With the fall festival season here, that means only one thing: the Oscars and awards race is starting to heat up. As we did last year, my podcast partner at Awards Central, Benji, and I are going to ramp up our thoughts on the podcast but also via articles on our awards predictions. From Critics Choice to Golden Globes to the Oscars, we will be covering predictions all season long. Today, we share our predictions of all four acting races updated in January 2026.

We have films from Paul Thomas Anderson, Guillermo del Toro, Chloe Zhao, Kathryn Bigelow, Josh Safdie, and Ryan Coogler set to ramp up the award season. Within those films, we have some star power that could feature many first-time nominees, but also some faces of the past ready to secure another nomination. 

2026 Oscar Best Actor Predictions

Ricky’s Best Actor Predictions

1. Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme 
2. Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another 
3. Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
4. Michael B. Jordan – Sinners 
5. Joel Edgerton – Train Dreams

Benji’s Best Actor Predictions

1. Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another 
2. Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme 
3. Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
4. Michael B. Jordan – Sinners 
5. Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon

Other Prospects: Dwayne Johnson – The Smashing Machine, Brendan Fraser – Rental Family, Jesse Plemons – Bugonia, Will Arnett—Is This Thing On?

2026 Oscar Best Actress Predictions

Ricky’s Best Actress Predictions

1. Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You 
2. Jessie Buckley – Hamnet 
3. Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value 
4. Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
5. Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another

Benji’s Best Actress Predictions

1. Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
2. Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
3. Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
4. Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
5. Emma Stone – Bugonia

Other Prospects: Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good, Julia Roberts – After the Hunt, Tessa Thompson – Hedda, Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love, Julia Garner – Weapons

2026 Oscar Best Supporting Actor Predictions

Ricky’s Best Supporting Actor Predictions

1. Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another
2. Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
3. Stellan Skarsgard – Sentimental Value
4. Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein 
5. Paul Mescal – Hamnet 

Benji’s Best Supporting Actor Predictions

1. Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
2. Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
3. Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
4. Paul Mescal – Hamnet
5. Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein

Other Prospects: Delroy Lindo – Sinners, Miles Caton – Sinners, Josh O’Connor – Wake Up Dead Man

2026 Oscar Best Supporting Actress Predictions

Ricky’s Best Supporting Actress Predictions

1. Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
2. Amy Madigan – Weapons 
3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
4. Elle Fanning – Frankenstein 
5. Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good

Benji’s Best Supporting Actress Predictions

1. Amy Madigan – Weapons
2. Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
4. Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
5. Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners

Other Prospects: Gwyneth Paltrow – Marty Supreme, Glenn Close – Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Ayo Edebiri – After The Hunt