This year's Academy Awards has been extra controversial because of the lack of non-White representation on the nominees list, but speculations about who will win the coveted awards in the major categories are still making the buzz online.
But who will earn the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards for 2016? Below are the nominees for the major awards along with predictions of who will win them.
Best Picture Category
Nominees:
- The Big Short – Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner
- Bridge of Spies – Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, and Kristie Macosko Krieger
- Brooklyn – Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey
- Mad Max: Fury Road – Doug Mitchell and George Miller
- The Martian – Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, and Mark Huffam
- The Revenant – Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, and Keith Redmon
- Room – Ed Guiney
- Spotlight – Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust
Predicted winner:
Both Rolling Stone and The Week speculate that Tom McCarthy's biographical drama "Spotlight" will take home the Oscar this year.
Best Actor Category
Nominees:
- Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
- Matt Damon – The Martian
- Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
- Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
- Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Predicted Winner:
This is Leonardo DiCaprio's fifth time to be nominated for the Best Actor category, and a lot of people are hoping that "The Revenant" lead star will finally get the recognition this time especially since he nabbed the awards for the same category at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards this year. But several predictions also claim that Michael Fassbender and Eddie Redmayne could also get the Oscar recognition.
Best Actress Category
Nominees:
- Cate Blanchett -- Carol
- Brie Larson -- Room
- Jennifer Lawrence -- Joy
- Charlotte Rampling -- 45 Years
- Saoirse Ronan -- Brooklyn
Predicted winner:
Both Brie Larson and Soirse Ronan are the top favorites for Best Actress this year. But Larson could be the runway winner after winning the Golden Globes and SAG awards recently.
The 88<sup>th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Feb. 28.
