Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition: Christian Bale’s brilliant numbers guy (The Big Short), Steve Carell’s temperamental moneyman (The Big Short), Matt Damon’s stranded astronaut (The Martian), Al Pacino’s aging musician (Danny Collins), and Mark Ruffalo’s manic-depressive father (Infinitely Polar Bear).

For your information: This is the seventeenth career nomination for Pacino, and the last time he was nominated for film work – back in 1992 – he won, one of four lifetime trophies. Damon has been nominated five times for acting and won once for screenwriting. This is Carell’s eighth overall nomination and his second consecutive bid for film work. He won in 2005 for “The Office.” Bale has been nominated twice before, winning once for “The Fighter.” Ruffalo earned his two previous Globe nominations last year. “The Big Short” and “The Martian” are nominated for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. Interestingly, in this category, the last two times that two performers were nominated for the same film, one ended up taking home the award, which might help Bale or Carell.

Who should win? I liked Ruffalo a lot in his film, but I’d still go with Damon.

Who will win? The only serious Oscar contender in this category is also the one likeliest to win: Damon.