As “Lincoln” star Daniel Day-Lewis has dominated the precursor film awards circuit thus far, he has quickly become one of the no-brainer bets on Oscar night this Sunday. His presumed victory would bring him a third Best Actor Oscar after he won previously for 1989’s “My Left Foot” and 2007’s “There Will Be Blood.”
There are precious few actors to have won as many prizes from the Academy in their time. There have been five, in fact. And it will be their illustrious company the actor will be joining upon gracing the stage at the Academy Awards. In fact, this looks to be the second year in a row the club takes on a new member.
But Day-Lewis isn’t alone in that quest. “Silver Linings Playbook” star Robert De Niro hasn’t been in the Oscar hunt since 1991’s “Cape Fear,” but he’s back in a big way this year. He’s been everywhere in phase two, campaigned within an inch of his life. And it may yet pay off. He won Best Supporting Actor in 1974 for “The Godfather Part II” and Best Actor in 1980 for “Raging Bull.” So, odd as it sounds, David O. Russell would follow in the shoes of Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese as directors to lead De Niro to an Oscar if it were to happen.
Meanwhile, Day-Lewis’s “Lincoln” co-star Sally Field is perhaps futilely in the hunt for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar that seems destined for Anne Hathaway’s grasp. The actress who turned “You love me! You really love me!” into the Academy Awards’ biggest meme (indeed, before there was such a word for it) has won an Oscar on each attempt; she won Best Actress twice, for 1980’s “Norma Rae” and 1985’s “Places in the Heart.” While Day-Lewis looks to break the record for most lead actor Oscars this year, though, Field and her fellow actresses with two lead actress trophies are still two away from tying that record; the leading ladies have much stiffer record book competition, as you’ll soon see.
And finally there’s Denzel Washington, who quietly broke a record himself this year for most Oscar nominations for an African American. His “Flight” performance is in perhaps as futile a battle as Field’s work in “Lincoln” as he faces off against her sure-thing co-star, Day Lewis. He became the first African American to win a second Oscar in 2001 as his “Training Day” performance took the gold. He previously won Best Supporting Actor in 1989 for “Glory.”
So who’s company are they all hoping to join? Click through the brief gallery below to read up on Oscar’s Threefer Club.