According to Variety, attention has already shifted to Anne Hathaway‘s awards prospects, with industry observers debating whether Universal should campaign her in the Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress category. For Hathaway, the decision could become one of the defining Oscar storylines of the season.
Anne Hathaway’s Oscar Race May Come Down to One Key Decision
Following the impressive launch of “The Odyssey” at the global box office and enthusiastic reviews, Nolan’s latest epic has emerged as one of the earliest favorites in the upcoming Academy Awards race. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, while Hathaway portrays his wife Penelope, who protects her family and kingdom during his long absence.
Source: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Universal Pictures
For Universal, however, one question remains unresolved. Should Hathaway be submitted for Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress? The actress already has two Oscar nominations to her name, earning a Best Actress nod for “Rachel Getting Married” in 2009 before winning Best Supporting Actress for “Les Misérables” in 2013. Her latest performance has placed her back in the awards conversation, but history suggests each category comes with its own advantages and potential drawbacks.
Nolan’s track record adds another layer to the debate. Across his filmography, only four performers have received Academy Award acting nominations for his pictures. Heath Ledger won for “The Dark Knight,” while Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. both took home Oscars for “Oppenheimer.” The lone nominee who did not win was Emily Blunt, whose supporting performance in “Oppenheimer” earned recognition but ultimately lost on a night when the title dominated the ceremony in nearly every other major category.
Campaigning Hathaway in supporting could also create room for Samantha Morton, whose performance as Circe has generated strong early praise. The Academy has often recognized multiple supporting actresses from the same movie, making that category a plausible strategy if Universal believes both performances can secure nominations. At the same time, Oscar history shows that dual nominations do not always translate into victories, even for films competing for Best Picture.
A lead actress campaign presents a different opportunity. None of Nolan’s previous pictures has produced a Best Actress nominee, meaning Hathaway could become the first woman to achieve that milestone for one of his productions. The studio is not expected to make a final decision until awards season gains momentum later this year, but with “The Odyssey” already positioned as one of the year’s biggest contenders, Hathaway’s category placement has become one of Hollywood’s earliest and most closely watched Oscar questions.
