Oscars Best Actress 2019: Contenders' odds revealed – who is Lady Gaga’s competition?

Lady Gaga has kickstarted a lot of speculation on who will walk away with the Best Actress trophy, as audiences lap up her leading role in A Star Is Born.

As it stands, however, she is not the favourite with bookies.

So who is thought to be in line for a nomination at this early stage, with so much campaigning and hype-building still to come?

According to bookies at Ladbrokes, the six most highly-tipped performers at present are…

1. Glenn Close (2/1 odds, favourite)

The Wife may not have made much of a splash at the box office, and the reviews weren’t completely glowing, but Close’s performance was widely regarded as one of her best.

She has been nominated for Oscars six times in the past; three times as a lead and three as supporting. Her most recent close shave was in 2011 for her work in Albert Nobbs, when Meryl Streep won for The Iron Lady.

So could the hugely talented performer finally collect an Academy Award next February? She’s the one to beat as things stand.

2. Lady Gaga (9/4 odds)

Gaga has left just about everybody impressed with her performance as Ally in A Star Is Born – which has a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

This is her first major big-screen role, although as a musician she has been nominated for an Oscar before: for Best Original Song in 2016, thanks to Til It Happens To You. She also scooped a Golden Globe in the same year for her performance in American Horror Story: Hotel.

So now, as rumours swirl that Disney want her to be their live-action Ursula, could she add an Oscar to her shelf?

3. Melissa McCarthy (9/2 odds)

McCarthy was previously nominated for her side-splitting performance in Bridesmaids, and now she’s turning heads for Can You Ever Forgive Me?.

The biographical comedy-drama sees her flexing her acting chops as Lee Israel, who made her living in the 1960s, 70s and 80s writing profiles of famous women – before going on to forge letters from dead authors and playwrights.

The movie has yet to have wide releases, but the early signs are very good indeed: it has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

4. Olivia Colman (5/1 odds)

The British gem has planted herself firmly in the middle of awards discussion after winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival last month.

She’s earning acclaim for her uproarious turn in The Favourite, in which she plays Queen Anne and co-stars with Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone.

Colman’s film work hasn’t been as high-profile as her TV roles (she received little attention in the ensemble of Murder On The Orient Express last year, for example) but with The Crown in the works as well, is her star about to ascend to all-new highs?

5. Viola Davis (6/1 odds)

Ever-amazing actress Davis has been leading discussion for some time now, thanks to her role in the upcoming thriller Widows.

It hasn’t even been two years since her first Academy Award win – for Fences in 2016 – but is now her time to step up from Oscar-endorsed Supporting to Leading performer?

With Widows currently enjoying a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’d be daft to write her off just yet.

6. Toni Collette (16/1 odds)

Hereditary came out much earlier than usual for an Oscars buzz-starter, and didn’t do as well as many expected at the box office – so chatter around Collette’s chances has died down in recent months.

But her work was still very highly acclaimed, and she remains on bookies’ radars for the time being.

The Australian star has never won an Oscar but has one nomination to her name: for playing Lynn Sear in The Sixth Sense in 1999.

And the rest…

Other bookmakers also list odds for some other contenders.

Nicole Kidman has 14/1 odds with Betfair, even though the likes of Boy Erased and Destroyer have gone down less spectacularly than expected in early reviews.

Saorise Ronan (20/1), Yalitza Aparicio (22/1), Kiki Layne (30/1), Carey Mulligan (33/1) and Julia Roberts (35/1) are also outsiders at this stage.

The Oscars will take place on February 24, 2019.