening.   (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

The Academy Awards are on Sunday, and Slate notes it could be a history-making night at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre. In one development that might make some headway against previous "Oscars So White" backlash, 18 black performers and filmmakers are nominated this year, including Moonlight director Barry Jenkins (who could become the first black director to take home the prize), Denzel Washington (perhaps the first black contender to win three Oscars), and Viola Davis, who could become the first black performer to win an Emmy, a Tony, and an Oscar. More on what to expect:

  • Cara Buckley offers her predictions for the New York Times' Carpetbagger, and she's betting on Casey Affleck to win best actor over Denzel Washington.
  • Richard Brody in the New Yorker makes the case that Moonlight will upset La La Land for best picture.
  • Rolling Stone points out six races that are too close to call, including best director, which will likely come down to Damien Chazelle of La La Land or Barry Jenkins of Moonlight).
  • It's never easy to pick a winner from the best picture field, so BBC Culture asks critics from around the globe to argue why each of the nine contenders should top the ballots.
  • The Los Angeles Times offers the lowdown on all things Oscar, including the time (8:30pm EST, not counting the red carpet), the nominees, and a little background on host Jimmy Kimmel.
Will things get political? That's a safe bet. (More Oscars stories.)

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