Saturday, May 23, 2026

Great News: Penelope Cruz’s Oscar Chances Leap After Winning Best Actress from National Society of Film Critics (Updating)

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This is great news. The National Society of Film Critics has voted for Penelope Cruz for Best Actress in “Parallel Mothers.”

I said from the beginning she should win the Oscar. This ups her chances into the top 5, which now I think consists of Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Hudson, Jessica Chastain, and Lady Gaga. (Sorry, Kristen Stewart fans.)

Pedro Almodovar, of course, wrote and directed “Parallel Mothers,” which wasn’t chosen by Spain as their official Oscar entry. But it should be a Best Picture nominee. Sony Pictures Classics must get this movie into voters’ hands and step up the press.

UPDATING winners from this group, Keep refreshing!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Ruth Negga, “Passing” — another great choice

BEST ACTOR, Hidetoshi Nishijima for “Drive My Car” — inspired choice

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Anders Danielsen Lie, THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY  Andrew Droz Palermo, THE GREEN KNIGHT — an offbeat choice

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009 and previously edited Fame magazine and wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. is articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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