Performance in “A Star is Born” is award worthy
With award season in full swing, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper have been dominating the red carpet with their iconic looks and remarkable quotes. “A Star is Born,” written and directed by Bradley Cooper himself is the dramatic story of Jackson Maine, a musician who falls in love with struggling artist Ally. As Ally’s star rises once he coaxes her into the spotlight, Jackson’s personal issues come to the surface, and things take a turn for the worse. “A Star Is Born” has been nominated for countless awards this season, but shockingly has taken home very few.
At the Golden Globe’s this year the film snagged five nominations, but took home just one award for Best Original Song- Motion Picture. At the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), they won four nominations, but were snubbed in all categories, including Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, which they lost out to Marvel’s “Black Panther.” There is still hope however, for the film to win the ever-coveted golden Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards where the film is nominated eight times. While winning Best Motion Picture of the Year would be the highest achievement of all for the film, what we all should be rooting for is Lady Gaga herself.
Lady Gaga is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, advocate and so much more. Starring in “A Star Is Born” took so much vulnerability and raw talent on her behalf, that it was no surprise when she was recognized by being nominated, but it is stunning that she has yet to win an award. Gaga is no stranger to winning awards, as she has won 6 Grammys, and previously won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in “American Horror Story: Hotel.”
So, this had me curious as to why she had yet to win any award recognizing her talent as an actress in this critically acclaimed film? She tied for Best Actress with Glenn Close at the Critic’s Choice Awards, but this was not an independent award, so I am not counting it. Whether or not this is bias on the industry’s behalf I am not at will to say, however I am willing to say that Lady Gaga wholeheartedly deserves this Oscar. While the other actresses nominated are incredibly talented, Gaga has worked exceptionally hard to get where she is today, and has often said that acting was her first passion before music.
Her performance in this film was both emotional and powerful, and while I am no acting critic, I do know when a film or an actor can elicit emotion inside of you, which I believe is a mark of talent. As she has proven ever so graciously this season however, she knows how to handle rejection in elegance and grace. Any time someone else wins and her name isn’t called, she can be seen cheering them on and applauding them from her seat. Gaga is a confident woman and knows that she does not need the approval of everyone in the Academy to solidify her excellency or her legacy.
With much fodder this year and in 2018, she was the butt of many jokes and memes for her quote about Bradley Cooper, “There can be 100 people in a room and 99 of them don’t believe in you, but all it takes is one and it just changes your whole life,” she said according to W Magazine. She was quoted saying this many times in many different interviews, but this is because she believes it to be true.
Even if she does not win the Academy Award for Best Actress, she believes in herself and has the support of her cast, family and fans. Will she take home the Oscar this year? We will all have to tune in and find out. The 91st annual Academy Awards will be airing on Feb. 24, at 8 p.m.
