10 Great Performances From 2013 That Are Unlikely To Receive Oscar Recognition

Adele Exarchopoulos – Blue is the Warmest Color

Had the bad press and shit throwing been kept to a minimum, it would have been highly likely that we would have seen Blue is the Warmest Color nominated for more awards than it perhaps will end up receiving. The language barrier is not a good enough excuse anymore when it comes to Academy Award nominations, take last year for example when Amour (the 2012 Palme d’Or winner) picked up significant nominations including one for Best Actress for Emmanuelle Riva.

This year, Adele Exarchopoulos should have been in with a significant shout as Adele in Abdellatif Kechiche’s 3-hour love story, but sadly it seems increasingly less likely that it will happen. Both Exarchopoulos and co-star Lea Seydoux are integral to the construction and success of Blue is the Warmest Color. If one thing was out of balance in their relationship then the whole thing would have fallen apart. So it’s a good thing that both performances are stunning. Exarchopoulos more so though by virtue of the fact that she is barely off screen for the whole three hours and as a relatively inexperienced actress, her performance is utterly transfixing and deeply impressive.

The commitment on her behalf, not just for the sex scenes, but for the entire emotional roller coaster that we experience is extraordinary, confounding and heartbreaking. Had the production stories not rolled out in the press like they had then we probably would have seen a lot more awards love for this one. Sadly, that won’t be the case.