SANTA MONICA, CA – FEBRUARY 27: Actress Brie Larson accepts the Best Actress award for ‘Room’ onstage during the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Brie Larson, the breakout star of Room, which is a best picture nominee, has swept all of the big prizes: the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Drama), SAG, BAFTA, and the Spirit Award.
Larson is sure to win the Best Actress Oscar in a competitive contest that includes Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn, which also carries a best picture nomination, and Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years. At 70, Rampling is the most vet and accomplished actress nominated in a category dominated by younger thespians.
A word about Rampling, who gives her career-best performance in 45 Years, a subtle dissection of marriage. The climax of 45 Years remains the most devastating ending to any film last year, due to the astonishingly multi-nuanced work of Rampling.
Unlike other British actresses of her generation, say Helen Mirren, Rampling’s unusual career, defined by eccentric roles in European art films, had not put her on the path to become a more mainstream actress. Hopefully, her first Best Actress nomination, at age 70, will have a positive impact on her career.
