Joel Edgerton is campaigning

The post previous to this one was about the best actress Oscar race and Amanda Seyfried picking up momentum to secure the fifth spot for a nomination for her performance in The Testament of Ann Lee. Joel Edgerton is in a similar position because the best actor nomination list isn’t locked either. 

Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, and Michael B Jordan currently presumed to occupy the three of the five slots – although it’s hard to say how Sinners will do since some segments of the industry seem suspiciously against this film and those undercurrents are starting to show themselves again. Still, this is what the actor race looks like right now ahead of the holidays. The two remaining best actor spots are between several actors who are surging simultaneously: Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura, and Joel Edgerton for his work in Train Dreams. Sarah just posted a glowing review of the film last week, calling Joel’s character a “great cinematic hero”. 

Train Dreams is a Netflix film, and Netflix has three contenders right now in the Oscar race – Jay Kelly and Frankenstein are the other two. Plus Kpop Demon Hunters which is not a factor for Best Picture or in any of the acting categories. Of the three dramas, then, Train Dreams is the one with the most critical acclaim, like near-universal acclaim, but it’s also been the quietest, and I guess that’s fitting since it’s such a quiet film. Quiet doesn’t mean it isn’t compelling though, as Sarah shared in her critique. Quietly devastating is more like it, quietly layered, and gorgeous to look at. And also SO moving. 

This is why Train Dreams is legitimately a contender for a nomination in multiple categories, even though it world premiered way back in January at Sundance. And even though it feels like it isn’t Netflix’s top priority since Jay Kelly and Frankenstein are so much more splashy. Sarah didn’t care for Jay Kelly ; I did not care for Frankenstein; we both think Train Dreams is the jewel of this trio. 

This is why Joel Edgerton is very much in this race. He was nominated for a Critics Choice Award last week, edging out George Clooney, a Golden Globe Award this week, and he was at SAG-AFTRA Foundation for a career retrospective yesterday to keep the push going before SAG nomination voting begins on Monday. Last night he was seen rolling up to the Chateau Marmont for another event in a leather jacket. Joel has never been nominated for an Oscar. Will this year be his first?