Among the other contenders,a young widow,an elderly woman,a mother and a CIA agent battle it out on Sunday for the Best Actress Oscar,a race that includes the youngest and oldest nominees in the categorys history. Any one of these five can win,its one of the most hotly contested races in recent memory, Scott Feinberg,lead awards analyst for The Hollywood Reporter,said. Tom ONeil of awards website GoldDerby.com had a tip: the 5,800 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciencespredominantly male and over 50often vote for younger,attractive actresses in a close contest. JENNIFER LAWRENCE, Silver Linings Playbook,22 She picked up her first Oscar nomination in 2011 for Winters Bone,and has risen fast in the awards season with her portrayal of an endearing young widow. Says Tom ONeil,Lawrence fits the perfect profile of a winner. (The voters) love an ingenue at the peak of her career. She is the queen of popcorn pictures with The Hunger Games franchise and she is delivering the kind of dramatic performance in Silver Linings Playbook that merits her the ultimate crown. JESSICA CHASTAIN, Zero Dark Thirty,35 She landed her first Oscar nod for supporting actress for The Help (2011). Yet Chastain,an early Oscar front-runner,has seen some of her support wane in the wake of criticism for the films portrayal of torture,and director Kathryn Bigelows omission from the Oscar directors race. The race between Chastain and Lawrence has been fuelled by reports of a rivalry,which Chastain was forced to deny through her Facebook page last week,calling Lawrence utterly charming and a great talent. NAOMI WATTS, The Impossible,44 Feinberg believes Watts,who plays a mother torn from her family by a tsunami,has one advantage. (Voters) like to see that kind of physical transformation and Naomi is playing a real person,which they think is a taller order. you need to provoke more than respect,you need to provoke awe or enthusiasm, Feinberg said. The problem with Chastain,as good an actress as she is,the part is very cold. EMMANUELLE RIVA, Amour,85 Her win at BAFTA,Britains version of the Oscars,has sparked off talk of an upset. Riva is the oldest Best Actress nominee for her performance as a retired music teacher felled by a series of strokes. Many pundits believe this is an opportune time to recognise the French actress for her five-decade film career. Riva may be helped by the fact that people want to do this now. They are not going to put it off, Scott Feinberg said.Piya Sinha-Roy
