Chiwetel Ejiofor leads the charge for Golden Globe glory
Published:
Britain’s Chiwetel Ejiofor is leading the betting in what looks to be a straight two-horse race to land the coveted Best Dramatic Actor award at the forthcoming Golden Globes.
Ejiofor – nominated for his role in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave – is the short-odds favourite at 5/4, with veteran Hollywood player Robert Redford his only viable rival at 2/1.
Redford is nominated for his solo effort in All is Lost, which sees the star carry a film with a cast of one as it documents the survival efforts of a lone yachtsman stranded after a collision in the Indian Ocean.
The 77-year-old should not be discounted given that the Golden Globe panel has shown its appreciation for similar projects in the past.
Tom Hanks was nominated for Oscar, Bafta and Golden Globe success for his individual performance in Cast Away and was shunned by both academies but recognised at the Globes.
However, while Redford is rightfully in with a chance, the betting suggests that Ejiofor – who is also odds-on at 1/2 to land the Best Actor gong at the Oscars – will ultimately walk away the victor.
The 36-year-old has built up a solid portfolio of work in recent years but until now has been largely unknown outside of industry circles.
But now he is on his way to becoming a household name after a star turn as Solomon Northup in McQueen’s multi-nominated film.
12 Years a Slave is the tale of a free black man from upstate New York who is abducted and sold into slavery and Ejiofor’s performance along with the gripping storyline seems to be a perfect match for the Globes panel.
Ejiofor’s favouritism comes after fellow Brit Idris Elba plummeted following the release of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
The Luther star headed both the Oscars and Golden Globe betting for may weeks but is now as long as 20/1 for the Academy Award and 25/1 for Globes success.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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