Along with all the things we know about Poor Things and its reception, I’m certain that it will go down as one of Emma Stone’s best movies (if not the best). And it’s with the same confidence that I think Emma Stone is guaranteed a second Oscar for the film too. Now, I know that’s a very bold claim. However, this film is bold, this actress takes some big confident swings that pay off big time, and without hesitation, to me, this is the most powerful performance from a project on the 2023 movie schedule.
Emma Stone carries this film as the star and a producer, and without her, it wouldn’t work. She embodied Bella Baxter in a way that grounded this wild and wonderfully wacky story. Throughout the entire project, she was fearless as this Frenkienstien’s monster-esque character, and it paid off, big time. Therefore, I think she’s bound to win her second Academy Award for it.
Emma Stone Comits 100% To Bella Baxter
To understand why Emma Ston’s performance is so Oscar-worthy, you must first understand Bella Baxter. She’s a woman who has the brain of a baby. She was raised by a man who calls himself God (Willem Dafoe), and in the film, we follow her as she leaves her home to travel the world and find herself.
It’s important to note that Bella acts and thinks like a toddler, and she develops over time. For example, one of her lines – which is about punching a baby – was literally inspired by the screenwriter’s 2-year-old, and something they said. As the film progresses Bella discovers the pleasures and devastations of the world, and she feels the intense emotions that come with them. From her having sex for the first time, to her realizing her place of privilege, it’s a harrowing and liberating journey that she goes on through the film, and Emma Stone shows us every stage of it perfectly.
Critics have been raving about Stone, and in CinemaBlend’s review of Poor Things Mike Reyes pointed out why the pairing of the actress with Yorgos Lanthimos and Tony McNamara works so well:
Once her interpretation of Bella gets to the point where she can really use her acidic tongue and inquisitive mind to their full potential, the fun really begins, as Stone, following The Favourite, once again showcases how much her talents thrive under Lanthimos’ direction and with McNamara’s words.
I think in the hands of the wrong person Bella could have come off as silly and unrealistic. And while Stone’s performance is hilarious and fantastical, it’s also grounded, true and in some ways tragic. Her performance makes you respect and relate to Bella, not pity or make fun of her. It’s a tough high-wire act to walk with this film, and Emma Stone does it brilliantly.
This Movie Would Not Work Without Emma Stone
There’s no question that Poor Things is Emma Stone’s weirdest movie, but that’s what makes it so exciting. With that being said, it’s abundantly clear to me that this was a really hard movie to pull off, and it wouldn’t have worked without this actress, her clear adoration for her character and her performance as Bella.
Since Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos have worked together before, there is a level of comfort between them, as Sean O’Connell pointed out cover story about the intimate scenes, first-day fears and preparation, and it allowed her to be fearless.
She has spoken so much about how deeply she cares for Bella, and the stages she mapped out for her character’s development. As a producer, she was also part of the film’s evolution from start to finish. With all that in mind, this actress truly helped shape this film, and her care for it is apparent in the fearless way she plays Bella and the infectious love she has for her.
On top of the commitment Stone has to the film, her portrayal of Bella is so extraordinary, that I don’t think anyone else could have played her. From the unique way she walks to her matter-of-fact way of saying things, the confident and creative choices the actress made for her character built a unique person for us to follow. And on top of all these magnificent acting choices, her affection for Bella is so infectious that you can feel it radiating off the screen.
Taking A Look Back At Emma Stone’s History With The Oscars
Over the course of her career, Emma Stone has been nominated for two Oscars and won one. Her first nomination came in 2015 for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and in 2017 she won for her brilliant performance in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. So, if she were to win for Poor Things (which I think she will) it would be her second time taking home gold from The Academy.
The more important thing here though was her nomination for The Favourite and Olivia Colman’s win for the same film. This project, directed by Poor Things’ Yorgos Lanthimos, got 10 nominations, including one for Stone in supporting actress and another for Colman in lead.
Olivia Colman won for The Favourite in 2019 – I’m positive you remember her speech – and like her co-star, Stone turned in a memorable one-of-a-kind performance in Lanthimos' latest film Poor Things. Along with having the same director, these performances are also incredibly bold and funny yet dramatic. Not to mention, both women are absolute powerhouses. There's a strong parallel here, and I can't help but think about these two and how it relates to Bella going into this year's ceremony.
Based on Stone and Lanthimos’ history with The Academy, it’s clear that they’re loved, and I think it's highly likely they’ll receive the same kind of adoration this year for Poor Things.
Overall, there’s a lot going for Emma Stone when it comes to her taking home a second Oscar. Bella Baxter is a truly remarkable character, and the actress behind her plays her in a way that makes you feel all of her emotions and fall head-over-heels in love with her and her journey. Not only do I think Stone will win the Academy Award, I think she’s guaranteed it, and I desperately hope that she’s up on that stage accepting the award for her performance in Poor Things.
To see Emma Stone’s brilliant performance as Bella Baxter in Poor Things, you can catch it in theaters now.
