A Campaign Rush With Oscar Voting Days Away

THR’s awards expert recaps the movers and shakers in the lead-up to the March 17 start of final balloting

BEST ACTRESS Jessica Chastain The Eyes of Tammy Faye

The SAG Award winner, who is hoping that her third Oscar nomination will result in her first Oscar win, brought along Steve Pieters, the HIV activist famously interviewed by Tammy Faye Bakker in 1985, as her plus-one to the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, where her introduction was warmly received.

Penélope Cruz Parallel Mothers

After attending the Nominees Luncheon with husband/fellow nominee Javier Bardem, the Spaniard participated in a Q&A at CAA. And on March 8, she was feted with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Montecito Award, including a surprise video tribute from her Nine co-star Sophia Loren.

Kristen Stewart Spencer

The first-time Oscar nominee was the honorary chair of the Spirit Awards on March 6. The next day, at the Nominees Luncheon, she was cheered on by tablemates Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, then celebrated at Neon’s and THR’s parties. And on March 11, she did a Q&A moderated by Natalie Portman.

Nicole Kidman

Being the Ricardos

Nineteen years after her Oscar win for The Hours, the Aussie is back in serious contention this year — but a hamstring injury forced her to stay home in Nashville and miss the Nominees Luncheon, where fellow nominees Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz and Kristen Stewart made the rounds.