This year’s Best Actress race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years. As more awards contenders reach theaters and streaming services like Netflix, we see talent like Emma Stone (Poor Things), Natalie Portman (May December), Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple), and Sandra Huller being discussed for the five Oscar slots. But through no fault of their own, this means there are going to be a LOT of very talented ladies left in the lurch the morning they announce the Academy Award nominees. Annette Bening belongs in the Best Actress conversation for her role as Diana Nyad in the Netflix drama Nyad. And according to Bening’s co-director, the actress’s push for realism should help her Oscar cause.
