2017 Oscar Best Actor Predictions

as Father Sebastião Rodrigues in "Silence"...Garfield seemed poised to take over Hollywood after his huge performance in 2010's The Social Network, but after signing on as Peter Parker in the failed Amazing Spider-Man franchise, he sort of disappeared from the acting game. He returned in 2015 with his first non-Spidey role since The Social Network with 99 Homes (in which he gave a criminally underrated performance). Now we'll get to see him in the biggest role of his career; leading a Scorsese film. Garfield will play a Portuguese Catholic Priest making a dangerous journey to Japan to find a mentor (Liam Neeson) and spread Christianity. The film is a passion project of Martin Scorsese that must be something because he and the whole cast took major pay-cuts for. He already seems like a lock for this category.

as Ray Kroc in "The Founder"...Keaton has taken over Matthew McConaughey's 'McConaughaissance' for his own thunderous emergence into the A-list of actors. It's a juicy role with a lot of awards potential. Ray Kroc was a conniving businessman who took the reigns of McDonald's and turned it into the empire it is today. Director John Lee Hancock has worked with Tom Hanks (Saving Mr. Banks) and Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) in award-friendly performances before, and Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler) pens the script.

as Nat Turner in "The Birth of a Nation"...Parker put his entire career on the line to make this movie. He produced, directed, wrote, and starred in the film that electrified at Sundance this year. The momentum seems on his side, and it feels like he's about to breakout in a big way. The role of Nat Turner gives him the chance to show off some major charisma while dealing with some very socially relevant subject matter.

as Lee Chandler in "Manchester by the Sea"...While The Birth of a Nation received the most attention at Sundance 2016, the film Manchester by the Sea also was given major acclaim. The movie itself was strongly supported, but nothing like the attention Affleck has been getting for his performance. The drama centers on Affleck returning to his hometown in England after the death of his brother. We'll see if he can ride the Sundance-hype all the way to the Oscars.

as Saroo Brierley in "Lion"...Patel hasn't really emerged as the star some thought he could become after his breakout in 2008's Slumdog Millionaire. This might be his best chance since then as it centers around an Indian boy raised by an adoptive family in Australia who grows up and seeks out his biological family using Google Earth. Not only does the story offer a lot of emotional moments, but he'll be surrounded by talent like Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman.

as Chesley Sullenberger in "Sully"

as Richard Loving in "Loving"

as Prince Seretse Khama in "A United Kingdom"

as Tom Sherbourne in "The Light Between Oceans"

as Chiron in "Moonlight"

as Max Vatan in "Five Seconds of Silence"

as Kenny Wells in "Gold"

as Wilson in "Wilson"

as Tony Hastings in "Nocturnal Animals"

as Jim Prestons in "Passengers"

as Edward Snowden in "Snowden"

as Michael in "The Promise"

as Lyndon B. Johnson in "LBJ"

as Chris in "The Promise"

as Max Perkins in "Genius"

as Mike Williams in "Deepwater Horizon"

as Sebastian in "La La Land"

as Newt Knight in "The Free State of Jones"

as Desmond T. Doss in "Hacksaw Ridge"

as Howard Inlet in "Collateral Beauty"