Photo credit: Sergei Bachlakov
In a development reminiscent of Jeff Bridges’ last-minute entrance into the awards season with Crazy Heart last year, Halle Berry is now poised to try to shake up this season’s Best Actress race. As Pete Hammond over at Deadline.com first reported, Berry’s drama Frankie & Alice will get an Oscar-qualifying release on December 17 courtesy of Freestyle Releasing. In the film, costarring Stellan Skarsgard, Berry plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. I’m told by people who’ve seen the film that one of her character’s personas, fascinatingly, is a racist white woman. The movie showed at the Cannes film market back in May but has only now announced distribution.
At this point, Berry isn’t as much of a slam dunk as Bridges was. Crazy Heart had undeniable buzz and the power of Fox Searchlight in its corner. Freestyle, on the other hand, is a much smaller distributor without the resources of a company like Searchlight. Despite strong reviews for Christian McKay’s performance in Me and Orson Welles last year, the outfit wasn’t able to score him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. But in the right role, Berry is certainly a force to be reckoned with, so I’m not counting her out.
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Sounds interesting. Could be an artistic comeback of sorts for Halle.
I agree. Haven’t heard of her in much of anything worth mentioning since Monster’s Ball.
I thought she was really good in Things We Lost in the Fire, which I also thought was a great film, but unfortunately no one saw it
What about Catwoman?? I kid.
Freestyle Releasing actually picked up Frankie and Alice at Cannes, they have just been keeping quiet as they has the Oscars in mind.
I’d really like to see her score a no,if not a solid win. I just want people to know how great of an actress she still as and forget permenantly about the reprehensible film that was “Catwoman”.
I like Halle but she didn’t deserve that Oscar for Monster’s Ball.
you couldn’t be more wrong. Stop drinking the hatorade.
Oh shut ur ghetto ass up! Haterade.. how old r u,14? She ain’t deserve the Oscar and thats my motherfu*kin opinion!
“Oh shut ur ghetto ass up!”?! Real classy there. You can disagree with someone without resorting to petty name calling.
Agreed! Sissy Spacek deserved to win for “In The Bedroom.”
Do not agree on Sissy Spacek. Marisa Tomei carried that movie. She should have been nominated in the Best Actress Category. All Sissy did was break some dishes in the kitchen.
If Halle did not deserve the Oscar that year, who on earth did?! That was a fine and fierce performance. I’m curious to know who you think should have gotten it.
Actually, Naomi Watts deserved to win for Mulholland Drive but wasn’t even nominated for what was the single best performance by an actress that decade.
Halle did NOT deserve an Oscar. She’s a mediocre actress and I can’t remember the last decent movie she was in.
FINALLY! I’ve been trying to keep tabs on this since I heard of Halle signing on. Ms. Berry has been in her fair share of stinkers like any other actor, but when she gets a juicy role and is able to sink her teeth into it, she’s brilliant…just see Monster’s Ball, Things We Lost in the Fire and Losing Isaiah.
I don`t think Halle will be nominatwd for this film because they pretty much got the Best Actress on lock already. Plus the film has no buzz around it. Maybe they should postpone it until next year.
I’d been having trouble with the fifth slot…and I think this just resolved it. Keep these factors in mind: one, this is a ridiculously white year as far as potentially nominated actors and actresses are concerned. Berry would be a change of pace. Two, it’d be seen as a comeback. Three, it cuts through the haze that is Hathaway/Hawkins/Kidman, a trio I really couldn’t choose between. I now feel strongly that the Best Actress field is Bening, Portman, Manville, Lawrence and Berry.
Who are Manville and Lawrence?
You don’t think Julianne Moore will make the cut?
I think Halle wants to show up the ladies in for colored girls..but I think one of those ladies will get the token AA nod this year..
That token nod should be the always wonderful Kimberly Elise! Her character`s story is the most compelling and devastating.
I cannot wait for the day when there’s no longer a “token nod” and an actor or actress can be respected regardless of skin color.
Halle’s black when it’s convenient to be black.
very interesting….
I think Halle is very inconsistent as an actor, but I was very surprised and moved by her performance in the underrated Things We Lost in the Fire (which I actually thought was better than Monster’s Ball)…I wish her all the best, but I think it will be very difficult for her to make it in this year…this film has been in post-production FOREVER, which is usually not a good sign…
I can’t imagine people filling out their ballots for Bening and not also putting down Moore. I think Manville will wisely jump to supporting. I don’t think Berry will get enough traction to make it in, as nice as it would be to see her find her “Tomei” performance that proves her Oscar was not a fluke. Predicting: Portman, Bening, Moore, Lawrence and… Kidman? maybe Hawkins? I’m not ready to buy the hype around Love and Other Drugs-not with that stupid trailer.
Excellent! Can’t wait. Was wondering when her “film with the afro” was coming out, these things take forever.
She’s good in Gothika too!