Oscars 2017: Dark Horse/Upset Predictions

Dev Patel in Lion. Image via The Weinstein Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Dev Patel

Frontrunner: Mahershala Ali

Potential Upset: Dev Patel

Last year, the Best Supporting Actor race was all over the place. Sylvester Stallone won the Golden Globe for his return to Rocky Balboa in Creed, the SAG went to Idris Elba’s African warlord in Beasts of No Nation, and the BAFTA went to Mark Rylance’s Cold War spy in Bridge of Spies.

This year, the category is in a similarly weird place. While many will tell you Moonlight’s Mahershala Ali is the best bet to pick up the award on Sunday, he’s only got the SAG under his belt. Aaron-Taylor Johnson picked up the Golden Globe for Nocturnal Animals, and Dev Patel won the BAFTA for Lion. Last year, it was BAFTA winner Rylance who went on to win the Oscar. Could history repeat itself?

Patel has a surprisingly solid career behind him for being so young (only 26!). He broke out after starring in Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire (2008), starred in the surprise box office hit film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, and appeared in the critically acclaimed HBO show The Newsroom. His role as the adult Saroo searching for his long lost family in Lion is his first nomination, but he’s certainly known to Oscar voters.