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The year is 2014 and the nominees are: 1. Meryl Streep - August: Osage County 2. Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine 3. Sandra Bullock - Gravity 4. Judi Dench - Philomena 5. Amy Adams - American Hustle - In 2014 Cate Blanchett won the Oscar for her haunting performance in Blue Jasmine playing a New York socialite whose privileged life has come crashing down around her after her husband’s disgraced business dealings lands him in jail and eventually leads to his suicide. In Sophia Loren’s memoir “Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: My Life”, the screen legend reveals that she still absorbs inspiration from other actors to enhance her own acting, saying, “Recently, I was struck by the last scene in Blue Jasmine, where Cate B has an expression on her face I’d never seen before. That expression crept inside me, and it lies there waiting to germinate a new plant, a new flower” - high praise. Also nominated was Meryl Streep playing a verbally abusive, drug addicted matriarch dying of cancer. Always love when Streep plays someone truly vile. Sandra Bullock was nominated for the panic attack known as Gravity. For many fans this nomination was a redemption for the controversial/lack lustre win for ’The Blind Side’ and it does not disappoint. Judi Dench delivers a heart breaking performance in Philomena searching for her son after Irish nuns sold him with her consent in the early 1950’s. Finally, Amy Adams becomes a first time nominee in the lead category playing a foxy con artist who uses her sexuality and wits to get what she wants in American Hustle. Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Cathryn Naiker as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] NEW EPISODE ALERT The year is 1971 and the nominees are: 1. Glenda Jackson - Women in Love 2. Jane Alexander - The Great White Hope 3. Ali MacGraw - Love Story 4. Sarah Miles - Ryan’s Daughter 5. Carrie Snodgress - Diary of a Mad Housewife - In 1971 Glenda Jackson won her first Oscar for Women in Love, a film that was very controversial for the time. It was banned in many countries due to its nudity and male on male naked wrestling (oh my). Jackson was not present at the ceremony as she believed, for both her Oscar wins, that she did not deserve the award. You have a lot of very different performances here and it’s tricky picking which was truly the ‘best.’ Sarah Miles in Ryan’s Daughter was an amazing performance but the movie was borderline hated by critics. This was Jane Alexander’s film debut reprising her Tony winning role in The Great White Hope. Not bad for your first film! Ali MacGraw starred opposite Ryan O’Neal in Love Story playing a tragic Romeo & Juliet figure. Finally Carrie Snodgress was nominated for Diary of a Mad Housewife, a drama/comedy film that was insane for all the right and wrong reasons. Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Bryan Hatt as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] NEW EPISODE ALERT The year is 1975 and the nominees are: 1. Valerie Perrine - Lenny 2. Faye Dunaway - Chinatown 3. Gena Rowlands - A Woman Under the Influence 4. Ellen Burstyn - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore 5. Diahann Carroll - Claudine - In 1975 Ellen Burstyn won the Best Actress Oscar for Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. This was arguably one of the most competitive years in Best Actress history. Each one of these nominees could have easily walked away with the award. In fact, they each won other ‘Best Actress’ awards for their respected roles leading up to the Oscars. I think for me personally it just comes down to personal taste. One of the best years to discuss! Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Josh Murray as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 2012 and the nominees are: 1. Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn 2. Viola Davis - The Help 3. Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 4. Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady 5. Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs - In 2012 Meryl Streep won her third Oscar (second for Lead Actress) playing Margaret Thatcher in The Iron lady. She swept award season with this performance. Weinstein’s angle during the campaign season was that Meryl hadn’t won since Sophie’s Choice- she was over due. This award seemed to be in the bag for Streep until Viola Davis showed up to the table with her incredible performance as Aibileen in The Help. A role she would later express regret toward due to the film’s white saviour narrative. White saviour narrative aside - it’s a heartbreaking performance and a real contender for this Oscar. Rooney Mara made her Oscar debut in the Hollywood version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The original role was played by Noomi Rapace. Michelle Williams played Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn; which she won the Golden Globe for. Glenn Close received her 6th Oscar nomination for playing Albert Nobbs, a woman disguised as a man trying to survive in 19th century Ireland. Very strong year! Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Fiona O’Brien as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 1970 and the nominees are: 1. Maggie Smith - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 2. Genevieve Bujold - Anne of the Thousand Days 3. Jane Fonda - They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? 4. Liza Minnelli - The Sterile Cuckoo 5. Jean Simmons - The Happy Ending - In 1970 Maggie Smith won her first of two Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Smith plays an eccentric schoolteacher in a conservative school during the 1930’s in Edinburgh, Scotland. She had won the BAFTA for Best Lead Actress but odds on favourite at the Oscars was Jane Fonda in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They. Many speculated she (Fonda) lost this Oscar due to an arrest on Fort Hood military reservation as well as rumours of drug use and adultery had cost her the award. Remember! It was the late 1960’s/70’s. However Smith delivers an amazing performance in TPOMJB. Liza Minnelli became a first time nominee in The Sterile Cuckoo. A role Judy Garland urged her not to play worried it would make her seem unattractive. I don’t agree! Pookie (the character Minnelli plays) is obnoxiously charming! Genevieve Bujold plays Anne Boleyn in Anne of the Thousand Days. A fantastic performance and I would recommend if you enjoy period pieces. Finally, Jean Simmons was nominated for The Happy Ending - a hilarious camp film about a woman who walks out on her family (inexplicably) and struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Luke McFarlane as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 2019 and the nominees are: 1. Lady Gaga - A Star is Born 2. Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me? 3. Olivia Colman - The Favourite 4. Yalitza Aparicio 5. Glenn Close - The Wife - In 2019 Olivia Colman won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Favourite. Glenn-always-so-Close was the favourite to win for The Wife and her campaign narrative was basically, ‘it’s about time we give her her Oscar.’ She was visibly disappointed by Colman’s win in the telecast (frankly, give her an Oscar just for that reaction) and rightfully so. Colman even mentioned it in her speech. Very interesting year! Lady Gaga’s star was BORN (this way) with the 4th remake of ASIB. She may not have won for acting but she at least walked away with a statue for the film (Best Original Song). Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for her very first film (the dream) for Roma playing Alfonso Cuarón’s childhood nanny, Cleo. Melissa McCarthy redeemed her career (frankly) with Can You Ever Forgive Me? I feel like the title is asking for forgiveness for her string of terrible films directed by her husband Ben Falcone (Tammy, The Boss, Life of the Party). She even won worst actress at the Razzies for Life of the Party while simultaneously winning the ‘Redeemer Award’ for Can You Ever Forgive Me. As a comedian, I think that’s hilarious. Very interesting year! Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Robert Watson as they discuss.

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 2020 and the nominees are: Saoirse Ronan - Little Women 2. Charlize Theron - Bombshell 3. Renée Zellweger - Judy 4. Cynthia Erivo - Harriet 5. Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story - In 2020 Renée Zellweger won her second Oscar for portraying Hollywood icon, Judy Garland. This was her first lead actress win as her previous win was for a supporting role in the movie Cold Mountain. Scarlett Johansson became a double nominee for lead and supporting for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit. Charlize Theron was nominated for Bombshell for playing Megyn Kelly. Saoirse Ronan received her fourth Oscar nomination for Little Women. Cynthia Erivo became the second actress to be nominated for a leading role as well as best original song (Gaga was the first).   Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Fiona O’Brien as they discuss.  . #bestactress #supporting #oscars #academyawards #hollywood #silverscreen #vintage #gay #queer #lgbtq #canada #losangeles #gaypodcast #robbed #snubbed #film #movie #podcast #supporting #lead #saoirseronan #littlewomen #charlizetheron #bombshell #reneezellweger #judy #cynthiaerivo #harriet #scarlettjohansson #marriagestory

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 1955 and the nominees are: 1. Grace Kelly - The Country Girl 2. Judy Garland - A Star is Born 3. Audrey Hepburn - Sabrina 4. Dorothy Dandridge - Carmen Jones 5. Jane Wyman - Magnificent Obsession - In 1955 Grace Kelly won her Oscar for The Country Girl shocking audiences around the world as she beat out the expected winner, Judy Garland. Garland was not present for the ceremony as she was giving birth to her third child but had an NBC crew waiting at the hospital to film her acceptance speech. This win for Kelly is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in Oscar history. The other nominees included Audrey Hepburn for Sabrina, Jane Wyman for Magnificent Obsession, and Dorothy Dandridge who became the first black female to be nominated for a leading role for Carmen Jones. Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Dan Dillabough as they discuss. . . . . . . . . . . . . #bestactress #supporting #oscars #academyawards #hollywood #silverscreen #vintage #gay #queer #lgbtq #canada #losangeles #gaypodcast #robbed #snubbed #film #movie #podcast #supporting #lead #gracekelly #thecountrygirl #judygarland #astarisborn #audreyhepburn #sabrina #dorothydandridge #carmenjones #janewyman #magnificentobsession

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The year is 2013 and the nominees are: 1. Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty 2. Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook 3. Emmanuelle Riva - Amour 4. Quvenzhané Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild 5. Naomi Watts - The Impossible In 2013 the girl on fire herself, Jennifer Lawrence fell walking up the stairs and took home the Academy Award for Best Actress. Up until the Oscar nominations, Lawrence arguably had this one in the bag but when they announced the nominees Emmanuelle Riva and Quvenzhané Wallis were big threats. Jessica Chastain gave an unrelenting performance in Zero Dark Thirty while Naomi Watts gave an emotionally reactionary performance in The Impossible. Many argued that Riva should have won but others disagreed. Join host Kyle Brownrigg with guest host Rob Browne as they discuss. . . . . . . . . . . . . #bestactress #supporting #oscars #academyawards #hollywood #silverscreen #vintage #gay #queer #lgbtq #canada #losangeles #gaypodcast #robbed #snubbed #film #movie #podcast #supporting #lead #jessicachastain #zerodarkthirty #jenniferlawrence #silverliningsplaybook #emmanuelleriva #amour #quvenzhanewallis #beastsofthesouthernwild #naomiwatts #theimpossible

[ For full episode catalogue please subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/BestActress ] The very first episode of Best Actress will be diving in to the always debated 1951 Oscar win for Judy Holliday. With Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson in the same category, it was a clash of the titans to see who would walk away with Oscar gold. Should Judy have won? Guest host Bil Antoniou (co-host of Bad Gay Movies Podcast) weighs in on our inaugural debate. Fasten your seatbelts it’s going to be a bumpy night!