Teaming up can raise chances for nominations

Amy Adams eagerly acknowledges that she and Christian Bale have a “special chemistry.” It has translated into 10 Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, including three wins between them, for the three movies they made together. This month, Bale was nominated for a Golden Globe as best actor and Adams as best supporting actress for their roles as Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, in the biopic “Vice.”

“Working with Christian is always a gift,” Adams said during her recent visit to be honored by SFFilm. The two also played opposite each other in “The Fighter” and “American Hustle.”

“He is one of the most dedicated actors I have seen. The whole way he approaches his work allows me to stretch. I know every time I have made a movie with him I come out of it

the better. I learn so much through his choices and dedication to his craft.”

Appearing together in more than one film improves the chances of both actors for another acting nomination. It could be for the reason Adams said: Their performances gain because of what each picks up from the other. Or it could be that the people who vote for Golden Globes and Oscars come to expect a higher level of quality at the sight of two familiar names above the title. Most likely it is a combination of both.

In recent years, teaming up has been particularly advantageous. For their joint efforts in three films, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper have captured eight nominations and two wins. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have five nominations and one win for their three movies. Early in her career, Stone told Interview magazine that she sought Gosling’s advice on which movies she should make. “I immediately felt a kinship with him, and I know his viewpoint will never be tainted.”

Faith in acting partners will probably be rewarded at the Golden Globes, which airs Jan. 6, and the Academy Awards on Feb. 24.

The one glaring omission is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who were shut out at awards time for the 10 unforgettable musicals they glided through together. (To be fair, the Golden Globes didn’t exist until after the Astaire and Rogers run.) Rogers won a best actress Oscar for “Kitty Foyle” sans Astaire, and he gained a nomination late in his career for best supporting actor in “The Towering Inferno.” In his mid-70s, he amazed the crew by never complaining, despite being repeatedly soaked with water.

What Astaire and Rogers had together was put succinctly by Katharine Hepburn: “He gave her class, and she gave him sex” (an assessment that turned Rogers livid).

(See Page 21 for a list of 10 famous onscreen partners.)

Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures Christian Bale stars as Dick Cheney and Amy Adams plays his wife, Lynne, in “Vice.” The two have also appeared together in “The Fighter” and “American Hustle.”