Contestants near the finish line – The Hollywood Reporter

Clockwise from top left: Oppenheimer, Maestro, Moonflower Killers, Oppenheimer, Past Lives and 20 Days in Mariupol

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures (2); Jason McDonald/Netflix; Melinda Sue Gordon/Apple TV+; John Buck/A24; Courtesy of Sundance

Best director

Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

The frontrunner was hung with Stephen Colbert Late Show On February 6, he participated in a Q&A in Los Angeles on February 7 and 8 and won the Directors Guild Grand Prix on February 10 (only eight times in 75 years has he failed to predict the Best Director award).

best actor

Bradley Cooper (Artist, band leader)

The 12-time Academy Award nominee reflected on his 25 years as a professional film actor — and was spoken about by co-star Carey Mulligan and friend Brad Pitt — while being honored by the Santa Barbara Film Festival as performer of the year in February. 8.

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone (Moonflower Killers)

The breakthrough took home the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Virtuoso Award on February 10, participated in a Q&A at the TCL Chinese Theater on February 11, and received a standing ovation at the Academy Award Nominees Luncheon on February 12.

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

Hoping his third Oscar nomination would work the magic, he was honored with the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on February 9; Rob Lowe and co-star Cillian Murphy traveled to the American Riviera to help celebrate it.

Best Original Screenplay

Past life

At the Directors Guild Awards, Celine Song won the DGA Award for Best Feature Film. Although she wasn’t nominated for a Best Director Oscar, that kind of recognition can only help her cause as she racks up Academy votes for her semi-autobiographical script.

Best Documentary Film

20 days in Mariupol

The DGA honored AP reporter Mstislav Chernov, who stayed in Mariupol and risked his life to show what was happening when the Russians attacked Ukraine, with its Document Award. Two days later, he was in conversation with Steven Spielberg at the Academy Award nominees luncheon.

This story first appeared in the February 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.