Oscars 2022: Halle Berry vs Lady Gaga vs Nicole Kidman for best actress looks likely, Andrew Garfield spices up best actor race, and Dune could rival Belfast for best picture

Best actress is one of this year’s most crowded races, with Lady Gaga and Halle Berry among the top contenders – but don’t discount Nicole Kidman

Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is seeing some competition for best picture, including from Dune, while Andrew Garfield could be a contender for the best actor award

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Lady Gaga (left) in House of Gucci and Halle Berry in Bruised. Both could be among the nominees for best actress at the 2022 Oscars.

Published: 2:30am, 23 Nov 2021Updated: 3:20am, 23 Nov 2021

We finally have a real best picture race.

Ever since early September, Kenneth Branagh’s sentimental Belfast has led the pack for the Oscars’ top prize, after bringing home a bevy of audience awards from North American film festivals including Toronto, in Canada.

But the Irish coming-of-age story may be more vulnerable than we think.

Netflix’s star-studded Don’t Look Up debuted to strong first reactions, with journalists praising director Adam McKay’s sharp satire of climate change deniers and Trumpian politics, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio’s ardent turn as a scientist trying to warn the nation about a deadly comet.

Director Kenneth Branagh (left) with actor Jude Hill on the set of Belfast. Photo: AP

The streaming giant’s The Power of the Dog also opened in cinemas ahead of its Netflix debut on December 1, and the darkly erotic Western continues to draw raves for its masterful direction by Jane Campion and stunning ensemble cast, led by Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst.