We are one month out from our first formal Oscar predictions. Leading up to that, we’re posting our second list of potential contenders for this year. Each contributor was asked to submit ten performances that they felt were major players for this year’s Oscars.

This month, we’re taking a look at potential 2019 Oscar contenders by looking at the top ten performances, male or female, that we feel have a chance of being nominated and/or winning at this year’s Oscars. There wasn’t a lot of consensus, but enough to indicate that Taron Egerton and Saoirse Ronan (listed three times each) are the most likely to cop Oscar nominations while Amy Adams, Awkwafina, Annette Bening, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cynthia Erivo, Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen, Margot Robbie, and Saoirse Ronan, each mentioned twice, are all good bets as well. There were many others, so have a look below.

After the break, take a look at what everyone thought.

The Introductions

Wesley Lovell: There are myriad performances that could be discussed, but these are the ten I’m most anticipating being in the Oscar conversation.
Peter J. Patrick: With no obvious contenders in films released so far this year, the best I can do is base predictions on known quantities – limited early buzz (of which there are two), real-life characters (of which there are four), fictional characters in real-life situations (of which there are two), and well-known literary characters (of which there are also two). They break down to four each for Best Actor and Best Actress, one each for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Tripp Burton: It’s always early to look a these things, especially when we haven’t seen 99% of the movies, but here are some people who could return or finally enter the Oscar conversation.
Thomas LaTourrette: The Oscars are barely behind us and we are already questioning who might be nominated in the coming year. At this point we mostly guess from what sounds good with very little knowledge. Occasionally, a film we like on paper turns out terrible, or may not even be released in this calendar year. Of all the films that I cite, only one, “Us,” has been released already. Few Oscar nominees are out this early, but sometimes we can be surprised. Probably a number of the people I mention will not end up with a nomination, but it is fun to speculate.

Amy Adams – The Woman in the Window

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – What does Adams have to do to win an Oscar. In the span of thirteen years, Adams has picked up an impressive six Oscar nominations. At the age of 45, she has a very long career ahead of her, plenty of time to catch up with Meryl Streep at this point. Yet, by this point in Streep’s career, she already had two Oscars. In the history of Oscar, only six actors have earned more than five nominations within a competitive win. Deborah Kerr and Peter O’Toole picked up honorary Oscars, but Richard Burton, Glenn Close, Adams, and Thelma Ritter have not. Ritter and Burton are gone, but Adams and Close still have a shot. While Close was thought to be a picking up an Oscar on her seventh nomination, Adams’ seventh will likely come this year (if not very soon) for The Woman in the Window. Even if the performance isn’t much, her lack of win could propel her to the winner’s circle.

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Adams is at that point in her career where she tends to get nominated for just being in a film. A nomination for her lead performance in the film version of this best-selling mystery novel with Oscar-winning co-stars Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman could lead to her first win or tie her with Glenn Close with seven as the most nominated living acting nominee not to have won.

Awkwafina – Farewell

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – With a name that some will confuse with a bottled water, Awkwafina has suddenly emerged as a genuine threat to an Oscar nomination. After two high profile roles in Ocean’s Eight and Crazy Rich Asians last year, chatter has already begun for her starring role in Farewell. Asian actresses have seldom done well at the Oscars with Best Actress a major oversight. Ben Kingsley is the only actor of Asian descent nominated for Best Actor while Merle Oberon is the only one in Best Actress (back in 1935). Seven have made it into Supporting Actor while six are featured in Supporting Actress. As you might note, Kingsley and Oberon were not from the Far East and neither were particularly well known for being of Asian descent, especially not at the time of their nominations. Oberon is part Maori/Indian while Kingsley is half-Indian. Japanese descent is the most common followed by Indian, but Awkwafina would be the only one of South Korean descent and only the third of Chinese-American descent (after Meg and Jennifer Tilly who are half-Chinese). SNot only would this be a watershed nomination, a win would be even more impressive, though that seems unlikely against someone like Amy Adams.

Commentary By Tripp Burton – The most talked about Sundance performance could get this quickly rising star her first major awards attention. If the film is a success, she will be right in the mix.

Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory

Commentary By Tripp Burton – The Spanish Hollywood star has never really been talked about in awards seasons, but a return to working with the legendary [Pedro] Almodovar could help him finally be rewarded. It depends how well the movie is received.

Annette Being – The Report

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Playing well-known real-life characters in support is not generally as much of an indication of a sure-fire Oscar nomination as it is for actors playing leads, but if anyone can buck the odds, it’s four-time nominee Bening going for her first supporting nod since 1990’s “The Grifters.” I can already picture her as Dianne Feinstein conducting those U.S. Senate hearings.

Commentary By Tripp Burton – There will always be a strong effort to get Annette Bening her long-missing Oscar whenever she has a role meaty enough, and playing Dianne Feinstein in the Sundance hit seems like another film that will have a big push.

Timothée Chalamet – Little Women

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Chalamet earned his first Oscar nomination two years ago for Call Me by Your Name. Last year, he was thought to be a formidable contender for Best Supporting Actor for Beautiful Boy. His film’s flame-out killed his chances. This year, he has a high profile supporting turn on dock in his Lady Bird director’s adaptation of Little Women as Laurie. The only hindrance he may have is that the character has never been recognized with an award nomination (from any of the Golden Globes, Emmys, or Oscars) in the past, meaning it may be too small a role for an Oscar citation. That said, this young actor has already earned plenty of praise and a near-miss this year might bolster his chances next year.

Robert De Niro – The Irishman

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – De Niro won his first Oscar for the mafia saga The Godfather, Part II. He won his second Oscar while working with Martin Scorsese on Raging Bull. Working on his first mob film with Scorsese since 1995’s Casino could be a boon to his Oscar chances. De Niro is one of those rare actors who one could see earning a third career Oscar. He would join a rather small list that includes Walter Brennan, Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and Daniel Day-Lewis. While it may be too early to tell if De Niro is a contender. He’s worked with Scorsese eight times before and has only been nominated for two of those films. Still, it seems likely that an eighth Oscar nomination will be in the offing this year.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Director Martin Scorsese and actor De Niro had some of their greatest successes in collaborations with each other. Hollywood will be watching to see if they can still create that magic together in this their ninth pairing. Playing a hitman is a role that should come easy for him and could make him a nominee for the second time this decade.

Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – In his first film since winning his first Oscar on his fifth nomination, DiCaprio has as good a chance as anyone of receiving an elusive sixth nomination for his portrayal of a fictional faded TV star seeking renewed fame and glory in the movies at the time of the Manson family’s murder of Sharon Tate in one of the most highly anticipated films of the year.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Making his first film since winning an Oscar for “The Revenant,” DiCaprio feels like a good fit for another nom in this Quentin Tarantino film. Tarantino has been good at directing actors to noms, and this could be an easy way for DiCaprio to be back in the hunt.

Adam Driver – The Report

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Fresh off his first Oscar nomination, Driver might be back the following year with his performance in the true life story of a senate staffer who leads the investigation into the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program. With the CIA and the White House fighting against him, he had to go to great lengths to accomplish this. True stories about investigations have always been catnip to the Academy, and this may as well.

Taron Egerton – Rocketman

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Like Rami Malek before him, Taron Egerton takes on one of music history’s most ostentatious, talented, and famous musicians. In Rocketman Egerton will play Elton John throughout his career. In addition to already being a strong singer, his acting chops haven’t quite been challenged. However, if the trailer is any indication, Egerton looks to be performing well above his typical game. The big question is whether Rocketman will succeed the way Bohemian Rhapsody did or if it will under perform. The earlier release doesn’t help, but a box office hit ensures that the film is remembered late into the year.

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Egerton is one of the busiest actors working today, but is not especially well known despite being seen in leading roles in “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and its sequel, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” with “Eddie the Eagle” in-between, as well as being heard in various voice roles, but his Elton John in “Rocketman” could change all that and make him this year’s Rami Malek.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – The Academy has always liked real life portrayals. Musicians have done well here with Rami Malek taking home this year’s Oscar for playing Freddie Mercury. If Egerton can capture some of Elton John’s flamboyance, he might be able to follow in Malek’s footsteps.

Cynthia Erivo – Harriet

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Erivo burst into stardom with her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of “The Color Purple.” She was noticed in a big way on screen in last year’s “Bad Times at the El Royale” and “Widows.” In only her second year on screen, she gets to play Harriet Tubman in this long overdue biography of the iconic freedom fighter.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Playing the famed Harriet Tubman, Erivo should have a meaty role that could carry her to a nomination. Biopics can often take one into the final five, and even to a win. Erivo has been on the cusp of stardom and this may be the film that gets her there.

Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Five-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner Hanks hasn’t had an Oscar nomination since 2001. Always in the conversation, he has recently been passed over for playing real-life legends in “Captain Phillips,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Sully,” and “The Post.” Could his portrayal of TV star Fred Rogers earn him his first nomination to reverse the trend?

Commentary By Tripp Burton – He hasn’t gotten a nomination since 2000, so it can be easy to write off Tom Hanks as a possible nominee. But he has to be nominated again, right? And Mr. Rogers seems like the best bet he’s had in a few years.

Jennifer Hudson – Cats

Commentary By Tripp Burton – The Oscar winner is back again with a signature role in a big-budget musical adaptation. Depending on how the movie is received, she could be back in the conversation.

Harvey Keitel – The Irishman

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Of the five most prominent actors in The Irishman cast, Keitel is the only one without an Oscar. De Niro, Pacino, Paquin, and Pesci all have them. Keitel is a respected character actor and although Pacino has only one Oscar and voters may want to give him a second, Keitel only has one past nomination and a career that is the envy of many voters as well. Depending on the nature of his character in The Irishman, I could see him being nominated alongside Pacino and then finally winning.

Nicole Kidman – The Goldfinch

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – The Goldfinch is an acclaimed novel that has drawn top talent include director John Crowley (Best Picture Oscar nominee Brooklyn), Emmy winners Sarah Paulson and Jeffrey Wright, and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman. Kidman won her first Oscar on her second nomination for The Hours and has since picked up two more. With a fifth nomination likely for this film, she’s the sort of actress who earns a second Oscar at some point in her career. Whether this will be the film or not depends on the potency of Amy Adams’ candidacy, but I could see a case where Kidman wins as well.

John Lithgow – Fair and Balanced

Commentary By Tripp Burton – It’s hard to remember sometimes that Lithgow picked up back to back Oscar nominations in the early 1980s since he hasn’t been in the Oscar conversation since. He is playing Roger Ailes in “Fair and Balanced,” though, and if the role is meaty enough could be what brings him back into the conversation (if his performance as a Trump-esque millionaire in “Beatriz at Dinner” a few years ago is any sign, he is going to be great).

Ian McKellen – The Good Liar

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – McKellen received his first Oscar nomination for playing James Whale in Bill Condon’s 1998 film, “Gods and Monsters” and came close to being nominated for playing Sherlock Holmes in Condon’s 2015 film, “Mr. Holmes.” Could the fourth time be the charm for the actor playing a con man in this crowd-pleaser from January’s Sundance Film Festival? (Editor’s Note: McKellen was nominated in Supporting Actor for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.)

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Bill Condon directed Ian McKellan to his first Oscar nomination for “Gods and Monsters” and I wonder if the magic might happen again here. Playing a seasoned conman who starts to care for his latest mark should make for a good role for McKellan who should be due for another nomination soon.

Helen Mirren – The Good Liar

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – If someone needs to go toe to toe with Ian McKellan, it would be Mirren. As an elderly mark that McKellan eventually comes to have feelings for, Mirren should have a juicy part. She is well liked by the Academy and could easily earn another nomination.

Lupita Nyong’o – Us

Commentary By Tripp Burton – One of the few genuine contenders we have seen this year is from the Oscar winner who hasn’t really been in awards conversations since. It is a genre performance, but it is the most talked about work of the year and with some support she could easily hold on until next January.

Al Pacino – The Irishman

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – One of the most celebrated actors of the 1970s and forward, Pacino has racked up eight Oscar nominations to date, winning his first Oscar on that eighth nomination for Scent of a Woman. Since then, he’s been dividing his time between television and film. Since winning the Oscar for his 1992 film, he earned three Emmy nominations, winning two of them. In spite of working on all three Godfather films, Pacino has never worked with the master of crime dramas Martin Scorsese. This pairing could be a significant boon for Pacino’s chances at a second Oscar. Although he hasn’t been nominated since his win 27 years ago, his ninth nomination may well lead to his second win.

Joe Pesci – The Irishman

Commentary By Tripp Burton – He hasn’t made a film in almost a decade, but when Joe Pesci is good, the Academy loves him. I’m weary about the success of “The Irishman,” but you know a lot of press will circle around Pesci’s comeback and it could be enough to propel him back to the big show.

Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Although Pitt has six Oscar nominations to his credit, three of them have been for producing. He hasn’t earned an acting nomination since 2011’s “Moneyball.” His few starring roles since have been major flops. As Leonardo DiCaprio’s friend and stand-in in this eagerly anticipated film, he could be nominated either in lead or support, more likely the latter.

Margot Robbie – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Like Charlize Theron before her, Margot Robbie has too often been looked at as a pretty face with marginal talent. Yet, in the last two years, she’s managed to disprove her critics by delivering two tremendous performances. The first was as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya in 2017. The second was as Queen Elizabeth in Mary Queen of Scots. She earned her first Oscar nomination for I, Tonya and now she has an opportunity to secure her second. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s ninth solo film. Five of his previous eight films received Oscar nominations and all five of those included one acting nomination. That suggests Robbie has a good shot at a nomination, especially since she’s playing an iconic, real-life tragic figure Sharon Tate. While it’s too early to tell if the character will get significant attention to merit Oscar consideration, but Robbie certainly could do it, especially since some thought she was close to an Oscar nomination for Mary Queen of Scots last year and could get some residual appreciation this year.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – From a single still shot, people have raved about how much Robbie looks like the doomed actress Sharon Tate. If her performance equals this early chatter, look for her to be a major contender.

Saoirse Ronan – Little Women

Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Only 25 years old, Ronan has already picked up three Oscar nominations. Her first came at the age of 13 in Atonement in Supporting Actress with her first lead nomination at 21 for Brooklyn. One of the brightest and most talented actresses of her generation, Ronan is destined for an Oscar at some point and Little Women hot-tempered Jo March could be the vehicle. Whether she gets nominated in lead or support is uncertain. Some ensemble casts decide to all go supporting in order to avoid one person being thought of as more important than the other, but hers would technically be a lead performance. It all depends on how she’s pushed. While I ultimately don’t think she can win over the likes of Amy Adams or Nicole Kidman this year, it could be an important next step towards her fifth nomination.

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Ronan received her third Oscar nomination for director Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird.” With Gerwig at the helm for this latest version of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, there’s no reason to think that Ronan won’t be the first actress to receive an Oscar nomination for playing Jo March since Winona Ryder a quarter of a century ago.

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Ronan excels at playing headstrong women, so Jo should be a good role for her. Achingly close to another nom last year, she might do well as the tomboyish writer here.

Maggie Smith – Downtown Abbey

Commentary By Tripp Burton – She won so many awards for the TV show, why shouldn’t she win a bunch for the movie?

Emma Watson – Little Women

Commentary By Tripp Burton – The former Harry Potter star has been on the rise for several years, and an Oscar nomination at some point seems inevitable. If Little Women is really good, this could be enough to make her finally an Oscar nominee.

Alfre Woodard – Clemency

Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – This earnest film about death row executions earned its director, Chinonye Chukwu, the Grand Jury Prize for Drama at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Woodard, whose only Oscar nomination was in support for 1983’s “Cross Creek,” has a good chance of receiving her first nomination in lead as the conscience-stricken warden in the film.

Renee Zellweger – Judy

Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Zellweger has not been in the Oscar conversation for some time, but the showy role of Judy Garland could easily change that. The role has garnered Emmy and Tony wins for different actresses already, so perhaps it’s time for some Oscar love too.