Tuesday
Nov122019
Campaign flex - Lupita comes on strong
Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 5:39PM 
Between this hard-to-miss Variety ad and her recent campaign flex, reprising "Red" from Us at a haunted house, Lupita Nyong'o's Best Actress dream doesn't feel so far-fetched does it? Are you starting to be convinced that her second nomination could happen? We're getting there.
Horror is a great genre for actresses, as Jason's column often reminds us, but when it comes to Oscar nominations for the genre, they only happen if the movie was a huge hit (think The Sixth Sense, The Exorcist, Silence of the Lambs, etcetera). Us has got that part covered, too, since it's the only original film to secure a spot in the box office top ten of 2019 which is otherwise full of spin-offs and sequels.
Reader Comments (27)
Love the image. I wonder how much the controversy over her vocal choices might impact her chances. She definitely gave a great performance.
She would be a weird but worthy nominee just like her character but Collette couldn't make it last year with the same amount of praise.
They don't like the genre but they might want to vindicate their choice back in 2013.
Peggy Sue: Kind of like with Tomei, particularly nomination #3? (I love her work in The Wrestler, yeah, but no way that nomination happened if actors didn't want to keep flexing that they made the right call, unconventional as it was for a winner, in 1992.)
Lupita was amazing on the campaign trail in 2013, so I expect her to do her best this time again. She's also the only lead actress contender for Universal, so hopefully that means they'll really push her.
In she were in a conventional film, like a biopic or drama, there's no question she would get the nomination for giving the performance she did in Us. If she can overcome the genre bias, she'll receive her second nom.
She does nothing for me. There, I said it.
The Hereditary comparisons don't work.
Universal has more money and access than an indie like A24.
This year is much less competitve than last year (So far Scarjo feels like she'll be the only one in a best pic contender).
Us is the follow up to the Oscar winning screenplay of Get Out, that gives it some pedigree Hereditary didn't have.
I'm not saying she's a lock but she is in a much better poistion than Toni.
She was very good but good Lord was Us mediocre.
I Hope not. Luv Lupita, but Us...🤮
I am sorry to say that, but she'll get nominated because Erivo won't make it and AMPAS doesn't want another Oscarssowhite year. She's excellent in Us, anyway.
Toni won 8 critics prizes, which I don’t see happening for Lupita. And those are powerful persuaders—sometimes. Also, Us is not as good as Hereditary. All this said, Lupita gives a terrific performance.
So many contemporary actors are deficient in movement skills. They pose, rather than move.
Lupita showed how thrilling movement can be, creating two contrasting movement styles that she sustained, varied, and deepened throughout an entire movie. Wow.
She is the complete package.
She deserves it, she was the best part of Us, clearly.
Us was a cool movie, but left a weird taste in some people's mouth, due to being very farfetched, even in this fantasy world.
Get Out had a grounded feel to it, and had a very good dark comedy vibe, that made it superior.
cal roth: I think Woodard and Awkwafina are likelier, honestly.
brookesboy: Mmm? I like Hereditary, but "better than Us"? No. Hereditary doesn't have the script to be better. Collette does a lot to ELEVATE that script (it's SOLELY by Collete's effort that I'd give it a B+, when it should probably be a C+), but Ari Aster is not as interesting or smart as he thinks he is. I mean, we're supposed to feel so bad for her teenage son being shunned and then possibly getting possessed by a demon, but said teenage son got his sister killed to get high. You don't get to play the sympathy card at that point.
Prefer this performance over Harriet. Just give her the nominee so we’re not subjected to the outcry about the make-up of the Academy voters year after year...
I really didn't enjoy Us, especially the part when Peele felt the need to take his viewers by the hand and explain every single element of his story - which successful scary movie does that honestly?
That being said, Lupita was the best thing about Us (Elisabeth Moss being a close second) but she won't make my top 5.
Volvagia -- that's a very strange read of Hereditary. It's not like his sister's death was on purpose. He was just at a party and was not paying attention. People do this all the time without death resulting.
And Lupita just appears in Actress Roundtable for THReporter alongside Dern, Johansson, Lopez, Awkwafina and Zellweger.
She's pursuing that Oscar nom, man!
Imagine making excuses for someone murdering their sibling. Geez.
Us is a much easier movie to watch than Hereditary. Do people really think most AMPAS members finished their screeners of that film, critics' prizes or no critics' prizes?
Collette was also hampered by her lack of campaigning. Lupita is charming and willing to work the red carpet.
I think it's probably between Lupita and Awkwafina for the fifth slot (and maybe they'll both make it in, and someone will be shockingly omitted). I would love to see Woodard make it, but Neon just isn't giving her film a spotlight.
The more campaigning for me makes the final reward empty. It has become more and more political when winning an Oscar. It really makes me want to see the movies and not get overwrought about who makes and who doesn't. Seldom the deserved do not win, anyway.
Also when have 10,000 award events it usually ends up someone is rewarded. Ridiculous,
"take his viewers by the hand and explain every single element of his story - which successful scary movie does that honestly?"
Uh, PSYCHO?
I hope her campaigning works (she deserves a win) but also has a collateral effect and the film scores Picture, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress (Elizabeth Moss, but certainly it would be hard to argue against any main performer of this film being nominated), Score, Film Editing, Cinematography, Make Up... the film is almost a masterpiece (and I doubt when saying almost, because I saw two masterpieces already, Pain and Glory and Parasite) but even more so, a necessary satire and reflection on our competitive capitalist and consumist society.
Yes, Psycho's ending betrays the greatness that precedes it by explaining Norman's motives. It was a mistake. Turn the volume down during that section and turn it up when the fly monologue happens. There! Just perfect.
Jared—yes, perfect!
I think she has a good shot. She's clearly the lead, the marketing of the film and the awards campaign is set squarely on her shoulders, and she plays two distinct roles with great skill. I think the film has a solid shot at Lead Actress and Original Screenplay, though I can't see a horror film with slasher tropes making the cut in Best Picture (not when 10 nominees aren't guaranteed).
The Hereditary/Collette comparison doesn't work for me at all. Us is a much more traditional horror film in its structure and tone, making it easier to watch and appreciate. There is nothing so shocking in the film that a viewer with any horror experience would feel the need to walk away. Hereditary is much more experimental in its structure and is just a brutal watch. I have to imagine there are voters who did try to watch Hereditary because of the praise for Collette's performance and didn't make it much further than the first act because of the graphic violence and tone. It's what's going to doom any chance Florence Pugh has for Midsommar. Horror can be nominated if the focus is on storytelling and character more than violence and despair. You know, like when Get Out got nominated
I don't think Us is a good movie at all, but Lupita was very strong, as per usual, despite the plotholes. She's a fantastic actress and is deserving of a follow-up nod so I'd be ok with it.