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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Holy Cross chapter.

This year, the Oscars will look a little different than usual. I love award shows and pride myself on my ballot predictions each year, and despite the changes, this year is no different. Here are my picks for seven of the major categories.

Best Picture: “Nomadland”

Nomadland has won this category at every major awards ceremony this year. I don’t expect it to fall short at the final one, but you never know when it comes to the Oscars.

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”

I may be biased because Promising Young Woman is not only my favorite film of the year, but also one of my favorite films of all time. The movie relies on Mulligan’s performance and thanks to her it pays off. This would be a long overdue and well-deserved award for a fantastic actress.

Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Boseman’s talents shine in this performance. He has a particularly heartbreaking scene towards the end of the film that is even more chilling and relevant after his passing. He was an extremely talented actor, and he deserves to be recognized. May he rest in peace.

Best Director: Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”

Zhao has swept this category at every major awards ceremony and will win it again tonight. If she wins, she will be the second woman in history and the first Asian woman to win a best director Oscar.

Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”

The first Korean woman to be nominated in this category, a win for Youn would be historic. Her performance is spectacular and deserves all of the attention and recognition. 

Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Kaluuya is as talented as he is attractive, which is very. He turns out a brilliant performance in Judas and the Black Messiah, as proven by the amount of awards he has already collected for this role. 

Best Original Screenplay: Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman”

As I said before, this is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, largely due to the writing. Fennell’s screenplay is thrilling, raw, witty, and daring. She challenges our definition of a revenge film, subverting the structure and cinematography that we’ve come to expect. 

I’m pretty confident in these picks, but you never know when it comes to the Oscars.

Bridget Flaherty

Holy Cross '21

Bridget is a Senior English major at Holy Cross. She likes books, yoga, Taylor Swift, feta cheese, and reality TV. When she grows up, she wants to be Miss Havisham or Jia Tolentino.