It is time for Universal Pictures to stop dreaming about Anne Hathaway’s coronation and start planning another win.
First of all, there is only one category worth considering. According to Variety, Penelope is the first big question of the Oscar season, and the studio will do everything it can to win awards, as Nolan attempts to win another best picture and director award, just three years after Oppenheimer. The easy choice is a best actress nomination, which, however, is not the right option.
First, the competition is coming. At the moment, the best actress category looks very poor. World of Reel calls it the wasteland with so few contenders that the top 20 from Gold Derby even includes Meryl Streep for The Devil Wears Prada 2. However, many good films with female leads will be released in the fall, and festivals have not started yet.
There are mentions of Renate Reinsve, Jodie Comer, Elisabeth Moss, Carey Mulligan, and Alicia Vikander among possible nominees. Although many people dislike Emily Blunt’s latest performance, she may still receive a nomination, as it is her best work to date. Against such competitors, waiting 20 years for a man will not win. In the year when women speak for themselves, voters will not give the prize to the character that does not have anything else except her absent husband.
Second, The Odyssey is the film for a director, not for actors. As Variety points out, Oscar voters who have watched the film at the early screening call Nolan the greatest filmmaker of our time. The cast is impressive, but no one can hold the film as Nolan can. No matter who leaves the cast, the film remains excellent thanks to Nolan’s approach. Critics agree with it.
Rotten Tomatoes writes that the film is incredible to watch and well-made, but it sometimes feels big and empty, like a Trojan horse. Slate states that Hathaway is performing rescue work in this film but does not lead it; she adds a human side to Penelope, who repeats herself and grows dull upon returning to Ithaca. Such a performance is not a lead achievement; she elevates the limited material.
Third, if the Oscars ceremony were held now, Inde Navarrette would win Best Actress. It is not a hot take now. World of Reel claims that Navarrette is the frontrunner, receiving more buzz than any other actress at the moment for her great lead performance, and it would be unexpected if she were not nominated.
Forbes describes her performance in Obsession as one of the best horror performances ever made, top five all-time. Gold Derby mentions a fan campaign for her at the 2027 Oscars, and there is a reason for it after her win at the 2026 ceremony for horror actors. There are many supporters of Navarrette on social media, not Penelope.
However, this does not mean that Hathaway receives nothing this year. All it means is that she should understand the map right. If she aims at the lead actress nomination, Mother Mary makes much more sense. The Report Card says that Mother Mary is a polarizing film, but Hathaway performed well in it, and The Ringer noticed, as David Lowery’s project is one of the most promising of the year and looks like the best for Hathaway.
However, her best shot at an Oscar win in the film is for best supporting actress, thanks to her scenes with Tom Holland. Those scenes showcase Hathaway’s acting talent, and critics cite them as the key clips for earning nominations and votes.
The Report Card states that it is difficult to imagine five other actresses who could beat her for a Best Supporting Actress nomination, given her outstanding year. Moreover, Hathaway won her Oscar previously as Best Supporting Actress for Les Misérables.