Chase Infinity is chasing Oscar after Oscar.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s acclaimed action thriller One Battle After Another is rapidly gaining momentum in this year’s awards race. The film’s awards strategists and campaign team have exclusively confirmed to Variety that Infinity will seek consideration in the Best Actress category next Oscar season.
Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland,” “One Battle After Another” follows a group of former revolutionaries who reunite to save the daughter of a comrade in arms after a long-dormant enemy resurfaces. Produced by Warner Bros., the ensemble features an impressive lineup of Oscar winners, nominees, and breakout stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and most notably, Infinity.
Infinity, a 24-year-old from Indianapolis, is making her feature film debut and is garnering attention for her role as Willa Ferguson, the polar opposite of the Hollywood mogul and the daughter of former radical Bob (DiCaprio). She is planning a leading actress camp to avoid the risk of splitting votes with co-stars Hall and Taylor, who are expected to compete in the supporting actress race. Penn and del Toro will also be competing for Best Supporting Actor.
The film currently has a critic score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic, and “One Battle After Another” is expected to be a major contender this season. According to Variety’s latest predictions, the film has received 14 Academy Award nominations, which would put it on par with All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016) as the most nominated films of all time.
Some Oscar predictions suggest the film could be nominated in six or more actor categories, with DiCaprio and Infinity in the lead roles and Penn, del Toro, Hall, and Taylor in the supporting roles. If this is achieved, it will become the first film in Oscar history to receive acting mentions in six categories. Currently, only 15 films have received nominations in all four acting categories. The last time it won was in 2013 for American Hustle. Furthermore, only four films have received five acting nominations: Mrs. Miniver (1942), From Here to Eternity (1953), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and Network (1976).
Infinity’s first film role could put her in a rare league, and if nominated, she would join a select group of actors recognized by the Academy for their film debuts. In particular, in the Best Actress category, previous debut winners include Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins (1964) and Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl (1968), as well as Goodbye, My. Greer Garson for “Star Chips” (1939), Diana Ross for “Lady Sings the Blues” (1972), and Keisha Castle-Hughes for “Whale Rider” are nominated. (2003), Catalina Sandino, Moreno in Maria Full of Grace (2004), Gabourey Sidibe in Precious (2009), and Kwabenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the South (2012).
“One Battle After Another” could be a strong contender for a Golden Globe Award in the comedy category, although the studio has not yet recognized the category. For Infinity, the lineup in this category could include Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good), Kate Hudson (Song San Bleu), and Emma Stone (Bugonia). Infinity’s portrayal of Willa received praise for subverting the damsel-in-distress trope and becoming her own heroine in the story. Willa, a fiercely driven martial arts purple belt, emerges as one of the most compelling protagonists of Anderson’s career.
So far, the film has grossed $58.9 million worldwide and $101.7 million worldwide to date. Infinity appeared as a guest on the season 12 premiere episode of the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, which debuted in September.
As Oscar season heats up, “One Battle After Another” and its young star could make history.
