Marion Cotillard

“Two Days, One Night”

Marion Cotillard looks to win her second best actress Oscar in as many nominations for her role as the troubled mother and wife, Sandra, in the Belgian film “Two Days, One Night.” The film’s plot centers on Sandra’s attempt to win back her job by convincing her coworkers to vote to keep her on, rather than take bonuses for themselves.

While the plot is not groundbreaking, it is the realistic portrayal of depression that gives the film and the performance its emotional center. Marion Cotillard is simply mesmerizing in the part of Sandra, giving a nuanced performance of a woman who is battling both impending unemployment and debilitating depression.

Felicity Jones

“The Theory of Everything”

Felicity Jones grabs her first Oscar nomination for her part opposite Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything.” Jones plays Stephen Hawking’s first wife and the writer of the source material for the film, Jane Wilding.

Despite Felicity Jones’ relative lack of experience, she finds herself in the thick of this year’s best actress competition. While much of the praise has gone to Redmayne, Jones is equally as good in her portrayal of the woman married to the genius and icon. As the woman behind the man, we see her deal with the trials of a marriage in which intimacy and even typical communication are nearly impossible.

Julianne Moore

“Still Alice”

Five-time Oscar nominee Julianne Moore appears to be the frontrunner of this year’s best actress category, having already taken home the award from both The Golden Globes and The Screen Actors Guild for her role as Alice Howland in “Still Alice.” The film follows Alice as she deals with her diagnosis and subsequent battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Moore gives a heartfelt and truly devastating performance of a woman struggling to hold on to her intellect and, eventually, her very way of life. The descent into helplessness is not an easy watch, but one executed by Moore with such mastery is more than worth the sadness it will likely bring.

Rosamund Pike

“Gone Girl”

Perhaps the year’s most surprising nominee comes by way of Gillian Flynn’s thriller “Gone Girl.” Rosamund Pike plays Amy Dunne, the cryptic and elusive wife to Ben Affleck’s Nick Dune, in a story that begins with her mysterious disappearance.

From there, the film takes off on a thrill ride of twists and turns that I will not divulge, but do promise that you will not see coming. Pike’s performance was key to bringing this already popular novel to life and she rises to the challenge. The layers of her character are what keeps the film’s momentum going. The way Amy is consistently able to keep the audience on their toes is a direct result of the stellar acting job, making her nomination very well deserved.

Reese Witherspoon

“Wild”

Reese Witherspoon nabs her second Oscar nomination for her role as Cheryl Strayed in the biopic “Wild.” Based off of a book of the same name, the story follows Cheryl’s journey as she hikes over a thousand miles along the Pacific Crest Trail.

The journey is her way of dealing with the death of her mother and end of her marriage, among other things. The fact that Cheryl embarks on this journey alone means that much of the film’s success rested on Witherspoon’s shoulders. She is able to draw you into the troubled life of Cheryl and keep you intrigued throughout the film, a testament to her already proven skill as an actress. 

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