Lights, Camera, Oscars: Predictions for the 89th Academy Awards

The grand finale of awards season is just around the corner, as the 89th Annual Academy Awards kick off live from the Dolby Theater at the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles on Sunday.  The awards show airs live on ABC on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

Jimmy Kimmel will be taking on the master of ceremonies duties for the first time, marking the show’s first new emcee since Neil Patrick Harris hosted in 2015. So get ready for lots of Matt Damon jokes, potential political digs and “revenge on the Academy.”

Last year’s winners including Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander will be on hand to present awards.  Nominees including Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Casey Affleck, Meryl Streep, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman, Andrew Garfield, Denzel Washington and Naomie Harris will all attend.  Justin Timberlake, John Legend and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who are all nominated for Best Original Song are set to perform.

Best Picture will be a toss-up between Damien Chazelle’s La La Land and Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, all depending on which direction the Academy want to go in this year.  Emma Stone seems like a pretty safe bet for Best Actress, as is Viola Davis for her role in Fences in the Supporting category.  Best Actor will either go to Casey Affleck for Manchester By The Sea or Ryan Gosling for La La Land, while Supporting seems likely to be awarded to Mahershala Ali.

Here are the official nominations.

Best picture
“La La Land”
“Moonlight”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Arrival”
“Fences”
“Lion”
“Hidden Figures”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Hell or High Water”

Best director
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
Denis Villeneuve, “Arrival”
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”
Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge”

Best actress in a leading role
Natalie Portman, “Jackie”
Emma Stone, “La La Land”
Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”
Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”
Ruth Negga, “Loving”

Best actor in a leading role
Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Denzel Washington, “Fences”
Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic”

Best supporting actress
Viola Davis, “Fences”
Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”
Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures”
Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
Nicole Kidman, “Lion”

Best supporting actor
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Jeff Bridges, “Hell or High Water”
Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”
Dev Patel, “Lion”
Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals”

Best adapted screenplay
“Moonlight,” Barry Jenkins
“Arrival,” Eric Heisserer
“Lion,” Luke Davies
“Fences,” August Wilson
“Hidden Figures,” Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi

Best original screenplay
“La La Land,” Damien Chazelle
“Hell or High Water,” Taylor Sheridan
“Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan
“The Lobster,” Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou
“20th Century Women,” Mike Mills