2019/2020 Critics Choice + Golden Globe + SAG + BAFTA: The Holy Quartet

Every year I compile the lists and combinations of the major precursors bagged by potential Oscar nominees and this year is no different. Critics Choice, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA can all align to get a performance all the way to the Oscars.

But sometimes an actor with this seemingly safe holy quartet gets can still find themselves locked out of that final step and clinch that Oscar nod as Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Amy Adams (Arrival) and Timothée Chalamet (Beautiful Boy) can tell you. BAFTA still has to weigh in here (and I’ll add those here when they do on January 7th) and then we can really see the true story taking shape.

Oscar nomination voting begins on January 2nd and lasts until January 7th, a mere five days to watch and absorb dozens of films and performances. Voters will have just two days after the Golden Globes to impact their decision and just hours after BAFTA announces their nominations. While some of these races seem to have some pretty locked in contenders, most are still looking for that 4th and/or 5th spot to complete the final five.

Let’s see who has what in this race to the Dolby.

At the moment, Best Actor has three who have made all precursors: Adam Driver in Marriage Story, Joaquin Phoenix in Joker and Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Taron Egerton (Rocketman) has SAG, the Globe (a win) and BAFTA. Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) and Eddie Murphy (Dolemite Is My Name) have Critics Choice and the Golden Globe; Christian Bale (Ford v Ferrari) has the Globe and SAG. Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) has the Globe and BAFTA.

We have three in Best Actress who have received all precursors: Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story), Charlize Theron (Bombshell) and Renée Zellweger (Judy). Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) has three, missing BAFTA. Awkwafina (The Farewell) has Critics Choice and the Globe (a win), Saoirse Ronan (Little Women) has Globe and BAFTA, while Lupita Nyong’o (Us) has Critics Choice and SAG.

A nearly deadlocked category, Supporting Actor has four who have gotten all precursors so far: Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Al Pacino and Joe Pesci (both for The Irishman) and Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes) has Critics Choice, the Globe and BAFTA.

With Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers) missing BAFTA, Supporting Actress has just two locks with Laura Dern (Marriage Story) and Margot Robbie (Bombshell) and then it gets really interesting. Lopez should be fine, BAFTA went for Scarlett Johansson in Jojo Rabbit so she has that and SAG now but no other actress has more than one of either Critics Choice, the Golden Globe, SAG or BAFTA. BAFTA gave Robbie a second nomination here for Once, something not allowed at the Oscars.