Wednesday 11 June 2008

Best Actress and Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe

Ok. I have been thinking about my Best Actress predictions. It is a tough one, there are so many to choose from this year and there is always one new comer to the mix. I have been trying to find out as much as I could about this little movie "Push" which Nathaniel first mentioned on his site.

Read up all you want and then try and understand why I am hoping there may be critical buzz for Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe in her central performance. The book is like a modern day "Color Purple" and on paper the role is a corker.

Today I found this clip featured on this site with Gabby's rehersal which immediately landed her the part. Apparently she kind of walked in, sat down and delivered it. I am sure on film it will be much more powerful, but it is still great work here. Fingers crossed for her and don't think me too crazy for putting her in my predictions.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have heard nothing about this movie, but am now really interested. I do doubt that she could trun this nomination into an nomination though. I cannot think of the last time a black very plus sized actress was nominated. Hattie MacDaniel was the last one I think (Jennifer Hudson was just slightly plus sixed).

Anonymous said...

I don't call you crazy, but yes, this is a risky prediction. It's not strange than breakhtough actresses came up with Oscar Nominations even winning; in fact, three of the recents time are Keisha Castle-Hughes, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Jennifer Hudson. But most of those actresses have two secret weapons:
Low Competition and Critic Love for her performance and her movie. Gaby Sidibe won't just be good, she must to be great even outstading for being in consideration to the race because this year race is tough with overdue actresses (meryl streep, julianne moore, michelle pfeiffer, laura linney, kate winslet), young well know actresses even stars (anne hathaway, emily blunt, keira knightley, sienna miller, natalie portman) and other great roles (sophie okonedo, nicole kidman, drew barrymore, emily watson)

Anonymous said...

Let's remove the nominations off the kitchen counter and look at what we have sitting in front of us on the table...If this movie lives up to it's potential (which must include a winning combination of producers, Writer, Director and actors) if it lives up to a book that 'pushed' my world when i read it in the '90's- then it will lay a pretty road for Gabby Sidibe to walk on. if she gives just one of the performances of her life- and judging from that clip, which had me running for tissues- she will follow in the path of Winfrey's massive Sophia (and i mean that in the legacy of that character), Goldbergs Dark and triumphant Celie (never before had we been asked to take a dark black actress/character so seriously) and the countless other actresses of colour and weight and ethnicities that seemed to go ignored year after year...we have the chance to witness in front of us a dark expanding universe with such a tender heart breaking centre delivered by a truly marginalised voice... and if the academy ignores that than it surely won't be the first time will it?

Michael Parsons said...

I agree Anonymous 2 (Andra...put your name sista!). I think her biggest hurdle is the film as a whole. Is she is simply AMAZING but the film is not great, then she doesn't stand a chance.
A lack, dark skinned, over weight unknown actress could smack down Meryl in an acting fight, but unless the film is loved, she will not have the chance of a nomination. If she was light skinned skinny and model like she could get past the film being just ok.

Such is the state of things.

Mo said...

i know i'm mad late but i just found out about this film. i'm really excited. but i agree, unless "they" like it....she'll get passed right over.