Oscars 2011 Poll: Will Natalie Portman Win Best Actress?

posted by Josh Wigler
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/02/25/oscars-2011-natalie-portman-best-actress/

The Oscars are just three days away now, and as the race draws to a close, it feels like it's getting tighter than ever.

In the Best Supporting categories, "The Fighter" co-stars Christian Bale and Melissa Leo were long considered the frontrunners for their categories. Lately, however, some potential spoilers have emerged. And it's like that for a lot of this year's categories — like Best Actress, an award that many believed belonged to Natalie Portman months ago.

But is she really a shoe-in for the top prize? Can someone stand in Portman's way? We're fielding that question past the jump, and asking you to join us by voting on YOUR pick for Best Actress!

As the overworked and overly competitive Nina Sayers, Natalie Portman delivered the performance of her career in "Black Swan." And that's saying a lot: at only 29 years old, Portman already has a huge list of acclaimed roles to her name from "Garden State" to "Brothers" to "Closer" and more. Can't forget "The Professional," either, her debut performance that immediately proved she was a talent to keep an eye on.

Portman hasn't disappointed those expectations — don't you think it's time we put the "Star Wars" prequels past us? — but let's face it: she's young, and she'll be in this industry for many years to come, barring disaster. She's certainly the favorite for the award, but if Portman loses, it's likely she'll have another shot in the very near future.

But it's not just about age: Portman is in a very contentious category this year alongside an overwhelmingly deserving pool of candidates. Jennifer Lawrence is my personal favorite of this year's nominees, though a nomination for the "Winter's Bone" actress is a big enough victory as it is. Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams turned in fearless, gut-wrenching performances in "Rabbit Hole" and "Blue Valentine" as well.

Then there's Annette Bening. Somehow, she has yet to win an Oscar despite three powerful and previously nominated performances. Like Portman in "Black Swan," "The Kids Are All Right" gifted Bening with the role of a lifetime as Dr. Nic Allgood. After a series of disappointing losses, now might be the time for Bening to earn the prize. Certainly, she's Portman's fiercest competitor.