The race for Best Actor will be between Michael Keaton, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Eddie Redmayne this year. All three were at the Hollywood Film Awards. All three received awards at the Hollywood Film Awards. Jesus, is this show business or is this grade school?
As we’ve seen, Keaton had the early lead in this category since Venice. Redmayne came out hard after TIFF. But Cumberbatch is making his move. He’s been closing in on both. And, as a source who was at the event on Friday told me, Cumberbatch is “in it to win it”. He was seated at a table that included Harvey Weinstein and Les Moonves. He didn’t drink, even though, as we’ve already clearly established, no one gives a sh-t about the Hollywood Film Awards, and he played every smile and gesture perfectly – for a politician.
The impression I was given about Eddie Redmayne’s attitude, on the other hand, was that he wasn’t so much campaigning as…grateful to be there? While Cumberbatch worked the room, under Harvey’s supervision, my sources didn’t see Eddie kissing too many babies and shaking too many hands. For him, you get the sense that the nomination really will be enough. It won’t come with expectation.
So if it’s between Cumberbatch and Michael Keaton, how is Keaton doing? Did you know that Michael Keaton and Jeff Bridges are basically the same age? I bring up Bridges because when Bridges won for Crazy Heart four years ago it was sold like he was the old guy in the race who deserved it over Clooney and Colin Firth and everyone else. Do you get the same impression of Michael Keaton? I wonder if that’s where he might be vulnerable to Harvey Weinstein’s strategy. Because I don’t look at Michael Keaton and think “old guy”. So if he can’t campaign on his veteran card, what’s going to be the angle? When you’re up against Harvey, you have to have an angle.
