Could Will Smith win his first Oscar award? Here’s what critics say of his chances

He’s been waiting the better part of 25 years for his first Oscar award, and this year could be the one Will Smith wins the coveted honor.

Smith received a Best Actor nomination from the Academy Awards on Tuesday, Feb. 8, for his role in “King Richard.” It’s the third nomination in the category for Smith, who previously received nominations for “Ali” in 2002 and “Pursuit of Happyness” in 2007.

Here’s who he is up against: Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”; Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”; Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick...Boom!”; and Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”.

Washington famously beat out Smith in 2002, becoming the second Black actor to win Best Actor for his role in “Training Day.”

But critics feel Smith has a good shot to come away with the prestigious award this year. And for good reason — Smith won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama earlier this year. Gold Derby, an entertainment site that predicts Hollywood awards, said that win “clinched his front-runner status” for the Oscars.

Playing Richard Williams, the father of tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams, Smith was hailed for his performance.

“The actors in ‘King Richard’ portray their real-life counterparts to perfection, which helps Smith’s case for the gold statue, as he truly carries the film with charisma that demands the audience’s attention, even among an amazingly talented cast,” Screen Rant said.

Gold Derby calls him the favorite to win this year’s award — ahead of Cumberbatch, Garfield and Washington.

“It’s a role that balances being irascible and unlikable at times, and Smith serves up the nuance in one of his best roles — one that seems destined to bring him back to the Academy Awards,” USA Today said in its review of the movie.

The movie was also nominated for Best Picture. It will go up against “Belfast,” “Coda,” Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car,” “Dune,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog” and “West Side Story.”

The 2022 Oscars ceremony airs Sunday, March 27, on ABC.

This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 9:23 AM.