Jessica Chastain Odds Jump Following SAG Win

Nicole Kidman is no longer the favorite to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards after Jessica Chastain was named Best Actress by the Screen Actors Guild last weekend. Chastain’s win edged her in front of Kidman in terms of the most recent Oscar odds at DraftKings, and this looks to be the most competitive race at this year’s Academy Awards. 

2022 Academy Awards Best Actress Odds

• Jessica Chastain +125
• Nicole Kidman +150
• Olivia Colman +400
• Kristen Stewart +450
• Penelope Cruz +1600

This is Jessica Chastain’s second nomination for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. Chastain was nominated nine years ago for her role in Zero Dark Thirty, and that role led to her winning Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards. Her SAG win has given her a great chance of winning her first Oscar.

Kidman isn’t far behind Chastain in terms of the odds though. She won Best Actress at the Golden Globes in early January for her role portraying Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos. Kidman was named Best Actress in 2002 for her part in The Hours, and she was also nominated for her roles in Moulin Rouge and Rabbit Hole.

While Kidman is more of a known quantity, Chastain is the better bet for two reasons. First, a lot of old guard Hollywood types are still hesitant to vote for movies from Netflix and Amazon. Additionally, there is increased attention being paid to prosperity gospel through shows like The Righteous Gemstones and documentaries like The Way Down, so her excellent portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye gives her nomination extra weight.

There are three other award shows to keep an eye on in the run-up to the Academy Awards that will shift the odds. The Directors Guild of America Awards on March 12^th have an impact on the Oscars, and so do the BAFTAs and Critics Choice Awards.

It's probably unwise to bet any of the other three nominees to win Best Actress. Penelope Cruz wasn’t even nominated at the Golden Globes, and Olivia Colman won an Oscar three years ago for her role in The Favourite. Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Princess Diana in Spencer was worthy of a nomination, but it is too divisive to actually win the prize.