As the Academy Awards fast approach (they air on 28th February 2016), we thought we’d make some Oscar predictions that don’t have anything to do with Leonardo DiCaprio and The Revenant. (He’s probably going to win, so let’s just leave it at that for now).
Instead, we decided to predict the distant and not-so-distant future.
Look, we're not mind-readers (or Academy voters), so let's call these predictions educated guesses, as we take a look at some of the top established and up-and-coming female talent who are destined for Oscar-level success...
Maika Monroe
22-year-old indie darling Maika would be our top bet for future Academy Award glory, given that she’s already won the adoration of movie-goers and critics alike. She pretty much knocked 2014 out of the park with her rave-worthy work in stylish thriller The Guest and haunting horror It Follows.
Though she’s made her mark on the independent film world, expect to see her flex her acting muscles in a few blockbusters and book adaptions over the next few years. She’ll be battling an alien invasion in 2016’s The 5th Wave and taking on a starring role in the Independence Day sequel, Resurgence, as the former president's daughter Patricia Whitmore.
*Must-watch performance: Watch both The Guest and It Follows. *We can't pick between the two.
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Quvenzhané Wallis
An easy prediction, yes, given that 12-year-old Quvenzhane became the youngest actress in history to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award, thanks to her show-stopping performance in 2012's Beasts Of The Southern Wild.
But since then, her Golden Globe-nominated turn in the remake of Annie, and a role in 12 Years A Slave, have firmly cemented her status as the ultimate one-to-watch.
That is, if she finds time for acting, considering she has reportedly landed herself a children’s book deal, too.
**Must-watch performance: Hushpuppy in *Beasts Of The Southern Wild.
Elle Fanning
Elle’s just like Maika - she’s got a strong filmography behind her already, and a host of promising upcoming projects.
Many will remember Dakota’s younger sister as the young Aurora in Maleficent (2014), as Scarlett Johansson’s homeschooled cousin in We Bought A Zoo (2011) and as a 9-year-old tourettes syndrome-sufferer in Phoebe In Wonderland (2008).
In addition to receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews for just about everything she does, the actress has a list of indie and drama projects coming up that seem pretty Oscar-friendly. She’s also rumoured to be playing Alaska Young in the 2017 film adaptation of the young adult novel, Looking For Alaska.
Must-watch performance: As movie star Johnny's 11-year-old daughter Cleo, the unexpected house-guest, in Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere.**
Olivia Cooke
Fans of thriller series Bates Motel will recognise Olivia, but we only really began to take note after her heart-wrenching performance in film festival breakaway hit Me, Earl And The Dying Girl. If she can deliver such a strong performance in a dramatic role at such a young age, we predict big things for Olivia.
Next up for Olivia is an independent drama called Katie Says Goodbye. According to _The Hollywood Reporte_r, Olivia will play a 17-year-old waitress who turns to prostitution to escape poverty and relocate to San Francisco. A few more roles like this, and it won't be long til she's on the podium.
**Must-watch performance: As Rachel in Me, Earl And The Dying Girl.
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Maisie Williams
What we’ve seen of Maisie Williams (outside of Game Of Thrones) includes a hilarious cameo in brilliant web series Supreme Tweeter, a guest role in Doctor Who and a captivating performance in 2014’s boarding school drama The Falling.
Maisie’s already no stranger to awards - just look at her most recent win for Young British/Irish Performer of the Year prize at the recent London Critics' Circle Film Awards.
Finally, who doesn't love her? She's got an extremely relatable personality and relationship with her fans (showcased here on her YouTube channel){
**Must-watch performance: Arya Stark in Game Of Thrones is Maisie’s defining role. **
Lola Kirke
Lola, perhaps once best known as the sister of Girls actress Jemima Kirke, is a star in her own right. She’s currently front and centre in the hugely popular Amazon series Mozart In The Jungle, and appeared in the movie Gone Girl.
She won her biggest fan base starring alongside Greta Gerwig in 2015’s mumblecore hit Mistress America, in which she played a young college student named Tracy, who becomes enraptured by her glamorous (yet chaotic) future sister-in-law.
**Must-watch performance: Mistress America, as a whole, is essential viewing.
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Kiersey Clemons
Did anyone see Dope? Empire called the award-winning 2015 Sundance favourite ‘funny, stylish and mostly exuberant fun’. Kiersey played one of three leading roles: Diggy, a young gay woman.
Admittedly, we have a lot more to see of Kiersey before we can 110% confirm our prediction. Luckily, we’ll get to see her in the follow up to Seth Rogen’s* comedy Bad Neighbours*, and fans can already appreciate her talent in the ground-breaking Amazon show Transparent.
**Must-watch performance: Diggy in Dope.
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Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Olsen is an enigma. Her stratospheric rise to the top has taken only a short amount of time - from her first critically-acclaimed role in a 2011 indie, to playing one of the only female Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Elizabeth reminds us of Michelle Williams. Her carefully curated filmography shows off the depth of her talent: there's a clever balance of independent movies and dramas (Liberal Arts,* Very Good Girls*, Kill Your Darlings), horrors (Silent House) and big, household name-making blockbusters (Godzilla, Oldboy, The Avengers: Age Of Ultron), much like Michelle's varied resume does.
With a few more years and the right dramatic role under her belt, the Academy will stand up and take note with a nomination.
Must-watch performance: Elizabeth's breakout role, as a woman recovering from the influence of a dangerous cult, in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011).
Shailene Woodley
Shailene isn’t a surprise entry on this list. After an utterly heartbreaking performance as a loved-up teen suffering from cancer in The Fault In Our Stars (2015), we know that it’s literally just a matter of time until this young actress has a large golden statuette to place on her mantelpiece.
She can do it all: independents, dramas, teen movies - she can even hold a huge franchise, like the Divergent series, on her back, which we imagine is no easy task.
Must-watch performance: As Kat Connors in 2014's White Bird In A Blizzard.
**Who do you think is destined for future Oscar glory? Let us know at @GraziaUK
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