Chris here. Have you seen this year's W Magazine "Best Performances" spread yet? Each year the photo collection features Oscar hopefuls and breakouts alike in one massive treat, and this year is as sprawling as ever. Previous years have ranged from the avant garde to the candid, but this year seems to spark inspiration straight from the loins. No seriously, its actually titled "Come Together", winks at gender and self-love, and recalls 90s lesbian chic supermodels on more than one occasion.
Cover Girls (And Boys)
Quick: which of these lusty cover pairings would you clamor for most on the silver screen? The other covers feature less sultry pairings for Amy Adams with Matthew McConnaughey (how have they not been costars?), Michelle Williams with Joel Edgerton, and Emma Stone with Casey Affleck (an ill-advised shot of them in bed given the particulars of his sexual harassment alegations).
Leading Ladies
The entire field of favorites for Best Actress nominations are here with the exception of Meryl Streep and Isabelle Huppert (though they're the sexy cover pairing we deserve). If photo shoots were the criteria to win leading actress prizes, then Ruth Negga would be the season's frontrunner by a sizeable margin.
20th Century Goddesses
*sigh* But remember not so long ago when we thought Greta Gerwig might finally be a de facto nominee for 20th Century Women? That late release date and (too) quietly fervent critical support have really dampened the films chances in most races, including our beloved Annette Bening. This shot of The Bening is one of the best of the set, as gorgeous as she's ever been.
They Shoulda Been Contenders
But W smartly doesn't reserve "best" just for those with Oscar heat like some publications. Would that it twere so simple to have gotten Hailee Steinfeld, Chris Pine, and staghetti-lassoist Alden Ehrenreich into the Oscar race for their stellar work! Pine should've been easiest considering the love for Hell or High Water and a thin Best Actor field - but why does he have to shred Twiggy here?! Blasphemy.
Major Hunkage
It's not just the ladies that get to sit pretty, even if the oggling is a little less inventive for the gentleman. That car sees more hot action than a season's worth of random photo shoot props! Andrew Garfield's red suit really pops against this mostly muted series.
Best in Show
Not only does Naomie Harris look divine here, but this is a shot more at home with W's distinct work in this yearly series. One has to ask: for an Oscar frontrunner serving this level of ferociousness, where is her damn magazine cover?!
The spread also features Anya Taylor-Joy, Lucas Hedges, Jeff Bridges, and Taraji P. Henson, and you can see it all here! What Best Performances of 2016 did they miss?