Carl Roberts 
Ahead of tonight’s Academy Awards, I offer my predictions on who will win one of the big six Oscars on offer. Am I right or wrong?
Hollywood is gearing up for the highlight of the award-giving year, the Oscars, tonight. The glitz, glamour, outfits, acceptance speeches, political statements and post-ceremony parties are gearing up, ready to take our breath away. Top designers and make-up artists will be earning every cent of their money tonight as the cream of the crop descend on the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood for the final award ceremony of the year for films released in 2025. With Sinners and One Battle After Another leading the nominations, it looks like it will be a bumper year for Warner Bros. Pictures at the ceremony, as they distributed both movies. But who and what will win the top six awards tonight? Below, I offer my predictions.
BEST PICTURE
Look, it is a two-horse race for the accolade of Best Picture. Although there are many films that are worthy of taking the award home, it is a straight-up fight between Sinners and One Battle After Another. What will the Academy plumb for, the popular choice or the critical darling? To be honest, I think the award will go to the critical darling. That’s not to take anything away from the popular choice, but, as I will explain in Best Director, I just think it’s just its time, after so many years of not winning.
MY PREDICTION: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER.
BEST DIRECTOR
Again, it’s a battle between just two of the nominees in Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler. Both deserve the award; both delivered exceptional films. However, and again, no disrespect to Coogler, but I think this year is Paul Thomas Anderson’s time. While the Academy could pull out a surprise and hand the Oscar to Ryan Coogler, I think the voting members will award PTA the award, simply for his exceptional film and for his past body of work that haven’t won. Like Al Pacino and Sean Connery before him, it’s simply his year. Coogler will win for Best Original Screenplay, though.
MY PREDICTION: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
BEST ACTOR
Despite the quality on show and my personal opinion that Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon should win, it is a two-horse race for the award again. This time, it is simply between Michael B. Jordan and Timothée Chalamet. Now, if you go by what came before, and with the best critical reviews for his performance, he has ever received, you would think that Chalamet is a shoo-in for the award. However, with Jordan picking up several more recent awards, momentum could be swinging his way. It could go either way; both actors are young and on top of their game. Again, it’s the popular choice against the critical choice. But to be honest, I think it’s Jordan for the win. The popular choice wins here, reversing the Best Picture award.
MY PREDICTION: MICHAEL B. JORDAN
BEST ACTRESS
Despite many great female performances in 2025, it was hard for the Academy to pick just five. In any other year, it would be Rose Byrne walking away with the statuette for If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You. However, she has come up against an immovable force: Jessie Buckley. Quite simply, Jessie Buckley has this sewn up. Her performance as Agnes in Hamnet is, without a doubt, a masterclass of acting. Her acting prowess, already known worldwide, reaches new heights, delivering a performance that simply can’t be beaten. Raw, emotional, dramatic, heartwarming and heartbreaking, this is one award that is nailed on.
MY PREDICTION: JESSIE BUCKLEY
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
This one is almost certainly nailed on. Despite my preference for Jacob Elordi to win for his incredible performance in Frankenstein, something he totally deserves, Sean Penn will become a three-time Oscar winner for his portrayal of Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another. Both actors are fully deserving of taking home the award, but Penn slightly shades it as the corrupt military officer. Elordi’s time will come, but even he can’t contend with the Hollywood veteran.
MY PREDICTION: SEAN PENN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
This one is more difficult to predict. All five actresses deserve to walk away with the award. But if we look at it logically, it is going to be between Wunmi Mosaku as Annie in Sinners and Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills in One Battle After Another. Both delivered exceptional performances in their respective roles, and both deserve to leave the podium clutching the statuette. As a Brit, of course, I’d like to see Wunmi Mosaku take the award after her BAFTA win for the role a few weeks back. However, this was simply a bump in Teyana Taylor’s momentum. Out of the pair, I’m going to go for Teyana Taylor for the win here. But it realistically could go either way.
MY PREDICTION: TEYANA TAYLOR
Now, was I right or was I wrong? These are only MY predictions for who I think will walk away with the top six awards. You, of course, will have your own thoughts on who will win at the Oscars tonight. So, I now turn it over to YOU. Who do you think will win big at the Academy Awards? Which star are you supporting for their performance? Which film are you hoping will come out on top? Please let us know what you think. We love to hear from you.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
