The 11 most unlikely things that could happen at this year's Oscars
Anything can happen at the Oscars.
This year, a bunch of things are all but guaranteed -- Leonardo DiCaprio will finally win, Jennifer Lawrence will probably lose -- but it's more fun to consider all the crazy things that could happen.
Let's take a look at all the wonderful, insane or wonderfully insane things that are unlikely, but could happen at this year's ceremony. Because speculation is fun!
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1. Leo could lose
How many heads do you think will roll if Leonardo DiCaprio loses the Best Actor trophy this year? How many times must he be put through this? He's already lost five times. He's suffered for his craft. He slept in an animal carcass and ate raw bison liver for the sake of good cinema. This year is all but guaranteed to be DiCaprio's golden moment, but ... who knows, anything's possible.
2. Eddie Redmayne could pull a Tom Hanks
If Leonardo DiCaprio loses, this would be a cruelly interesting way to do it. Last year, Redmayne scooped up the Best Actor trophy for his lead role in The Theory of Everything, and he's up again this year for The Danish Girl. Of course, this is super unlikely and a lot of people irritated with the film (for starring a straight cis man as a trans woman) would be pissed, but it's still something to consider.
It would also put him up there with Tom Hanks, who won back-to-back Best Actor trophies in '94 and '95 for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.
3. Jennifer Lawrence could nab an upset win
Speaking of unlikely occurrences, perennial Oscar favorite Jennifer Lawrence could sneak the Best Actress trophy away from projected winner Brie Larson. However, the stars are pretty much aligned for Larson, who starred in Room, so it's probably not going to happen.
4. Mark Ruffalo could get super political
The outspoken Avenger is nominated this year for Spotlight, but is likely going to lose to favorite Sylvester Stallone. However, Ruffalo is known to weigh in on political issues, recently considering skipping the Oscars because of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. He ultimately decided to support "victims of sexual abuse," he tweeted, though he added that he still supports boycotters of the ceremony.
He's not slated to present an award this year, but he might find a chance to sneak in some activism. Speaking of presenters ...
5. Someone could pull a Kim Basinger
In 1989, a little film called Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee was not nominated for Best Picture. Over the years, it's become one of the Academy's worst snubs, but many viewed it as a snub at the time as well, including a one Kim Basinger.
While presenting the award for Best Original Score, the actress paused to acknowledge the film, saying "there is one film missing from this list that deserves to be on it because, ironically, it might tell the biggest truth of all and that's Do the Right Thing."
Considering all of this year's Best Picture snubs -- Creed, Straight Outta Compton, Tangerine -- this type of moment isn't super unlikely.
After all, this year's host is Chris Rock.
6. Nonwhite directors could win four years in a row
This ... actually isn't that unlikely! And it is an exciting prospect. The last three winners of the Best Director trophy have been Ang Lee (Life of Pi), Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) and Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman). Iñárritu, who is Mexican, is up again this year for The Revenant and actually seems like the potential winner. It would also be an impressive back to back scoop for the director, who picked up three trophies overall last year.
7. A trans artist could win Best Original Song
Anyone paying attention knows Lady Gaga pretty much has a lock on this category. She's been campaigning hardcore, performing at the Super Bowl and the Grammys and just generally doing everything within her power to make sure her song for The Hunting Ground, "Til It Happens to You" gets the win. And if she doesn't win, Sam Smith is ready to pull a full Adele and grab it up for "Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre.
However, this year singer Anohni became the first ever transgender artist to be nominated in this category, for her song "Manta Ray." But don't expect her to win -- or even be at the ceremony. She wrote a lengthy post on her website saying she wouldn't go, particularly because she wasn't asked to perform like her fellow nominees Gaga, Smith and the Weeknd. She also couldn't ignore the "deeper truth" of it all, disillusioned by the "identity politics" of the awards show.
8. Netflix could nab an Oscar
Though the streaming giant's big hope Beasts of No Nation was basically shut out of every category, Netflix still has two chances at Oscar glory this year in the Best Documentary category. Both What Happened, Miss Simone and Winter on Fire picked up nominations this year, doubling up on Netflix's chances.
However, Amy, the Amy Winehouse documentary is a favorite to win this year, so unless all the pundits are wrong, Netflix will walk away empty-handed. Better luck next year.
9. Chris Rock could boycott last minute
There are probably a thousand legal reasons why this would NEVER HAPPEN, NOT IN A MILLION YEARS, but it's a provocative thought, no? The Oscars host hasn't been shy about calling out the Academy for its lack of diversity. It would be the greatest flex of all time if he decided to boycott it last minute, strolling out of the Dolby Theatre and into the nearest In-N-Out, then meeting up with pals Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith.
10. Someone (not Chris Rock) addresses #OscarsSoWhite onstage
This also isn't super unlikely, given how prevalent the diversity discussion has become. Add this to your Oscars drinking game just in case. It might happen. And if it comes from someone like, say, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, it'll be even more thrilling.
11. A female-led movie nabs Best Picture
It's been a long time since a female-led film scooped up the Best Picture trophy -- 11 years, if you count Million Dollar Baby, in which Hilary Swank is really more of a co-lead. This year, Room, Brooklyn and Mad Max: Fury Road are contenders. Unfortunately, it seems like a long shot for all those films because The Revenant appears to be gaining steam, looking to angle out Spotlight and The Big Short.
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Topics Oscars
Yohana Desta was the senior film reporter for Mashable. She is a Northern Virginia native and an American University grad. She enjoys carefully curating her Instagram account and can often be found reading books, going to concerts, watching movies and learning way too much about pop culture.
