“There is nothing she can’t do,” remarked one seasoned awards campaigner, hoping that Amy Adams’ bold performance in Marielle Heller’s adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s novel Nightbitch (releasing December 6 through Searchlight) would not secure her a spot for Best Actress at the Oscars.
Adams, who has lost six times in the past—from Junebug (2006) to Vice (2019)—is widely considered to be long overdue for an Oscar.
However, this year’s race is fiercely competitive, with contenders such as Oscar-winners Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) and Angelina Jolie (Maria), Oscar nominees Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths), as well as first-time nominees like Demi Moore (The Substance) and fresh faces Karla Sofia Gascón (Emilia Pérez) and Mikey Madison (Anora).
Despite the fierce competition, one cannot underestimate the admiration Adams commands from the actors’ branch voters.
In Nightbitch, which premiered to mixed reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival but earned praise for Adams’ portrayal of an artist-turned-lonely suburban mother rediscovering her primal self, she portrays a character struggling to reclaim her identity.
The film, blending magical realism and a surreal transformation, sees Adams shedding her polished image, wearing baggy clothes with no makeup, and sprouting fur, sharp teeth, and even a tail.
