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

The competition:
Mahershala Ali (Swan Song) plays devoted husband Cameron Turner. He won in 2018 for “Green Book” and was nominated in 2016 for “Moonlight.” He is the lone representative of his film.

Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos) plays actor Desi Arnaz. He has four previous nominations, with one win in 2007 for “No Country for Old Men.” His costar Nicole Kidman is also nominated, as is his film’s screenplay.

Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog) plays rancher Phil Burbank. He has three previous nominations, for “The Imitation Game” and TV projects “Patrick Melrose” and “Sherlock.” His film contends for Best Motion Picture – Drama and is tied for the nominations leader with seven total bids.

Will Smith (King Richard) plays devoted father Richard Williams. He has five previous nominations, three for film roles in “Concussion,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and “Ali,” and two for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” His costar Aunjanue Ellis is also nominated, along with a song from the film, which contends for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) plays the doomed Lord Macbeth. He has nine previous nominations, eight of which were in this category, resulting in two wins, for “Glory” and “The Hurricane.” He was also the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2015. He is the lone representative from his film.

Additional notes: Cumberbatch, Smith, and Washington were all cited by the Critics Choice Association in their nominations list. The winner of this prize has gone on to win the Oscar every year all but four times in the past twenty years, most recently last year when Anthony Hopkins defeated the late Chadwick Boseman.
Who should win? These performances are all very good. Cumberbatch is my clear favorite.
Who will win? It’s possible that it could be Cumberbatch based on the strength of his film, but I think Smith takes it.

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