The upcoming awards night on March 12 could mark a memorable moment for each of five nominees in the Best Male Lead Performance category. Brendan Fraser for The Whale, Austin Butler for Elvis, Colin Farrell for The Banshees of Inisherin, Paul Mescal for Aftersun, and Bill Nighy for Living will draw the cameras to the Dolby Theatre as the results are announced that night.
At first glance, Brendan Fraser and Austin Butler might enter the competition with more votes in their favor. Fraser undertook a dramatic physical transformation to portray a character who weighs close to 400 pounds, a feat that has drawn comparisons to past Oscar-winning transformations. Butler, meanwhile, captured attention by winning a major Golden Globes award earlier, a milestone that often foreshadows Oscar success. Yet, the voting pools can shift, and surprises are a staple of Hollywood’s biggest night.
brendan fraser
His performance in The Whale earned him his first Oscar nomination. It was also his first Golden Globes appearance in years, though he did not take home the Globes on that occasion. Fraser holds two major awards from his career, including a Screen Actors Guild Award for Crash and recognition from critics groups in the same year. The transformation to play Charlie is evident at a glance. He became widely known for prior roles in The Mummy and George of the Jungle franchises.
austin butler
During a period when biopics dominated award talk, Butler stepped into the title role in Elvis, a project that positioned him as one of Disney’s brightest stars. At 31, this breakout project became a signature moment in his career, earning widespread critical and audience acclaim. Butler earned the Golden Globe earlier this year, a marker many see as the Oscar’s doorway. He has also appeared in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and was confirmed to appear in a forthcoming series treatment related to Dune.
colin farrel
Colin Farrell earned his first Oscar nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin. Despite being a familiar face on screen, his most flamboyant premieres did not lead to an Oscar nomination in that year. He has previously won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for En Brujas. His career spans numerous high-profile projects including Batman, Dumbo, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, SWAT, and Veronica Guerin, among others.
paul mescal
Paul Mescal, a young Irish actor, emerged from relative anonymity to prominence with Aftersun, a drama centered on intimate relationships. The film earned strong critical praise, with Rotten Tomatoes scores reflecting broad acclaim at publication. Mescal is the Academy’s sole nominee associated with this title, and many fans will recognize his face from the acclaimed series Normal People, which helped raise his profile in recent years.
bill nighy
Age 73, Nighy stands as the oldest nominee in the category. Known for a diverse career that includes Pirates of the Caribbean, The Underworld, Jack the Giant Slayer, and Love Actually, he brings a measured, poised presence to his role in Living, a British drama inspired by a 1952 Japanese film. He has earned a Golden Globe and two BAFTAs for earlier performances, and his portrayal of a bureaucrat confronting a terminal illness in 1950s London has drawn widespread attention for its quiet, restrained power. The portrayal has earned him significant praise from audiences and critics alike. [Citation needed]