Oscars: 7 Best Actor Predictions for 2027, Ranked

Oscars 2027 are still some distance away, but the race is already on. The Best Actor race, in particular, already looks pretty crowded. Some lead acting performances, such as Matt Damon’s in The Odyssey, we have already seen, and more are still to come. We have included the latter ones because they are so clearly Oscar-geared. Some, like in the case of Tom Cruise in Digger, seem long overdue. Of course, the actual chance they will have at an Oscar trophy will be decided by how good they are. But there’s enough pedigree behind them to make early predictions worthwhile.

Naturally, this is quite an extremely early prediction, and thus, the rankings could change considerably. Particularly among the unreleased movies, some might end up underwhelming us. But these are the contenders as things stand at the moment. Here are the top seven contenders with the best shot at the Best Actor trophy, ranked from outside dark horses to the current frontrunner.

7 Jaafar Jackson Aims to Surprise With Michael

Jaafar Jackson‘s performance as his uncle Michael Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s Michael was widely appreciated, even if the film itself was critically panned; it holds a Tomatometer score of 39%. It became an extraordinary commercial success, though. It crossed $1 billion globally (via Box Office Mojo) and surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody to become the highest-grossing music biopic ever. But commercial success never matters at the Oscars.

Where to Watch (USA): Apple TV (rent), Prime Video (rent)

6 Ryan Gosling Could Return to the Oscars With Project Hail Mary

Ryan Gosling, for all intents and purposes, carried Project Hail Mary. Gosling had to spend most of the movie next to a character who was created and performed through puppetry. And somehow, he made the relationship feel completely natural. But the biggest obstacle in his case is the genre. Sci-fi performances have had a difficult road in acting categories. Perhaps 2027 would be different?

Where to Watch (USA): Prime Video

5 Robert Pattinson Could Contend With Primetime

Now, this movie is not yet out. But its only trailer is already enough to make Robert Pattinson‘s performance in Primetime look like something worth keeping an eye on for the Oscars. In Primetime, the actor plays the role of Chris Hansen, the Dateline NBC correspondent who became famous for To Catch a Predator. Already, Pattinson’s stunning recreation of Hansen’s infamous line, “You see how this looks?” has become a meme.

Where to Watch (USA): Releases in theaters on September 25, 2026

4 John Malkovich Could Shine in Wild Horse Nine

John Malkovich‘s chances in awards season this year look great, thanks to Wild Horse Nine by Martin McDonagh. Malkovich is cast as Chris, a retired CIA agent, who goes to Easter Island along with his apprentice, Lee (played by Sam Rockwell), just before the coup takes place in Chile in 1973. Wild Horse Nine is already generating the right kind of buzz for Oscars even before its debut.

Where to Watch (USA): Releases in theaters on November 6, 2026

3 Andrew Scott Could Break Through With Elsinore

Andrew Scott could finally receive his first nomination at the Oscars with Elsinore. In the film, he portrays acclaimed Scottish actor Ian Charleson. Directed by Simon Stone, the film focuses on Charleson’s final months as he prepares for his celebrated performance as Hamlet even as he battles AIDS. The role gives Scott exactly the sort of emotionally demanding material that can attract Academy voters. 

Where to Watch (USA): Releases in theaters on November 20, 2026

2 Tom Cruise Could Finally Win With Digger

There’s perhaps no more apparent Oscar story in this whole category than Tom Cruise’s; he is yet to win an Oscar even though he has had four nominations and decades’ worth of great performances. And the time has finally come when he will be able to pursue this goal with his latest project: Digger, directed by Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

In this movie, Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, a man who has created an apocalypse and believes that he can save mankind from its effects. Could Oscars 2027 be Cruise’s year?

Where to Watch (USA): Releases in theaters on October 2, 2026

1 Matt Damon Could Be the One to Beat With The Odyssey

Damon gave his career-best performance as Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. And that is saying something, since his career spans nearly 40 years. It itself was a spectacular success. Damon, it is widely agreed, gives one of the best performances in the movie. 

Damon has a great chance of finally winning his first acting Oscar and the reason is that the movie itself would be a favorite and likely to be nominated in multiple categories. Damon will benefit from all that buzz at the Oscars.

Where to Watch (USA): Running in theaters

Who do you think will win Best Actor at the 2027 Oscars? Let us know in the comments!