2027 Oscar predictions: best actor

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Set us as preferred This looks like a fascinating three-way battle at the top, with a longtime critics’ fave in the fourth slot, possibly earning his first nomination.“My top three — Malkovich, Scott and Damon — seem fairly unshakable, so it’s those last two slots that are in play,” says Dave Karger, though he leaves the door open for Tom Cruise to execute the seemingly impossible mission of scoring a nom for a film projected to lose up to $250 million.Anne Thompson says, “Damon is the frontrunner … Degree of difficulty is a factor, as it was with Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘The Revenant.’ ” Amy Nicholson, however, calls the performance “the weakest link in the movie.”“Malkovich has never won, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he finally broke through,” says Robert Daniels.Just outside the top three is John Turturro, who “has never been nominated,” points out Glenn Whipp, saying “Pickpocket” “gives him a rare lead film role, and he is absolutely riveting.”The Buzzmeter panel tracks the top contenders across major categories for both the Oscars and the Emmys.1.John Malkovich, “Wild Horse Nine”T2.

Matt Damon, “The Odyssey”T2.Andrew Scott, “Elsinore”4.

John Turturro, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”5.Ryan Gosling, “Project Hail Mary”T6.

Yura Borisov, “Artificial”T6.Tom Cruise, “Digger”T6.

Pedro Pascal, “Behemoth!”RogerEbert.comRobert Daniels1.Matt Damon, “The Odyssey”2.

John Malkovich, “Wild Horse Nine”3.Andrew Scott, “Elsinore”4.

Ryan Gosling, “Project Hail Mary”5.John Turturro, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”“Damon and Malkovich are locks for, um, somewhat different roles — though both characters are grappling with deadly pasts on journeys designed to trick their senses.

Malkovich has never won, so it wouldn’t surp...