Kate Winslet is a front runner to win the Best Actress Academy Award on Sunday, in case you hadn’t heard. Now, personally, I don’t think she’ll win (seems like Meryl Streep is due, a zillion years after her last victory, for Sophie’s Choice), but that’s beside the point. What I’m wondering here is whether Winslet may be better off if, yet again, she goes home without an Oscar. Gasp! Blasphemy! I know! But think about it: She’s one of the most respected, in-demand, universally adored actors in the world right now, so it’s not like an Academy Award would give her much of a street-cred boost. (I mean, I love her, even though Heavenly Creatures was extremely annoying.) Oh, and let’s not forget that she starred in Titanic, the biggest movie in the history of history, so it’s not like she’s got any more box office points to prove. Rather, she’s the youngest six-time nominee without a statuette ever, so a win would make her go from someone very unique around Hollywood to…Gwyneth Paltrow/Reese Witherspoon/Helen Hunt/Charlize Theron/Marion Cotillard. In other words, folks who aren’t nearly as beloved as Winslet already is.
I know, I know, any Boston Red Sox fan will tell you that winning after a long drought is wicked sweet. Then again, let’s be honest here: The Red Sox pretty much ceased being interesting the moment the 2004 World Series ended. The same very well could be the case with Kate. But what do you think, Oscar/Kate Winslet/baseball fans? Should Winslet finally just get what she has deserved for so long? Or would it be cooler if she remained in the rare company of classic competitive-Oscar also-rans like Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Peter O’Toole, and Glenn Close? (A list, mind you, that’s so much more impressive than the Cotillard & Co. club noted above — even now that Martin Scorsese is no longer on it.)
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I SO completely agree with what you’ve written Joshua. I’ve been thinking that myself for a while. I love her and i don’t want her to win.
Excellent points! Long live the Kate Winslet drought! She’ll still remain one of my favorite actresses!
kate winslet so deserves to win. Doubt was boring and predictable. The three leads were all excellent, but hardly streep’s best performance. if they give it to her because she is due, then the academy loses all credibility with me. kate was just fantastic and SHOULD win.
Never won: Stanley Kubrick
Won: Cuba Gooding Jr.
Susan Lucci was much cooler when she lost all those daytime Emmys in a row. Now she’s just another old soap opera actress.
OK – Even if Kate Winslet wins an Oscar this Sunday, she would not be just another Paltrow/Witherspoon/Hunt etc. How many times has Winslet been nominated compared to the one time winners in your list? Kate is already more respected and a better actress and that won’t change with a win on Sunday. She deserves it. Not because she is due anything based on her past work. If that is the case, Meryl Streep should win. Kate deserves it because her portrayal of Hana Schmidtz (sp.?) in The Reader was the second best performance of the year (behind Winslet in Revolutionary Road). People forget that Helen Hunt and others won an oscar, but no matter what happens on Sunday, Kate Winslet will be an amazing, respected actress.
Spenceer, go pimp your pathetic online dating somewhere else. Loser.
Astute point, Josh, but I tend to agree with Candy–Kate simply deserves it. And I can say, especially having just seen both Doubt and The Reader, that IMO Ms. Streep (love her) definitely does not deserve her third this year.
Just how in the Hell does Meryl Streep need a street-cred boost more than Kate Winslet? She’s already won TWO Oscars! So what if she hasn’t won since Sophie’s Choice? Winslet hasn’t won EVER!!! Are you telling me Streep isn’t “respected”, “in-demand” and “universally adored”? For G-d’s sake, she’s a LEGEND!!! Joshua Rich is an IDIOT!!
Using the phrase “very unique” is an indication of having a poor grasp of the English language.
BBD – really? Grow up.
As long as she keeps churning out fantastic performances in a wide variety of demanding roles (and she will), Kate Winslet will always be interesting. I’m pulling for her on Sunday.
Having seen both movies, I can honestly say that Kate Winslet deserves it (and I adore Meryl Streep and thought she was, as usual, wonderful in Doubt). I see where you’re coming from, but if we aren’t voting on politics, the prize goes to Kate.
Excellent point about not wanting to be in the same company as Helen Hunt, Gwyneth Paltrow, etc. Winslet’s abilities are so far above and beyond those hacks who have, for some unknown reason, won Oscars. Streep was amazing in Doubt, and I wouldn’t be sad to see her win again.
I thought Anne Hathaway deserved to win & still might. However, I finally saw ‘Revolutionary Road’ & I changed my mind. I know Winslet is nominated for ‘The Reader,’ but I think voters will consider both performances to vote for her. I have a feeling her performance in ‘Revolutionary’ was also in the top 5 but rules dictate you can only be nominated once in the in the acting catergories. When Sean Penn won for ‘Mystic River,’ I believe his other great performance in ‘21 Grams’ helped him win. By the way, I don’t think ‘Heavenly Creatures’ was annoying – it put Winslet & Peter Jackson on the map.
I always think that the credibility of the awards is tainted whenever someone wins for reasons other than the acting involved. Just because it’s been a while since Meryl Streep won is no reason to hand it to her. That’s what a lifetime achievement Oscar is for. If Kate Winslet gave the best performance out of the ones nominated, she should win the Oscar. Period.