Anne Hathaway Emerges as Oscar Frontrunner for 'The Odyssey' Role

Oscar season starts early these days, and the conversation about who will win often begins months before the ballots go out. Predictions are shaped by festival buzz, box office and the strategies of studios. This year, one name keeps rising to the top of the Best Supporting Actress conversation.

Anne Hathaway has been a major part of the awards chatter ever since ‘The Odyssey‘ arrived in theaters. She plays Penelope, the patient wife of Odysseus, anchoring the story’s Ithaca sections as the kingdom waits for a king who may not return. The role has already put her at the center of the race.

Now the market has weighed in too. According to Polymarket traders, Hathaway is the runaway favorite to win Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, with her odds shown at 67%. Prediction-market probabilities like that move constantly and are not results, but they reflect how strongly the early consensus has formed.

Other forecasters agree on the direction. SlashFilm names her as probably the frontrunner and says she is all but guaranteed a nomination. Gold Derby’s combined odds place her above 95% to be nominated, though a nomination is far from a win.

Anne Hathaway is the runaway favorite to win Best Supporting Actress at The Oscars, according to Polymarket US traders https://t.co/WgVwgYgva1
— ScreenTime (@screentime) October 19, 2026

Part of her momentum comes from how the studio is positioning her. According to a Variety exclusive, Variety reported that Universal will campaign Hathaway in the supporting actress category. That ended months of speculation that she might compete in the lead race instead.

The placement puts her in a category that looks less crowded than lead actress. It also puts her alongside co-star Samantha Morton, who plays Circe. That raises the possibility of a vote split, though Oscar history includes films that earned more than one supporting actress nomination.

Hathaway already has an Oscar, having won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Les Misérables’ in 2013. Variety noted that if ‘The Odyssey’ lands a best picture nomination, she would be the first woman to win supporting actress twice for films that were both nominated for best picture. That adds a historic angle to her campaign.

The Academy has also tended to reward established favorites in major prestige films, and ‘The Odyssey’ fits that mold. The film has been a box office phenomenon, with reports putting it above $1.6 billion worldwide. A hit of that size can help drive awards support.

Not everyone sees a coronation. Gold Derby noted that Penélope Cruz gained momentum after a win at the Toronto International Film Festival, and she is a former winner herself. Cruz has projects including ‘La Bola Negra’ and ‘The Invite’ in the mix.

Sandra Hüller is also considered a top contender thanks to ‘Project Hail Mary’. Kate O’Flynn in ‘Tender Loving Care’ and Merritt Wever in ‘Primetime’ have drawn buzz as well. One analyst noted that Hathaway is not a lock, even if the category leans her way right now.

The 99th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Conan O’Brien is set to host, with the ceremony airing live on ABC. Nominations will be announced on January 21, and final voting runs through March 4.

That leaves several months of precursor awards, festival premieres and campaign events. Odds can swing quickly as new films arrive and critics groups weigh in. It’s a long road from a strong early position to a trophy.

The final trailer for Christopher Nolan’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’ has been released. In theaters on July 17. https://t.co/xn42TcX4aG
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 1, 2026

Penelope is one part of a busy year for Hathaway. She also appeared in A24’s ‘Mother Mary’, which opened in April alongside Michaela Coel. Together, the two roles show the range of her recent work.

Hathaway has often spoken to audiences with warmth and humor, and her screen presence in ‘The Odyssey’ is a quiet counterpoint to the epic’s battles. Many viewers have singled out her performance as the film’s emotional center. That kind of reaction is exactly what voters tend to remember.

For now, she has the lead, but the race is far from over. The coming months will show whether the early excitement holds.