UPDATE: Paramount are saying there was a “site error” earlier today and that, actually, it’s Diego Calva who will be campaigned as Lead Actor and Brad Pitt as Supporting Actor. That makes more sense. Robbie stays put as Lead Actress.
EARLIER: So, there you have it. I had my suspicions when THR’s Scott Feinberg inserted Margot Robbie’s name into his Supporting Actress predictions. Many of the folks who saw “Babylon” in the Spring told me she was very much a lead.
Now, it’s official, Robbie will be campaigned as lead and, look out, Brad Pitt has entered this year’s very weak Best Actor field. Paramount has also decided to relegate Diego Calva in the Supporting Actor category.
Morning email from a person who saw “Babylon”:
“Calva is more of a lead than Pitt’s character. I’m not sure how Paramount could conceivably get away with this once people actually watch “Babylon” and realize this. My theory is that they see it’s a weak year for male acting and are trying to benefit off of Brad Pitt’s big star name. Oh and Calva is much much better than Pitt in the movie, so much so that he might actually win Supporting Actor now.”
This also paves the way for Jean Smart, who is said to deliver a great performance in “Babylon,” to become a major contender in the Supporting Actress category. In fact, much like Judd Hirsch in “The Fabelmans,” there are some out there who believe Smart is the absolute scene-stealer of the film.