Oscars 2023 Best Actress nominees: It's Michelle Yeoh vs Cate Blanchett

The Academy Awards announced its nominations earlier this year on January 24. With their sight set on the Best Actress in a Leading Role honour, Cate Blanchett, Ana de Armas, Andrea Riseborough, Michelle Williams and Michelle Yeoh will be eager to take home the golden statuette.

Cate Blanchett
For: Tar

Cate Blanchett is no stranger to the Academy Awards. She has lifted the golden trophy twice. Her first was a supporting actress win for Aviator in 2004. She then won the Academy Award in 2013 for Blue Jasmine in the Leading Role category. In 2023, Blanchett is nominated for her role in the psychological-drama Tar as a renowned conductor accused of sexual abuse. She has won the BAFTA this year, and a Critics' Choice win (out of 7 nominations). She has already scored a hattrick with a Golden Globe win as well. Blanchett for Tar then is a very likely win at the big night.

Ana de Armas
For: Blonde

This fictionalised take on Marilyn Monroe's life thrust Ana de Armas in to the big leagues. Though Blonde seems to have flown under the award circuit lists, Armas has still managed to score nominations for her performance across the BAFTAs, SAG and Golden Globes. Blonde features on the Oscars list only for Armas's nomination and a surprise win could be on the cards.

Andrea Riseborough
For: To Leslie

The only independent film on the list, To Leslie, dealing with the perspective on motherhood and redemption, is nominated only in this category at the Oscars. The film and Riseborough's nomination was embroiled in controversy as it was mostly seen as a part of an intense social media campaign orchestrated by the actress' manager. Nonetheless, Riseborough stands in line awaiting news on a potential Oscar win.

Michelle Williams
For: The Fabelmans

Spielberg's take on his own adolescent advent into filmmaking though snubbed at the BAFTAs has a hefty 7 nominations with the Academy, one of them being Williams'. Williams has so far been nominated by the Academy 4 times across years (2 for Best Actress and 2 for Best Supporting Actress), but has not yet registered a win. The Fabelmans may just be the ultimate change in luck for Williams this year.

Michelle Yeoh
For: Everything Everywhere All at Once

This absurdist comedy-drama has been sweeping the awards circuit. Now, it is eyeing Oscars glory. Despite its stellar run at the awards, Yeoh has to her name a Golden Globe win, having lost out in the same category at the BAFTAs and Critics' Choice Awards (despite 5 other wins for the film that night) to Blanchett. The Oscars may just be Yeoh's night.

Oscars 2023 can be streamed in India on March 13 at 5.30 am on Disney+Hotstar.