Fans’ hearts race with anticipation as they watch two Roberts square off in the Oscar 2024 race. This time, it looks like the iconic Robert De Niro will surpass the endearing Robert Downey Jr. in their respective roles. And at the heart of this fight is the Best Supporting Actor Oscar race, in which, whispers among fans suggest, De Niro will surpass Downey Jr.’s legendary performance in Oppenheimer.
With his Killers of the Flower Moon performance, fans predict that De Niro will beat Iron Man‘s Oppenheimer performance. Though the former has played monstrous men in the past, his latest performance as William King Hale captures everyday evil more completely than anything else he has ever done.
De Niro has consistently shown his talent, from his ground-breaking performances in beloved films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull to his recent roles in The Irishman and Silver Linings Playbook. Could he win another Academy Award for his role in critically acclaimed Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece?
A Clash of Robert De Niro and Robert Downey Jr. for Best Supporting Actor Oscar
As per Screen Rant, following a three-decade wait, Robert Downey Jr. is among the leading candidates for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars this year for his role in Oppenheimer. In Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller, which is about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’, Downey Jr. portrayed Lewis Strauss. Since its summer 2023 release, his notable portrayal has received high praise from both critics and viewers, creating a ton of Oscar buzz.
It is almost a given that Downey Jr. will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 96th Academy Awards in 2024; in fact, it is almost a given that the seasoned actor will win the prize (according to Screen Rant). This would be a well-earned victory that was also long overdue.
Still, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon features a particularly sinister portrayal of Robert De Niro as the crafty William Hale, despite the actor’s already acclaimed history of playing cruel characters. This movie marks Scorsese and De Niro’s tenth joint venture.
As per Deadline, after earning $9.4 million on its first day, the movie went on to debut at $23 million, coming in second behind Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. Among the Scorsese and De Niro films, this one had the biggest opening (beating Cape Fear‘s $10.2 million opening in 1991).
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Whispers Among Fans: Robert De Niro Will Outshine Robert Downey Jr. at Oscars
Both fans and critics are anticipating the Roberts duel with great anticipation as the race for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar heats up. At this point, there are whispers among fans that Robert De Niro’s William King Hale may even top Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic portrayal of Lewis Strauss.
One noted:
I know there is more interesting narratives or whatever (Riverdale to Haynes, Downey Jr making real movies again, etc) but De Niro as William Hale is for me, by far the greatest supporting role of the year. pic.twitter.com/VHMs9q9lNe
— v.g (@insufficentfund) December 3, 2023
Another fan stated:
He gave the best performance of that movie, that’s for fuckin sure. Sheer evil, terrifying, but subtle about it.
— Matt (@realmattcooke) December 3, 2023
One fan appreciated the actor, saying:
It’s one of the great villain performances of the 21st century.
De Niro is channeling Mitchum in Night of the Hunter. pic.twitter.com/BXYHBHemDH
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) December 3, 2023
While one argued:
In my opinion, this is the strongest competition for the best supporting actor Oscar in years. As of now, 3 absolutely essential, brilliant, memorable performances in 3 of the best films of the year from RDJ, De Niro, and Melton. All richly deserving.
— Jonathan Ramirez (@greensbeans62) December 3, 2023
Another felt:
I feel like his performance is being taken for granted simply because he’s De Niro and he’s good in so many things—but this is a really captivating and special performance.
— jfassler.bsky.social (@J_fassler) December 3, 2023
Despite divergent opinions, moviegoers’ passion and dedication never fade. In the digital age, fans have a voice, and they lean slightly in favor of De Niro taking home the Best Supporting Actor trophy. Is this a sign that the Academy is listening to the voices of the fans as a whole?
Fans may disagree about who should win the esteemed award, but one thing is for sure: both actors delivered exceptional performances that will have a lasting impact on the movie business.
