Oscar buzz-worthy winners: Best actress
By Saurabh Muzumdar
Putting it simply, Anne Hathaway is can't be missed as the melodramatic and post-rehab Kym in "Rachel Getting Married."
The thing about this princess is that she looks as comfortable in a long gown as she does puffing on a cigarette while spewing expletives. While she might be mere eye candy for many, it isn't her looks that draw you to her character, and it certainly isn't the first thing you think when her name is mentioned.
Hathaway's calling card is her versatility, an impeccable command of emotion coupled with an incredible amount of courage to take on roles that most public relation firms would question. I admire this dedication to her art, which is a fast-disappearing trait in an industry that is all about the green.
As Kym, we see a new and weirdly alluring side of Hathaway. She is severely damaged, destructive and narcissistic beyond belief with a great knack for creating trouble. You pair her popularity in the film with her substance abuse and the general sadistic tone the film embodies and we have the crucial ingredients the academy dotes on.
Hathaway looks for stories to tell rather than awards to win, although she does indulge in the occasional commercial flick. Her transformation from the princess chasing normalcy in "The Princess Diaries" to the drug-using member of an already-dysfunctional family has been nothing short of remarkable.
She can be both scarily seductive and alarmingly demure. This ability to perfect both ends of the acting spectrum deserves the biggest award of them all. The Oscars isn't only about one performance, it is about a collection of achievements.
Ultimately, I want Hathway to win because she is an actor of my time. Her characters have grown up around the same time that I have. She donned the princess crown back when Disney movies were the only ones I was allowed to watch. She started taking her clothes off around the same time I understood why people did so.
She has my respect because she embodies what acting should be all about -- experimentation.
Saurabh Muzumdar is a junior economics and finance major.