AAN: Oscar Predictions - Acting

Welcome to part four of my official Oscar predictions, which 2012's Annual Awards Nerdism has been coming down to. Tonight I'll take a look at the four acting categories, in poetic form again, of course.
PAST PREDICTIONS: Writing and Directing, the 'Bests' and Visuals, Sound and Design.

Just in case:
Happy Fassy - Who I really want to win.
Lowkey Loki - Who will really win.
Overwhelmed Owen - Who really won't win.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir - A Better Life / George Clooney - The Descendants / Jean Dujardin - The Artist / Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy / Brad Pitt - Moneyball

Having no Fassy caused a bit of strife,
there was a surprise nomination for A Better Life,
Gary Oldman finally got his first big nom,
and Brad Pitt was indeed the bomb,
the race comes down to two that are slick,
George Clooney or Jean Dujardin are everyone's pick,
but the Cloon has been awarded before,
and I can't say his work deserves an award,
so give it to the Frenchman, whose words are few,
even though I feel like Brad Pitt is probably due.

Only seeing two performances out of this category - Brad Pitt's and George Clooney's - it is a bit hard to properly pick a winner, but my money is definitely on Jean Dujardin. And to think I left him out of my initial predictions. I'm gunning for Brad Pitt, though, because he was fantastic in Moneyball...and you all know how I feel about The Descendants. It would be nice, and totally unsurprising, if Gary Oldman took this award, though.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs / Viola Davis - The Help / Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady / Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn

We have a woman dressing up as a man,
a maid who turns in her writing hand,
an imitation of a lady who took away milk,
a very famous starlet as smooth as silk,
if there's anyone I think should win by a mile,
it is a girl with a tattoo of a reptile,
alas, my dreams will never come true,
as Viola Davis and Meryl Streep are in the winning view,
Which will it be? The minister or the maid?
I think that Davis was the best played,
so Streep will have to go on and lose again,
I'm sure it won't cause her too much pain,
but the one I love will get votes that are few,
and that's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Like the actor category, I've only seen two of these performances - Rooney Mara's and Viola Davis' - both performances which I absolutely loved. However, I'm very much on the Mara camp, even if people say that she was just 'imitating' Noomi Rapace, who was also great in the role, but they were very different. Anyway, she falls behind in the race, as she was as close to a surprise nomination as this category could have had. Michelle Williams and Glenn Close don't seem to factor into this award much either. It is basically 50/50 between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis - which makes it extremely hard to pick. I'm going with Viola Davis though, because Meryl Streep can go another year sitting there not getting anything.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn / Jonah Hill - Moneyball / Nick Nolte - Warrior / Christopher Plummer - Beginners / Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

I think we know that this race has been won,

and the win has taken a long time to come, 

Christopher Plummer deserves the award for his old gay man,

Could anyone beat him? I doubt anyone can,

there may be a Thespian in the mix,

Max von Sydow was one of the unexpected picks,

Nick Nolte's alcoholic father is Oscar bait,

Moneyball featured Jonah Hill with more weight,

but of them all, there's only one stunner,

and that is the brilliant Christopher Plummer.

We've known since the very beginning that Christopher Plummer was going to win this award. I don't think anything has changed in the past few months. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo - The Artist / Jessica Chastain - The Help / Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids / Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs / Octavia Spencer - The Help

There's an odd mix here, that's for sure,
but I think one actress has her award secure,
Octavia Spencer will win for her sassy maid,
even if I thought Celia Foote was better played,
if The Artist takes over the show,
the award could indeed go to Bérénice Bejo,
Melissa McCarthy's bridesmaid may have inspired,
but she hasn't got a lot that the winner requires,
Janet McTeer may have been a woman being a man,
but her movie didn't win many fans,
if there is one person I want to reign,
it is the a-ma-zing Jessica Chastain.

I honestly thought the best thing about The Help was Jessica Chastain. Celia Foote was my favourite character from the book, and I was worried that someone might over-play her and miss all of the heart that makes the character work. But Chastain did not do that. She was warmly hilarious, but when you realise what is also going on with her character it is heart-breaking. Many actresses struggle to find that balance. While I'd love to see her win, I know that she has many Oscars ahead of her so I don't mind her missing out.  Octavia Spencer is a fine choice to see get the award, even if her award was just the 'sassy maid'. I can see Bérénice Bejo pulling an upset, though. If The Artist is as popular as we all think it is going to be on the night, she has a bigger chance of winning than most people give her credit for.

There are my predictions - what are yours? I'll see you back here tomorrow where I'll rank the seven best pic nominees that I've seen.