Scene - Blogs - Best actress campaign weekend Who won

Best actress campaign weekend: Who won?
Published: 1/21/2013 11:52 AM
Last Modified: 1/21/2013 11:52 AM

Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty."

Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook."

There's no question that the Academy Award race for best actress is between two competitors: Jennifer Lawrence, of "Silver Linings Playbook," and Jessica Chastain, the star of "Zero Dark Thirty."

There's also little question that considerable campaigning for the gold statues in many categories will take place between now and the Feb. 24 Oscar ceremony.

This past weekend offered a unique opportunity for Lawrence vs. Chastain in their race. One got to show off her comedic side by hosting "Saturday Night Live," while the other exhibited her new power at the box-office.

But who gained more traction out of their opportunity? I'd have to go with Chastain on this occasion.

Lawrence showed she was game for anything with her "SNL" performance, especially in an opening monologue that found her trash-talking her nominees for the best actress trophy. The young woman known for her early dramatic roles scored comedy points with her "Silver Linings Playbook" performance and on "SNL," an impressive range for the remarkably talented 22-year-old.

But Chastain really pulled off something remarkable. Going into the weekend, many were murmuring that "Mama," a supernatural thriller in which she stars, might flop. The chatter was that it might give her an Oscar-stink similar to what Eddie Murphy received from his awful "Norbit" opening in early 2007, which many think took a supporting actor Oscar out of his hands for his "Dreamgirl" nomination he had just received a week or so before.

However, not only did Chastain's "Mama" overperform, it finished No. 1 for the weekend, blowing away movies headlined by veterans like Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and the returning Arnold Schwarzenegger.

That put Chastain in this past weekend's No. 1 movie, "Mama," as well as the No. 2 film at the box-office, "Zero Dark Thirty," for which she is nominated.

I haven't been able to figure out the last time that an actress was the star of the top two films in the same weekend, but if somebody else knows -- if it's ever happened -- let me know.

Certainly, "Zero Dark Thirty" has its own fan base, and the torture controversy is providing word-of-mouth advertising. And "Mama" has been promoted as being produced by Guillermo del Toro, whose spooky works like "Pan's Labyrinth" and "The Orphanage" establish some credibility for that film.

But Chastain showing her own broad range and winning twice at the box-office will speak to many of those Hollywood veterans who are Academy voters. The woman we hadn't heard of prior to "The Tree of Life" and "The Help" in 2011 is now the talk of the town in both awards stature as well as filling theaters.

Reader Comments

Show: Newest First

Learn About Our Comment Policy

To post comments on tulsaworld.com, you must be an active Tulsa World print or digital subscriber and signed into your account.

To sign in to your account, go to tulsaworld.com/signin.
To activate your print subscription for unlimited digital access and to post comments, go to tulsaworld.com/activate.
To purchase a subscription, go to tulsaworld.com/subscribe.

I See Movies for Free

“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

Follow Michael Smith on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog

Archive

Past Articles By Michael Smith

2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
2/15/2013		Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'
2/15/2013		Review: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

Michael Smith's Blog Archive:

2/2013	1/2013	12/2012	11/2012	10/2012	9/2012
8/2012	7/2012	6/2012	5/2012	4/2012	3/2012
2/2012	1/2012	12/2011	11/2011	10/2011	9/2011
8/2011	7/2011	6/2011	5/2011	4/2011	3/2011
2/2011	1/2011	12/2010	11/2010	10/2010	9/2010
8/2010	7/2010	6/2010	5/2010	4/2010	3/2010
2/2010	1/2010	12/2009	11/2009	10/2009	9/2009
8/2009	7/2009	6/2009	5/2009	4/2009	3/2009
2/2009	1/2009	12/2008	11/2008	10/2008	9/2008
8/2008	7/2008	6/2008	5/2008	4/2008	3/2008
2/2008	1/2008	12/2007	11/2007	10/2007	9/2007
8/2007	7/2007	6/2007

michaelsmithTW
michaelsmithTW

Join the conversation

Your bookmark will appear on your Profile page. Please give it a title, and short description so that visitors to your page will understand where the bookmark leads.
Bookmark Title :

Bookmark Text :