12 Years A Slave
The Best Supporting Actor Oscar looks, at the moment, to be a two horse race; at the moment it is the most straight forward of the acting categories.
We take a look at the actors who are guaranteed a nomination, and the others that will be battling it out for the remaining spots.
*Certainty For Best Supporting Actor Nomination*
- Michael Fassbender - 12 Years A Slave
It was a shock two years ago when Michael Fassbender was overlooked in the Best Actor category for his performance in Shame.
But that looks set to be rectified this year as he reunites with director Steve McQueen for 12 Years A Slave; a film that see him deliver the performance of his career to date.
The movie follows the story of Solomon Northup - a free man who is sold into slavery.
Fassbender takes on the role of savage plantation owner Epps; a man who physically and sexually abuses one of the slave girls. It is a truly chilling performance from the actor, and it comes as no surprise to hear the praise that as been coming his way.
Fassbender has already picked up gongs at the Kansas City Film Critics Awards and the Online Film Critics Society Awards. He has also been nominated for Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
- Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club
Jared Leto is another favourite for this award as he stars alongside Mathew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club.
Dallas Buyers Club has proved to be the role that has really put Leto on the map as an actor as he lost a whopping 30 pounds to take on this role.
The film follows the true story of Ron Woodroof, a man suffering from AIDS who gets the medication he and others need. Leto takes on the role of Rayon, a fellow AIDS sufferer.
The movie and the central performances of McConaughey and Leto have been met with acclaim and are expected to be major Oscar plays come early next year.
Leto will go head to head with Fassbender at the Golden Globes and the SAG.
*Actors To Watch Out For*
- Jonah Hill - The Wolf of Wall Street
Jonah Hill picked up his first Oscar nomination in this category for Moneyball, and he could well find himself in the mix again.
He will be back on the big screen with The Wolf of Wall Street, a movie that sees him team up with Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese.
The film tells the true story of former Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) and Hill is set to play his partner in crime Donnie Azoff.
The UK won't be getting this movie until the beginning of next year, but it seems that DiCaprio and Hill are going to make a great big screen team.
- Bradley Cooper - American Hustle
Bradley Cooper picked up his first Oscar nomination earlier this year for his performance in Silver Linings Playbook. Now he has reunited with director David O. Russell on the hunt for his second.
American Hustle is slowly becoming the film that the critics are championing, and is set to be a major OScar force.
Cooper takes on the role of FBI Agent Richie DiMaso alongside Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner.
Cooper has picked up nominations at the Golden Globes and Satellite Awards, and yet missed out at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
- Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Barkhad Abdi is not a name that will be familiar to many as he made his big screen debut earlier this autumn in Captain Phillips.
When it comes to the Oscars everyone has been talking about Tom Hanks, Paul Greegrass and the movie as major contenders - but Abdi has seen his campaign move up a gear after picking up a Golden Globe and SAG nomination.
Abdi takes on the role of Muse in the film, the leader of the gang of Somali pirates that take over Captain Phillips' ship.
It is an intense performance from Abdi and he has some fantastic scenes with Hanks.
- Daniel Brühl - Rush
Daniel Brühl is another actor who has been making a name for himself this year as he takes on the role of Niki Lauda in Rush.
This fantastic biopic from Ron Howard follows the rivalry between Lauda and James Hunt and how Lauda battled back from a horrific accident.
It is a fantastically powerful performance from Brühl as he captures the coldness that Lauda had towards other people, as well as his determination to win.
Bruhl has already picked up nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.
At the moment Michael Fassbender and Jared Leto are the favourites when it comes to scooping this award. However, it would see that Leto is just edging things at the moment.
Tagged in Jared Leto Jonah Hill Michael Fassbender Bradley Cooper