Javier Bardem
We are now counting down the days until the Oscar winners are announced, taking place on February 27th. We take a look at the top five actors who have lit up the screen in the last twelve months - and boy are they a series of great performances.
Javier Bardem - Actor Javier Bardem really caught everyone’s eye when he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in No Country For Old Men, despite picking up a Best Actor nod in 2000.
And for director Alejandro González Iñárritu he has produced another powerful performance as Uxbal in Biutiful.
It’s s tour de-force performance from Bardem as he displays a whole range of emotions in a turn that is one of the best of his career.
It’s a very passionate performance from Bardem but he never loses control and it is nothing short of perfection.
Colin Firth - Everyone is ringing Colin Firth’s praises for his role in The King’s Speech as he delivers the performance of his career.
He has already picked up a Golden Globe and the Screen Actors Guild Award for his central performance as King George VI and is the hot favourite to walk away with the Oscar.
Colin Firth is simply wonderful in the central role as he struggles to overcome the stammer and become the King that everyone expects him to be.
Jeff Bridges - It was just twelve months ago that Jeff Bridges finally got his hands on the Best Actor Oscar for his central role in Crazy Heart.
And 2011 he finds himself in the Best Actor category once again for his latest movie True Grit, which the new movie from Ethan and Joel Coen.
Bridges steps into the iconic role of John Wayne as he leads a very fine cast. And it’s another great turn from the actor as he plays a man who is fearless, funny and yet has a deadly intelligence.
Jesse Eisenberg - It seems that the world has gone The Social Network crazy as David Fincher brings the story of Facebook to the big screen.
Eisenberg takes on the role of Mark Zuckerberg in this timeless story of friendship and betrayal and it’s the first real look at the darker side of a character for the leading man.
Yes Eisenberg is a revelation in this central role and really does deserve all the credit that is coming his way. He may be surrounded by a talented cast but Eisenberg does portray this icy character with a huge amount of sympathy.
James Franco - Franco may have a whole host of movies on the horizon this year but it’s for 127 Hours that he will be remembered when 2011 comes to a close.
The movie sees him team up with Danny Boyle and bring the real-life story of Aron Ralston to the big screen.
James Franco is the heart and soul of this movie it’s a tour-de-force performance as he really does prove that he is a talent to watch.
As well as the physical turmoil that Franco goes through as Ralston he also goes on an emotional journey as he learns the errors of his ways and to appreciate the people in his life.
Franco captures Ralston’s love for life in the opening sequences in the movie, supported fantastically by the beautiful backdrop of Utah.
Winners will be announced 27th February.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Colin Firth The Oscars