The Oscar contenders:
鈥揝ally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
鈥Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
鈥Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
鈥揓ulia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
鈥揓une Squibb, "Nebraska"
The Envelope, Please: At this point, it's a two-horse race between Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of a volatile wife in the 1970s and Lupita Nyong'o's role as a horrifically abused slave. Nyong'o (who made her feature film debut with this movie, never mind being a first-time nominee) snagged the Screen Actors Guild prize, but Lawrence did win the Golden Globe and British Academy of Film and Television Arts prize. However, Lawrence won Best Actress just last year for the film "Silver Linings Playbook." Look for Nyong'o to take the prize on Oscar night.