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Academy Awards Odds 2016 – Is It Finally Leo’s Year?

Larry Houser

by Larry Houser in Entertainment

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:39 AM PST

What are the odds that host Chris Rock will mention Bill Cosby at the Academy Awards this year? Too soon? Still too raw? Will Rock “go there?”

Cosby will probably be a taboo topic, though Rock hasn’t shied away from talking about his affection for the accused serial rapist. The comedian might have to hold off – especially since sensitivities are still a bit raw from Seth MacFarlane’s 2013 performance in which the Family Guy creator shared his views on female nudity, domestic violence and Jews. MacFarlane’s stint produced both high ratings and negative blowback, as well as a promise that he will not be back any time soon.

Talking about Cosby on live TV would definitely toss a cold, wet blanket on the festivities (some haven’t yet forgiven Marlon Brando for refusing to go on stage and accept his Oscar in 1973, in a protest to the way Native Americans were treated in the medium) and steal the headlines away from what will certainly be an interesting night on Feb. 28 when the statuettes are distributed.

Unlike last year when there were heavy favorites in some of the main categories, the door appears wide open this year as we try to predict how an assortment of about 6,000 industry insiders – most of whom are white and most of whom are actors – will vote for those they perceive as the best of the best.

Indeed, pasty was the dominant theme last year when most of the major nominees were white (as were many of the gowns worn on the red carpet). Maybe this year’s color will be red, as Brit Eddie Redmayne tries to make it two Best Actor Oscars in a row, following up his win last year (Theory of Everything) with his 2015 gender-bending performance in The Danish Girl.

What are the chances the red-head goes two for two? Good, but not great, since one Leonardo DiCaprio, who’s been spurned so many times in the past, is primed to spoil Redmayne’s party thanks to his superb turn in The Revenant.

Check below for the odds on that and all the other major categories!

2016 Academy Awards Odds

Best Picture
3/1: The Revenant
3/1: Spotlight
4/1: The Martian
6/1: Bridge of Spies
6/1: Brooklyn
7/1: The Big Short
12/1: Mad Max: Fury Road
12/1: Room

Best Actor (Male)
3/2: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
5/2: Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)
4/1: Matt Damon (The Martian)
8/1: Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
10/1: Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)

Best Actor (Female)
3/2: Cate Blanchett (Carol)
2/1: Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
4/1: Brie Larson (Room)
4/1: Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)
8/1: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)

Best Supporting Actor (Male)
2/1: Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
3/1: Christian Bale (The Big Short)
5/1: Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
6/1: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
6/1: Tom Hardy (The Revenant)

Best Supporting Actor (Female)
7/2: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
7/2: Rooney Mara (Carol)
4/1: Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)
4/1: Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
13/2: Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)

Best Director
2/1: Alejandro G. Inarritu (The Revenant)
5/2: Lenny Abrahamson (Room)
4/1: Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
6/1: Adam McKay (The Big Short)
12/1: George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Best Animated Feature
8/5: Inside Out
5/2: Anomalisa
5/1: Shaun the Sheep
6/1: Boy and the World
10/1: When Marnie Was There

(Photo credit: Danny Harrison (flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode]. Photo has been cropped.)

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