The SAG nominations will be announced on Wednesday and you can expect both Cate Blanchett (TÁR) and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everything Everywhere All At Once) to get nominated for Lead Actress.
Many believe that, when it comes to Oscar, Blanchett has this one in the bag. I disagree. I’ve been having this nagging feeling for a few months now that Yeoh could very well win. It’s all about narrative and, although Blanchett delivered maybe the best performance of the entire decade so far as Lydia Tár, maybe voters will go for the actress that hasn’t won two Oscars already. Just a hunch.
Listen, you already know how I feel about “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Politely speaking, I didn’t like it. But even I, optimal EEAO hater, can admit that Yeoh is very good in this jumbled mish-mash of a movie. Frankly, I wouldn’t even nominate her, but she’s in the race and this awards season has been a total celebration of her talents, with numerous tributes to her name, more so than any other 2022 actor or actress.
Michelle Yeoh is hot right now. Very hot. Whereas Blanchett is predictable, predictably great but still predictable. There’s nothing to her story except what we already know: that she’s one of the greatest of all-time. And, of course, I truly believe “TÁR” and her incredible performance will stand the test of time in ways that EEAO and its performers just won’t, but this is Hollywood we’re talking about.
The narrative behind Yeoh isn’t just that she gave a “great” performance in EEAO but, maybe more importantly, that she might become the first ever Asian actor or actress to win the Oscar. In an age of quotas and inclusivity this sure as hell means something if you want to win an Oscar in 2022.
Right now, the five actresses with the most buzz going into SAG are Cate Blanchett (TÁR), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans), Danielle Deadwyler (Till) and Viola Davis (The Woman King).
In a just and righteous world, Mia Goth (Pearl) would be a major contender. For good measure, add in Rebecca Hall (Resurrection) and Lea Seydoux (One Fine Morning). The fact that these three ladies aren’t even part of the conversation shows you how inept the Oscars truly are.