For 17 long, long years, Hugh Jackman brought Wolverine to life with such a raw intensity that it’s difficult to imagine anyone else donning those iconic adamantium claws anytime soon. That saga, one with many ups and downs, reached its conclusion back in March with the release of Logan, James Mangold’s poignant, R-rated finale that struck a chord with critics and X-Men fans the world over. And even now, many months since it first hit theatres, the film continues to find itself making headlines.
This time, it’s because 20th Century Fox has made their intention to give the flick a strong Oscar push quite clear, with the studio sending out “for your consideration” screeners to Academy voters last month. Where the film may find itself nominated (if at all) is currently unknown, but one award that producer Hutch Parker is really hoping for is that of Best Supporting Actor, which would, of course, go to Sir Patrick Stewart, who played a nonagenarian Charles Xavier, now suffering from dementia.
It was perhaps his finest work in the whole X-Men movie franchise to date and as Parker recently told THR, the actor deserves some recognition for his performance in the threequel.
“I’m realistic about the kind of movie this is, and I’m hopeful that various people in those positions will see it and recognize it — even though it is an R-rated movie, and even though it has a legacy as part of a comic book franchise. I’d love for people to be able to assess the craft on the performances and the work on their own merits… The fact that Patrick has not received those kinds of acknowledgements is astounding to me.”
Parker’s absolutely right here. Stewart has received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nods but never one from the Academy, which is quite shocking given the hugely impressive body of work he’s put together over the course of his career. Will Logan be the film to change that? Perhaps, and according to director James Mangold, who also weighed in, the actor was absolutely fearless going into the role.
“It gave Patrick freedom that he hasn’t had, certainly in these kinds of films. Patrick attacked this thing with ferocity. He was fearless about playing Charles’ weaknesses as well as his strengths,” says Mangold. “He wasn’t worried about the vanity of it.”
So, will Sir Patrick Stewart finally get the Oscar he so deserves come next year? And will Logan be the film that earns him it? That remains to be seen, but feel free to weigh in with your thoughts and comments in the usual place.
