Can two Oscar winners emerge from the same film this awards season?
Pedro Almodóvar’s latest triumph
Pedro Almodóvar’s melodrama “The Room Next Door” has been making waves since it clinched the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. With Sony Pictures Classics gearing up for an aggressive awards campaign, the film is poised to be a major contender this season. The spotlight is on its two Oscar-winning stars, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, who will both vie for lead actress consideration. Additionally, co-star John Turturro is set to campaign for his first Oscar bid in the best supporting actor category.
A tale of reunion and emotional depth
Adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s novel “What Are You Going Through,” the film tells the story of two women — war correspondent Martha, played by Swinton, and author Ingrid, portrayed by Moore — who reunite after many years under emotionally charged circumstances. The nuanced performances and intimate narrative have garnered critical acclaim. The film’s emotional depth and the scalding humanity of Swinton’s performance have been particularly highlighted.
Watch the trailer for ”The Room Next Door”
Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton: A formidable duo
Julianne Moore is no stranger to the Academy, having won best actress for the heartbreaking 2014 Alzheimer’s drama “Still Alice.” She has also received nominations for her roles in ”Boogie Nights,” “The End of the Affair,” “The Hours,” and “Far From Heaven.” Tilda Swinton, who won the best supporting actress Oscar for “Michael Clayton,” has delivered acclaimed performances in films such as “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” yet has not returned to the nominees circle since.
The rarity of dual lead nominations
In recent years, it has become rare for two high-profile stars from the same film to compete in the same lead category due to what’s informally known as “category fraud.” This occurs when a performer campaigns in a supporting category despite many perceiving it as a leading role. Notable examples include Brad Pitt’s win in the supporting actor category for “Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood,” where his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio competed solely in lead, and Rooney Mara’s supporting nod for “Carol,” despite having more screentime than lead actress nominee Cate Blanchett.
Although the screen time for Moore and Swinton in “The Room Next Door” has yet to be officially tallied, early reactions suggest that both actresses share a fairly even distribution of the narrative without one overshadowing the other. Their decision to campaign in the same category is a refreshing embrace of artistic integrity over strategic positioning, which could set them apart in a competitive awards season.
Historical context and potential for a breakthrough
Securing two best actress nominations from the same film is rare. Only five films have ever achieved this: “All About Eve” with Anne Baxter and Bette Davis, “Suddenly, Last Summer” with Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, ”The Turning Point” with Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine, “Terms of Endearment” with Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger, and “Thelma & Louise” with Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. Of these, only MacLaine won for “Terms of Endearment.”
Could Moore and Swinton break the 33-year drought and both receive lead actress nominations? It’s certainly within the realm of possibility, but the success of this strategy will require a near-flawless campaign. The best actress race for this season is already shaping up to be intensely competitive, with a mix of breakout performances and industry veterans. Potential contenders include Karla Sofía Gascón (“Emilia Pérez”), Angelina Jolie (“Maria”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Mikey Madison (“Anora”), and Demi Moore (“The Substance”).
Balancing resources and other contenders
Sony Classics will need to balance its resources, as the studio is also backing other films with strong female performances, including Saoirse Ronan in the Sundance breakout recovery drama “The Outrun” and Fernanda Torres in the critically acclaimed Brazilian political thriller “I’m Still Here.”
Almodóvar’s quest for best picture
Produced by Esther García and Agustín Almodóvar, “The Room Next Door” will be in contention for several categories, including best picture. If successful, it would mark the first time a Pedro Almodóvar film has been nominated for the Academy’s top prize. Almodóvar previously won the Oscar for best original screenplay for “Talk to Her” and best international feature for “All About My Mother,” but the best picture mention has eluded him so far. That could all change this year.
With “The Room Next Door,” Almodóvar could make history, and with two powerhouse performances from Moore and Swinton leading the charge, its Oscar prospects already look promising.
“The Room Next Door” will be released theatrically in New York and L.A. on Dec. 20, followed by a limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day and a wide U.S. expansion in January 2025.