Golden Globe Musings: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Golden Globe nominations for this year will be announced in just a few weeks, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anything important. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is still a bit early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point.

Last year’s nominees:
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter)

It’s important to say that if either “The Artist” or “The Descendants” ends up being classified as a drama, stars Jean Dujardin and George Clooney will surely be here. In their absence, however, there’s more room for others. Leonardo DiCaprio (J Edgar) is the only sure thing, and he’ll likely be the winner. Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March) is a good bet given it’s the kind of role that often gets recognized in this category, and he could even find himself with two nominations thanks to his role in “Drive,” which is an artsier choice. Brad Pitt (Moneyball) is a likely contender since it would be hard to find anyone who didn’t find him entertaining in the film. Then we get to the more performance-based contenders, like Woody Harrelson (Rampart), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), and Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy). Michael Fassbender could earn his first nomination for either “A Dangerous Method” or “Shame.” Other popular actors vying for a spot in this category are Ralph Fiennes (Coriolanus), Matt Damon (We Bought a Zoo), and Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

Current predictions:
Leonardo DiCaprio (J Edgar)
Woody Harrelson (Rampart)
Ryan Gosling (The Ides of March)
Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)