"And the Oscar goes to ..." That's right, ladies and gentlemen, we may be in the dead of winter, dreading classes and getting out of our warm beds, but the Oscar season is here, and it is hot. With the Jan. 25 release of the Oscar committee's official nominations, it seems only appropriate that we discuss perhaps the most talked-about actress and film this Oscar season: Natalie Portman in Black Swan.
In Darren Aronofsky's chilling and thrilling vision, we watch as Portman, playing Nina, delves into the psychological limbo between reality and illusion as her character fights to make sense of her on-stage and real-life identities. Absolutely nailing her part, Portman certainly deserved her Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. And this isn't the first time that Portman has been recognized during the most prestigious awards ceremony in the film industry, as she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2005 for her role in Closer. In fact, this actress' long acting history shows her in many memorable films.
Since her breakout role in 1994's Leon: The Professional, Portman has consistently danced between blockbuster hits and critically acclaimed gems. Gracing the audience with several crowd-pleasers, Portman starred in all three of the Star Wars prequels - two of which received lukewarm reviews - and the 16th century romance, The Other Boleyn Girl. Despite these films' failure to make waves with critics, Portman redeemed herself through her brilliant performances in the Sundance love-child, Garden State, Oscar-baiting Closer and anarchist thriller V for Vendetta, all of which showed the depth and versatility of her acting abilities.
Portman's accolades include Golden Globe Awards, nominations for Academy awards and several other recognitions for her excellence. Needless to say, Portman is one of the most talented and experienced young actresses in Hollywood today, which makes her prospects of winning the Oscar all the more likely.
So what's standing in her way? Unfortunately, Portman's demise may be self-instigated. Starring in another feature film, No Strings Attached, Portman plays a woman attempting to have a purely sexual relationship with a good friend. Being a romantic comedy, this movie obviously calls for a less serious performance relative to Black Swan. Moreover, No Strings Attached was released Jan. 21, right smack dab in the middle of Oscar season. This situation is oddly familiar and has caused many to reminisce back to 2007, when Eddie Murphy was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Dreamgirls. Murphy also starred in a comedy, Norbit, that year, which was released Feb. 9, just prior to the Academy Award ceremony. Because of the dismal critical response the film received, it is often speculated that Norbit lost Murphy the Oscar. Although No Strings Attached does not seem to be nearly as bad, offensive or crude as Norbit, it may not help Portman's image in the eyes of the Oscar committee, which typically favors serious performances and seems to frown on actors and actresses who engage in more shallow projects.
Nevertheless, beyond all the politics, Natalie Portman is clearly one of the leading contenders in the running for Best Leading Actress. Her powerhouse performance in Black Swan is a true masterpiece and would humble any actress in Hollywood.
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