The Academy Awards can change careers in a way no other award can. Brie Larson went from winning an Oscar for “Room” to becoming Captain Marvel. Rami Malek has jumped from “Mr. Robot” to James Bond villain thanks in part to his star-making victory in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” With that in mind, what lies in the future for this year’s Oscar winners?
Joaquin Phoenix, already regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, finally won the Best Actor Oscar for “Joker.” But just before he climbed the Oscar stage, he finished filming on his next project, the indie drama “C’mon C’mon” from “20th Century Women” director Mike Mills. Due out this Christmas, Phoenix stars as a documentary filmmaker doing a film on his gifted young nephew while dealing with his bipolar father.
Renee Zellweger won over Hollywood with her performance as an aging Judy Garland, winning her second Oscar to go with her 2004 Best Supporting Actress win in “Cold Mountain.” She is slated to next star in a film adaptation of the Liz Moore novel “Heft,” playing the mother of a troubled son that has problems fitting in at a rich private school and who calls on the help of a reclusive professor she was once a student of.
Brad Pitt had a spectacular year on the big screen, winning Best Supporting Actor for “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” and also earning critical acclaim for his lead role in “Ad Astra.” But Pitt’s acting roles are fewer and farther in between these days, as the star has focused more on producing through his film studio Plan B. Among his projects as a producer are Jon Stewart’s upcoming political comedy “Irresistible” starring Mackenzie Davis, Rose Byrne and Steve Carell.
Laura Dern had a big year with “Marriage Story” and “Little Women,” culminating with the Hollywood Gay Men’s Chorus honoring her majestic aura at the Spirit Awards. She has plenty of projects lined up as both actor and producer, including the HBO film “The Dolls” alongside Issa Rae. But the project that most will likely see her in is next year’s “Jurassic World 3,” which will see her return to her “Jurassic Park” role as Dr. Ellie Sadler.
Taika Waititi has come a long way from “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” scoring a mild upset over Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” script to win Best Adapted Screenplay for “Jojo Rabbit.” Now he will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to write and direct “Thor: Love & Thunder,” a film that he promises will double down on the wackiness of “Thor: Ragnarok.”
The biggest winner, of course, was Bong Joon Ho, the Korean filmmaker who spent a long time getting engravings done for his Oscars for Best International Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture. But he’s not done with “Parasite” yet. He will work alongside “The Big Short” filmmaker Adam McKay to turn the first non-English Best Picture winner into a HBO limited series that he says will focus on stories that took place alongside the events of the film.
Bong also told TheWrap he is researching and writing scripts on two projects — one English and one Korean. He will decide on which to pursue first in April.
