The 79th Annual Academy Awards show airs Sunday at 8 p.m. A lot of good films have been nominated, but host Ellen DeGeneres can only reveal so many winners. The Eagle is feeling Oscar fever, and our resident movie experts already have their predictions.
Most of our contributors picked "Babel" to win Best Picture. Martin Scorsese is a lock to win his first Oscar for "The Departed." Forrest Whitaker will likely take Best Actor for "The Last King of Scotland," while most writers picked Helen Mirren of "The Queen" for Best Actress. And though Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed") got some love for Best Supporting Actor, The Eagle is happy with Assistant Features Editor Andrew Gardner's assessment: "Two words: Eddie Murphy." Best Supporting Actress will be a close call between Cate Blanchett ("Notes on a Scandal") and Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls"), but more of our writers chose Hudson to win.
ADAM BENDER, Entertainment Editor
Should win:
Best Picture - "The Departed"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland")
Best Actress - Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
Best Supporting Actor - Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed")
Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett ("Notes on a Scandal")
Will win:
Best Picture - "Babel"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness")
Best Actress - Pen?lope Cruz ("Volver")
Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls")
Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett ("Notes on a Scandal")
TODD MATTHY, Contributing Writer
Should win:
Best Picture - "The Departed"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland")
Best Actress - Meryl Streep ("The Devil Wears Prada")
Best Supporting Actor - Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed")
Best Supporting Actress - Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine")
Will win:
Best Picture - "Babel"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland")
Best Actress - Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
Best Supporting Actor - Alan Arkin ("Little Miss Sunshine")
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls")
DONNY SHELDON, Contributing Writer
Should win:
Best Picture - "Babel"
Best Director - Paul Greengrass ("United 93")
Best Actor - Ryan Gosling ("Half Nelson")
Best Actress - Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal")
Best Supporting Actor - Jackie Earle Haley ("Little Children")
Best Supporting Actress - Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel")
Will win:
Best Picture - "The Departed"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland")
Best Actress - Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls")
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls")
SARAH ALSGAARD, Contributing Writer
Should win:
Best Picture - "Little Miss Sunshine"
Best Director - Clint Eastwood ("Letters from Iwo Jima")
Best Actor - Will Smith ("The Pursuit of Happyness")
Best Actress - Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
Best Supporting Actor - Djimon Hounsou ("Blood Diamond")
Best Supporting Actress - Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel")
Will win:
Best Picture - "Babel"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese ("The Departed")
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland")
Best Actress - Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls")
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls")
ANDREW GARDNER, Assistant Features Editor
Should Win:
Best Picture - "Letters from Iwo Jima"
Best Director - Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"
Best Actor - Ryan Gosling, "Half Nelson"
Best Actress - Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
Best Supporting Actor - Jackie Earle Haley, "Little Children"
Best Supporting Actress - Cate Blanchett, "Notes on a Scandal"
Will Win:
Best Picture - "The Departed"
Best Director - Martine Scorsese, "The Departed"
Best Actor - Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland"
Best Actress - Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
Best Supporting Actor - Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls"
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirl"
