Could an intimate drama beat a spectacular epic? Could a festival-winning performance outlast the season’s biggest movie stars? The Oscars 2027 Best Actor race already offers several compelling possibilities.
Andrew Scott, John Malkovich and Matt Damon form an important early group to follow. Tom Cruise adds a high-profile wildcard, while Ryan Gosling, Sebastian Stan and Robert Pattinson give movie fans more performances to put on their watchlists.
The key distinction: these actors are contenders in awards discussion, not confirmed Oscar nominees. The field can change as more films reach audiences, campaigns develop and industry awards announce their selections.
When Are the 2027 Oscars?
The 99th Academy Awards take place on March 14, 2027, recognizing eligible films from the 2026 season. Oscar nominations are scheduled to be announced on January 21, 2027.
That leaves time for an early favorite to lose momentum—or for a less-discussed performance to become essential viewing.
The Best Actor Watchlist at a Glance
| Actor | Film | Why Follow the Campaign? |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Scott | Elsinore | Prominent early awards support |
| John Malkovich | Wild Horse Nine | Venice Best Actor winner |
| Matt Damon | The Odyssey | A major epic in the awards conversation |
| Tom Cruise | Digger | A high-profile, uncertain campaign |
| Ryan Gosling | Project Hail Mary | A leading role in a science-fiction adventure |
| Sebastian Stan | Fjord | An international drama to follow |
| Robert Pattinson | Primetime | A challenger with a distinctive role |
The order below reflects CineGlams’ editorial viewing priorities, not numerical winning probabilities. Final eligibility and category placement remain subject to the Academy’s rules and voting process.
1. Andrew Scott — Elsinore
The role: Scott portrays actor Ian Charleson in director Simon Stone’s drama about Charleson’s final stage performance.
Why he belongs near the top: Scott features prominently in September predictions from specialist awards writers. That makes this one of the most useful performances to seek out if you want to understand the developing race.
Our viewing question is how the film connects the public act of performing with the private experience behind it. Playing an actor creates an interesting challenge: the audience must believe both the person and the performance within the story.
What to watch next: Whether enthusiasm translates into repeated recognition from critics and industry voters. Early praise creates an opening; sustained support is what keeps a campaign competitive.
2. John Malkovich — Wild Horse Nine
The film: Martin McDonagh’s story follows CIA agents dispatched to Easter Island before the 1973 Chilean coup.
Why he matters: Malkovich won Best Actor at the 2026 Venice Film Festival for this performance. That is a confirmed acting award, giving his campaign a concrete achievement to build on.
A festival prize does not guarantee an Oscar nomination. It does, however, give viewers a strong reason to investigate the performance for themselves.
Our viewing question: How does Malkovich handle the relationship between the character’s authority, personal history and the film’s dark humor?
What to watch next: Whether the film’s wider release expands the audience for his performance beyond the festival conversation.
3. Matt Damon — The Odyssey
The film: Damon leads Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic.
Why he is in the conversation: Specialist predictions place him alongside Scott and Malkovich among the season’s prominent early possibilities.
For a performance inside a large-scale production, the interesting question is whether viewers remember the character as vividly as the spectacle. A film can attract awards attention across several categories while its acting campaign still needs a distinct argument.
Our viewing question: What emotional thread holds the journey together when the scale becomes enormous?
What to watch next: Whether acting nominations accompany the film’s broader awards recognition.
4. Tom Cruise — Digger
The film: Cruise stars in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new feature, opening in North American theaters on October 2.
Why he remains worth following: His name appears in early predictions, but current coverage also describes an uncertain path amid divided reactions to the film.
That uncertainty makes this campaign especially interesting. A famous actor, an acclaimed filmmaker and a prominent release can attract attention, but attention must develop into support for the performance.
For viewers, the best approach is to examine the work rather than assume that the star’s profile settles the race.
What to watch next: Whether awards groups single out Cruise even when opinions about the overall film differ.
5. Ryan Gosling — Project Hail Mary
The role: Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes aboard a spacecraft without remembering how he arrived there.
Why he is worth watching: His performance appears in specialist contender lists, and the premise places a clear acting challenge at the center of the adventure.
A story built around an isolated protagonist depends heavily on the audience’s connection with that person. Our interest is in how the performance makes scientific problem-solving, uncertainty and human vulnerability engaging.
Where to start: Amazon confirms that the film is streaming on Prime Video worldwide, making it an accessible starting point for an awards-season watchlist.
What to watch next: Whether appreciation for the film becomes specific support for Gosling in acting categories.
6. Sebastian Stan — Fjord
The film: Stan stars alongside Renate Reinsve in Cristian Mungiu’s drama.
Why he belongs on the list: Awards specialists include him in the Best Actor discussion, giving viewers a reason to look beyond the most heavily marketed Hollywood releases.
International dramas can broaden an awards watchlist with different storytelling styles and character perspectives. For this performance, our viewing interest is in the interaction between the leads and the choices that define their characters.
What to watch next: Whether Stan receives consistent individual recognition as the film reaches more awards voters.
7. Robert Pattinson — Primetime
The role: Pattinson portrays television host Chris Hansen in Lance Oppenheim’s film.
Why he is a challenger to follow: He appears among the alternatives in September Best Actor predictions. That places him on the watchlist without making him a settled favorite.
Playing a recognizable media figure invites comparisons, but resemblance is only one part of the task. The more useful viewing question is what the performance reveals about the character’s motivations and public persona.
What to watch next: Whether individual acting attention grows as more viewers and voting groups encounter the film.
Why These Seven Are Not the Whole Race
A shortlist for readers should remain open to new evidence. Late releases, smaller films and performances outside the loudest campaigns can still change the conversation.
There is also a difference between attracting a nomination and winning. Broad support might help an actor enter the final field, while the eventual winner needs voters to choose that performance above the other nominees.
What Could Change the Best Actor Race?
- New releases: More performances may enter the discussion before the eligibility period closes.
- Critics’ awards: Repeated recognition can draw attention to a less familiar contender.
- Industry nominations: Acting and film organizations provide additional evidence of support.
- Category placement: Lead and supporting discussions can affect how a performance is assessed.
- Viewing access: A performance needs to reach voters before enthusiasm can translate into ballots.
Which Performances Should You Watch First?
If your goal is to understand the leading early conversation, prioritize Andrew Scott, John Malkovich and Matt Damon as their films become available in your area.
For an accessible streaming choice, begin with Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary. For a newly opening cinema option, consider Tom Cruise in Digger.
Keep your own judgment separate from campaign momentum. The performance that means most to you may differ from the one collecting the most predictions.
Your turn: Which actor deserves a place in the final five—and which performance is missing from our watchlist? Share your picks in the comments.
Editorial note: This article is an early awards preview, not a review of every listed film or an official Academy announcement. CineGlams’ viewing questions are editorial analysis. Predictions, release plans and category discussions may change.
Sources: Academy awards calendar; AwardsWatch’s September predictions; Focus Features’ Elsinore announcement; Reuters’ Venice acting winners report; Amazon’s Project Hail Mary guide; Cannes’ Fjord film page; A24’s Primetime page; and Vanity Fair’s Digger awards analysis. Checked October 2, 2026.