Note: I have covered the four acting categories in depth here.

The Nominees:

• Patricia Arquette — Boyhood
• Laura Dern — Wild
• Keira Knightley — The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone — Birdman
• Meryl Streep — Into the Woods

Will Win: Patricia Arquette

Could Win: Emma Stone

Should Win: Patricia Arquette

There has been plenty of buzz over Emma Stone in Birdman, and I don’t really know why. Her performance was fine, sure, but I hardly think that it is Oscar-worthy. This category really comes down to Patricia Arquette. She’s campaigning for a movie that has a good shot at winning top honors, and her role in it was fantastic and emotional. The category itself is fairly thin in terms of competition. Even Meryl Streep seems like a long-shot, despite her label as an Academy favorite. I am glad to see that Laura Dern got a nod here, but it is highly implausible that she will win. This is Arquette’s statue, plain and simple.