It’s hard for the great pure actors when they choose indie work imo, it’s a trend. Given the nature of the Academy , indie films and darlings usually don’t get much traction. I think that’s why someone literally born into Hollywood like Jake Gyllenhaal always ends up snubbed, because it’s usually art house kind of films he ends up in. 2020s will be a new decade in cinema, hopefully our heroes get their deserved golden idol.
Kelly Reilly IMO has some of that screen presence, like Chastain. I’d seen her in a few things but watched her in Yellowstone. Even though I think the show goes a little over the top, (or a lot, by the end,) she carves up every scene she’s in.
Perhaps it’s my pedanticism talking, but “deserves” is an odd way of phrasing this question.
I’m not sure who “deserves” an Oscar; one hopes every winner is deserving. Of course, it doesn’t always shake out that way.
But then again, much of that is down to subjectivity.
I sense if I don’t rein myself in, I will ramble on and on about “deserve.”
So instead, allow me to name an actress that I believe is terrific, and I would be delighted if she wins an Oscar in the years to come - Jessica Chastain.
I’m a sucker for actors that have a dominating screen presence, and in that regard, Chastain is one of the finest going around.
She has a fierce presence on screen, always commanding, always assured.
And it’s perhaps why Chastain has carved a niche for herself – she’s remarkable at portraying intelligent, and often ferocious women, flawed as they may be.
Chastain utilizes the full extent of her magnetism in the likes of A Most Violent Year, Miss Sloane, Molly’s Game, and Zero Dark Thirty.
And while she is adequately equipped to portray the “no-nonsense” aspect of her characters, it is her ability to imbue these characters with depth that makes her stand out.
Chastain suffuses her “badass” characters with just the right amount of vulnerability. It’s there, bubbling just under the surface.
In Zero Dark Thirty, Chastain sells the “I’m the motherf*cker that found this place, Sir” aspect of Maya’s persona while simultaneously revealing the gradual unraveling of Maya’s psyche.
And it’s why she does such a fine job of balancing Molly Bloom’s bravado and insecurity in Molly’s Game.
However, perhaps the most potent example of Chastain’s enviable balancing act can be found in A Most Violent Year, a most excellent movie.
That being said, Chastain can also play tender like its nobody’s business. There is an underlying grace in her assertive presence.
In that way, she is reminiscent of Cate Blanchett, one of our greatest living actors, in my opinion.
But I digress. The point is; Jessica Chastain is a phenomenal performer. And like all outstanding actors, she elevates the material.
A movie like Miss Sloane ends up as compelling as it is because it has Jessica Chastain in the lead.
She is glorious. And I believe it’s a matter of time before she wins an Academy Award.
Picture Source Wikipedia
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