Experts slugfest mailbag: More ‘Wicked’ acting nominations, Sebastian Stan controversy

Will “Wicked” be more popular with the Oscars’ acting branch than we think? Could the brouhaha over Sebastian Stan and “Actors on Actors” help him? Gold Derby editors and experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng are here to answer your burning questions of the week.

It’s “Wicked” mania this week as the long-awaited film hits theaters and continues to rise in various categories in the Oscar odds. Ariana Grande is in fourth place in Best Supporting Actress and Cynthia Erivo is in seventh place in Best Actress. But could its other supporting players coattail? Jonathan Bailey is in 11th place and Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh is way down in 32nd. Plus: Are the musicals subplots underdeveloped?

SEE Experts slugfest mailbag: ‘Emilia Pérez’ vs. ‘Wicked,’ Nicole Kidman vs. Martin Scorsese fans

Meanwhile, Stan made headlines this week when he revealed that he couldn’t do our sister site Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” series because no other actor’s publicist would allow their client to talk to the person who played Donald Trump (Variety later confirmed that was the case). Could the backlash to his exclusion benefit him and “The Apprentice”? The actor also said that actors and directors have told him privately they loved his performance, so could that result in votes from the privacy of their own homes?

Elsewhere, we discuss whether Nicole Kidman can win for “Babygirl” and have to choose between Adam Brody and Adrien Brody.

Email your questions to slugfests@goldderby.com.

Timestamps:
Intro and Sebastian Stan controversy (0:00)
Other “Wicked” acting contenders (10:04)
“Wicked’s” subplots (12:34)
Can Nicole Kidman win? (17:30)
“A Complete Unknown” (23:08)
“Gladiator II” (27:22)
“Emilia Pérez” and Clarence Maclin (30:35)
“Emilia Pérez” (35:30)
Best Picture (39:36)
Oscar clips (43:36)
Setting the record straight (45:27)
If Best Casting existed this year (47:12)
Jesse Eisenberg pulling a LaKeith Stanfield? (48:26)
Kieran Culkin… breakthrough performer? (52:28)
“The Substance” (55:08)
Film or TV in free time (58:31)
Adam Brody or Adrien Brody? (1:01:07)