Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

The competition: Bryan Cranston’s communist writer (Trumbo), Leonardo DiCaprio’s determined trapper (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender’s brilliant inventor (Steve Jobs), Eddie Redmayne’s transitioning artist (The Danish Girl), and Will Smith’s persistent scientist (Concussion).

For your information: All five men here have been nominated previously for at least two Golden Globes, and Cranston, who won a TV trophy on his fifth try for “Breaking Bad,” is the only one new to this category. Redmayne won this award last year for “The Theory of Everything.” DiCaprio, who has won two Globes, one in this category in 2004 for “The Aviator,” is on his eleventh nomination. Smith earns his fifth this year, and Fassbender earns his third. Only “The Revenant” is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The last actor to win two trophies in a row in this category was Tom Hanks in 1993 and 1994.

Who should win? I’m firmly behind Fassbender, though I think that all of these performances are award-worthy.

Who will win? Last year, Redmayne had already pulled out front, and this year, I don’t think it’s as clear cut. He’s already won a Globe even though he has yet to take home an Oscar, but I still think that DiCaprio will be in the lead for a ferocious lead performance.