NEW YORK — “The Power of the Dog” — starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a closeted cowboy — is powerful enough to win the best picture Academy Award on Sunday.
Although the film has grossed just $389,000 in its limited theatrical release, it has 12 Oscar nominations.
Oddsmaker Danny Sheridan, whose Oscar picks have been right 52 of 60 times in the past decade, has “Dog” at even money, with the other close contender “CODA,” about a teenager with Deaf parents, close behind at 6:5.
“‘CODA’ is a feel-good movie that makes people cry,” Sheridan said. “This is the closest race for best picture in a long time.”
“Dog” helmer Jane Campion is a lock to win best director at 1:50. “The Oscar is already on her mantel,” Sheridan said. “The voters want to make sure she wins this Oscar to become only the third woman to win best director.”
Best actor will go to Will Smith, a 1:10 favorite for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams’ father in “King Richard.” “He’s beloved and deserves it,” said Sheridan.
Jessica Chastain is even money to win best actress for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye. “She should be praising more than just the Lord on Oscar night!”
Best supporting actor will go to Troy Kotsur, a 1:3 favorite in “CODA” — “a feel-good actor in the feel-good movie of the year where he melted the voters’ hearts,” Sheridan said.
Ariana DeBose is a 50:1 certainty to win best supporting actress for her turn in “West Side Story.” “Her performance blew audiences away, and voters think it would be great to have the first queer woman of color to win an Academy Award.”
Even if you haven’t seen any of the nominated movies, you still might get a laugh from the three hosts, Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall.
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Ford Models might need a new owner to replace Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, pal of the war-mongering Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Treasury’s “Putin list” named Potanin among 210 Russian oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin’s angry leader.
Potanin’s wife sued for divorce last year seeking about $7 billion of his fortune.
Recently, Potanin “stepped down” from the board of the Guggenheim Museum, where he’d been a trustee since 2002.
Potanin met with Putin in the Kremlin just days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meantime, his 288-foot yacht Nirvana is among the five oligarch stinkpots currently cruising the Maldives, where they’re presumed to be safe from seizure.
Potanin has for a dozen years owned Ford Models, which reps Kristen McMenamy, Hilary Rhoda, Guinevere van Seenus, Maggie Rizer and countless other 6-foot beauties.
The story of the Russian invasion of the face trade is told in the final chapter of the current edition of “Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women” by Michael Gross, who adds an update to his book in the spring issue of PARK magazine.
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First-time playwright Dick Bruce just got his close-up at the age of 83.
A two-week run of his “Sometime Child” wraps Sunday at Theater for the New City on the Lower East Side.
Undaunted and bolstered by a few good notices, he’s going back to investors for another staging. Maybe in the Hamptons this summer. Or back in Manhattan not so far off-Broadway.
The former Wall Streeter, who got golfing buddies to help mount this run, says he’s learned “nothing happens if you don’t try.” Break a leg, Dick. You’re having a helluva back nine.
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Priyanka Chopra is helping popularize Indian food with her restaurant Sona on E. 20th Street. Nearby, Ankush Punhani has opened Wok in the Clouds, his eighth spot, on E. 28th Street. The area is affectionately known by foodies as Curry Hill.
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Soon-to-be Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Banish CEO Daisy Jing, actress Issa Rae (from the HBO show “Insecure”) and Clean Design Home’s Robin Wilson all made Marquis Who’s Who’s BIPOC Thought Leaders list.
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