The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 91st Academy Awards® yesterday and seven LGBT characters all by straight actors were included. Nothing new in this as nearly 60 straight people have received Oscar nominations for LGBTQ roles to date, but meanwhile an out gay actor has never ever won. Time for a change!
BEST ACTRESS : Olivia Coleman : The Favourite
In our minds Ms Coleman is the frontrunner for this Oscar for her superb performance of the unhinged Queen Anne who after some 17 miscarriages found comfort in her bed with two of her female courtiers. This superbly witty outrageous period comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos, who received his own nominations for Best Director and Best Picture is by far Queerguru’s favorite movie of the Year.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Rachel Weisz : The Favourite
Brit actor Rachel Weisz (also known as Mrs Daniel Craig) already has one Academy Award for her role in The Constant Gardener and is now nominated for the wicked scheming Lady Marlborough in The Favourite. She is the power behind the throne and in the Queen’s bed too, and revels in her part as the Palace’s delicious control freak.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Emma Stone : The Favourite
This is Emma Stone’s 3rd Academy Award Nomination having won the Award in 2016 for La La Land. This time it’s for her role Abigail the good girl gone bad in The Favourite. In a dazzling performance on screen she plays the rival for the Queen’s affections with Rachel Weisz as Lady Marlborough, and now the two of them are facing a battle off the screen for the same Oscar.
BEST ACTOR : Rami Malek ; Bohemian Rhapsody
The only good thing about the critically- slammed mish mash of a movie that is Bohemian Rhapsody is the stunning performance of Rami Malek as gay icon Freddie Mercury, Now if the could only re-make this story without the old members of Queen micro-managing the situation and re-writing the story to ensure that they looked good even at the detriment of telling the truth.
BEST ACTRESS : Melissa McCarthy : Can You Ever Forgive Me
Melissa McCarthy showed the world exactly how perfect she can be playing a serious drama role for a change with her role as the lesbian writer Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me. Based on a true story McCarthy shines as the embittered writer who is now broke and hits on what she thinks is an ingenious, if not highly illegal, way of making money to keep her in whisky if nothing else.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : Richard E Grant : Can You Ever Forgive Me
Richard E Grant joins the impressive list of Brit actors that have been nominated this year for his role of the alcoholic gay Jack Hock who befriends Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me and unwittingly becomes her accomplice. Jack is HIV+ and Grant in a career best performance, so succinctly captures the essence of this man who is down on his luck and literally takes one day at a time.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : Maharishi Ali : Green Book
Maharishi Ali whose breakthrough role was his Oscar winning turn in Moonlight, is quite rightly recognised for his role as Don Shirley in Green Book. The biographical drama about the famous African-American classical and jazz pianist is on this list as Shirley was as the movie reveals completely closeted. It’s an aspect of the story which is handled with a great deal of sensitivity thanks in part to Ali’s performance.
