SAG Winner Predictions: Best Male Actor in a Leading Role

The competition: Christian Bale’s Dick Cheney (Vice), Bradley Cooper’s alcoholic country star (A Star is Born), Viggo Mortensen’s prejudiced driver (Green Book), Rami Malek’s Freddie Mercury (Bohemian Rhapsody), and John David Washington’s undercover officer (BlacKkKlansman).

For your information: Bale won for “The Fighter” in 2010 and was also nominated for “The Big Short” in 2015 picking up ensemble nominations for both films, “3:10 to Yuma” in 2007, and a win for “American Hustle” in 2013, shared by Cooper, who also earned individual and ensemble bids the previous year for “Silver Linings Playbook.” Mortensen was nominated in 2007 for “Eastern Promises” and in 2016 as part individually and as part of the ensemble of “Captain Fantastic.” He also contended from 2001 to 2003 as part of the cast of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, winning for the third. Malek was nominated in 2015 and 2016 for starring in “Mr. Robot.” This is the first nomination for Washington, who is the only one in this group not nominated for an Oscar. Cooper, Malek, and Washington are all nominated as part of their ensembles. Malek and Bale won Golden Globes, while Bale took home the Critics’ Choice Award. All but five times since the SAG Awards’ inception in 1994, the winner of this award has gone on to win the corresponding Oscar.

Who should win? I wasn’t as impressed with Washington’s performance as many have been, and while I appreciate Bale’s mimicry, he wouldn’t be my choice. Cooper was good, though I think I’d vote for either Malek, or likelier, Mortensen.

Who will win? Some are backing Bale or Cooper, but I’m sticking with Malek.