The Oscars are tomorrow!

Find out which contenders your favorite Leading Ladies contributors think will win, and why

, and

Mar 09, 2024

The Oscars are tomorrow, and I, for the first time ever, might actually be tuning in to them! Because voting ahead of time and actually thinking about who I would like to see win has me curious to watch the awards show, rather than just look at the results and highlights and red carpet photos the next day.

I’ll keep you posted.

Your favorite and, thus far, only Leading Ladies contributors have spoken:

, and yours truly,

Here’s what they voted for and their hot takes on why they think those contenders should win! I probably already said this, and I know I may be biased, but Alli, Tory, and Ben are smart, witty people. I think you’ll enjoy the reasoning behind their 2024 Oscar Picks. They had me laughing.

There’s still time to cast your own vote, and tune in to the 2024 Academy Awards!

If nothing else, I hope that reading our answers below encourages you to watch most or all of the best movies from last year.

Without further ado:

The Leading Ladies 2024 Oscar Picks

Best Picture

Heather: "Watching Barbie in theaters was my favorite cinematic experience of last year! It was such a joy! And look at the box office numbers. $1 billion! Making history! If that doesn't say ‘best picture’ then I don't know what does. "

Ben: “Past Lives is my choice for best picture because I cried at the end. Any movie that can do that wins in my book.”

Tory: "The story itself isn't my favorite, but the storytelling techniques in Oppenheimer are unparalleled."

Alli: "How can a movie contain so many stories yet leave the main plot line unresolved? Anatomy of a Fall is masterful."

Best Actress

Heather: "Carey Mulligan is a showstopper! I couldn't take my eyes off her. She completely embodies and brings to life the wife of Leonard Bernstein, accent and all."

Ben: “Dark horse. The concept in Poor Things is so outrageous that her performance will create more buzz for the film.”

Tory: "Emma Stone is about to start collecting Oscars like infinity stones."

Alli: "Not the best movie mostly because of editing and script decisions, but such a stunning, tasteful performance in defiance of the Hollywood box from Lily Gladstone. I would be overjoyed if they accoladed an actress who told her story really well and who was the only one who could really tell it the way she did."

Best Actor

Heather: "Paul Giamitti is the most likeable unlikeable high school teacher in the history of film! Your heart goes out to him. You route for him! His work is entirely convincing. I don't see Paul Giamitti; I see Paul Hunhan."

Ben: “I'm not sure if The Holdovers has what it takes at the Oscars but there's enough word of mouth and love for the film that I wouldn't be surprised if Paul pulls it off.”

Tory: "I won't be mad if it's Paul Giamatti, but I think Cillian Murphy is the standout. And I always bet on the Irish."

Alli: "Cillian Murphy, c'mon. This movie was a doozy with an obsessive unrelenting protagonist who honestly, at times, gets tired of himself. How did Cillian Murphy keep us engaged (with bated breath) for THREE HOURS. Give the man an Oscar! "

Best Supporting Actress

Heather: “Da'Vine is simply wonderful in The Holdovers! Complex, soft and sassy, nurturing and strong. More Da'Vine please!”

Ben: “I would have said Da'Vine but she already won a Golden Globe so I think America will take the cake.”

Tory: "Da’Vine Joy’s performance somehow brings both deep sorrow and a quiet strength to The Holdovers.

Alli: "America Ferrera deserves this for starring in Ugly Betty. Her role in Barbie was but an extension of this long wonderful thought that women are most beautiful when they are being healthy versions of themselves. Therefore, Ugly Betty for the win! Aye-O!"

Best Supporting Actor

Heather: "You've never seen Ryan Gosling like this! And you know he deserves it by the way he dances in the Barbie party scene. He IS Ken."

Ben: “Who doesn't think Gosling will win this? Barbie will probably sweep.”

Tory: "Tough category, but I think this is Robert Downey Jr.'s time to shine. The man has been waiting for justice since he got robbed for Tropic Thunder in 2009."

Alli: "Give it to Ken! How did a guy have a successful full character arc in a movie about women? Ryan Gosling. Ken was 3D in a world of 2D men. And redeemed men-kind in the matriarchal world by discovering how to have an emotional dialogue with himself. Don't know if this is the takeaway that most men in our world got from Barbie, but Gosling definitely got it. And out of all of these supporting actor choices, he was actually the most supportive."

Best Director

Heather: "Oppenheimer is an incredible film. I did not feel the 3 hours run time. Nolan is wrestling with a massive moral dilemma in a completely compelling way. The execution, bringing together all the pieces, is perfect."

Ben: “It's been a minute since Scorcese scored. Give this man a little gold man holding a globe! I have spoken!”

Tory: "Disclaimer: Nolan will win only if Greta Gerwig doesn't win as a write-in candidate."

Alli: "Okay, folks! Triet told the story!! We had such minimal dialogue. Everything we know is from the shots, the angles, the glances, the twitches of expression from the actors. The movie was mainly in a small cabin and a field. Like how did she make such small things so meaningful and full?!?!!?!?"

Best Original Screen Play

Heather: "This was a tough call! I love Past Lives, but I think Maestro takes the cake. To be able to cover so much time so artfully, to convey so much with the dialogue? This is art!"

Ben: “It's a tie between The Holdovers and Past Lives. Although I love the realness of Past Lives and it made me cry, if I'm judging purely on the written word, it's gotta be Holdovers; good monologues, great dialogues, tight script.”

Tory: "Past Lives is the perfect debut screenplay. I dare you not to feel something."

Alli: "Concept, concept, concept."

Best Adapted Screenplay

Heather: "I have to go Oppenheimer here. First of all, Barbie is not adapted. Second of all, again, condensing an incredibly long and dry history book into a dynamic film takes real skill."

Ben: “I've got to vote on Oppenheimer to win something! Oppenheimer, I hardly know 'er! Amaright?! Also, I listened to American Prometheus but never saw the movie. Yikes!”

Tory: "Oppenheimer is praised for the acting and effects, but the narrative structure of the script is really what makes this movie incredible. I had to watch this it twice to appreciate it."

Alli: "What a kooky world."

Best Animated Feature

Heather: "Studio Gibli is singular. Miyazaki's final film deserves to take the award home!"

Ben: “No question. No competition. It's a perfect middle to a well constructed trilogy that has a defined preplanned beginning, middle, and end. Looking at you J. J., Ryan, and Kathleen. We all saw what you did. It's insane to think I'd have to tell you to learn something from Sony.”

Tory: "I have a hard time getting into animated movies, but Across the Spiderverse is easy to love."

Alli: "Miyazaki will never not win in my heart. Everything he does is spiritual bliss."

Thank you, as always, for reading Leadings Ladies! Red carpet, here we come!