Glenn Close, nominated for the seventh time for an Academy Award, is the heavy favorite at -1000 to win a Best Actress Oscar for her role in “The Wife”.

Glenn Close The Wife
Glenn Close plays an overlooked ghostwriter as Joan Castleman in “The Wife”, directed by Bjorn Runge. (Image: Anonymous Content)

At 71, Close had not won an Oscar despite six previous nominations. If she loses this year, she will be a seven-tine loser. Close is up against Olivia Colman, Lady Gaga, Melissa McCarthy, and newcomer Yalitza Aparicio.

That dubious distinction would put her at the top of the list for most nods without a win. Thelma Ritter and Deborah Kerr hold the record with seven nominations without a win.

2019 OSCARS – BEST ACTRESS ODDS
Glenn Close (The Wife) 1/10
Olivia Colman (The Favourite) 5/1
Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) 12/1
Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) 40/1
Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) 50/1

According to William Hill, Glenn Close is -1000 to win. Olivia Colman won a BAFTA award for her role in “The Favourite”, but she is 5/1 odds to win the Oscar.

Glenn Seven

In the early 1980s, Glen Close received three consecutive nominations. In 1982, Close earned a nomination for Best Supporting Role in the film adaption of John Irving’s novel “The World According to Garp”. She played a nurse who is also the mother to her precocious son (Robin Williams). She lost to Jessica Lange in “Tootsie.”

In 1983, Close earned another Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in the ensemble film “The Big Chill”. She lost to Linda Hunt who played a man in “The Year of Living Dangerously” In 1984, she earned her third nod as Roy Hobbs’ love interest in the baseball film “The Natural”. She fell short of the win after Peggy Ashcroft (A Passage to India) won the Oscar.

In 1987, Close earned her first Best Actress nomination as the other woman, Alex, in “Fatal Attraction”. She would end up losing the Oscar to Cher, who won for “Moonstruck.” In 1988, she followed up with another leading role in “Dangerous Liaisons”. In 1998, Close lost to Jodie Foster (The Accused).

After a 23-year layoff, Close earned her sixth nomination and third overall for Best Actress in “Albert Nobbs”. That is easily her least famous film of the previous five nominations. She lost out to her friend Meryl Streep.

The Wife

“The Wife” is based on a novel by Meg Wolitzer. Close plays Joan Castleman, who has been writing her husband’s novels for decades. Joseph Castleman’s first novel “The Walnut” become a best seller in the 1960s. Joan assumes his identity because women writers were not taken seriously by mainstream publishing houses in New York.

Joan continues to ghost write his books unknown to the public. Joseph Castleman is about to win the Noble Prize for Literature. Joan accompanies her husband to Sweden to accept the prize. That’s when four decades of secrets become unraveled.

The Favourite and Gaga Long Shots

The British actress won the BAFTA, which is not unusual or surprising. Olivia Colman might have the best performance this year in “The Favourite”, but the Academy will end of finally recognizing Glenn Close for her entire oeuvre. Colman is the second-best favorite on the board at 5/1.

Lady Gaga hit a home run in the remake of “A Star Is Born.” She crushed every singing scene and out-acted Bradley Cooper in every other scene. However, Gaga’s stunning performance it’s not quite in the same league as Colman and Close.

For her funny-sad role as a washed-up writer in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”, Melissa McCarthy is getting 50/1 odds.

Yalitza Aparicio was a virtually unknown before Alfonso Cuaron cast her in his memoir about growing up in Mexico City in the 1970s. Aparicio is one of the long shots on the board at 40/1. “Roma” is a beautiful black-and-white film that won seven BAFTA awards. Cuaron is the favorite to win Best Director at the Oscars.

Meanwhile, Rami Malek is the running favorite to win Best Actor for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The 91st Academy Awards take place this Sunday in Los Angeles.

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