The first big casualty of the Oscar season may be Ryan Gosling, and his chances for a best actor statuette this year. Gosling certainly deserves a shot for his raw, ingratiating, multi-faceted performance as Dean in Derek Cianfrance’s challenging NC-17 rated “Blue Valentine,” a contemporary scenes-from-a-marriage-on-the-verge-of-collapse. But Gosling is clearly the stepchild in the Weinstein Company’s stable, and Harvey is throwing every thing behind the front runner, Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech.” Firth or Gosling? Front-runner or risk-taker? The answer over in Harvey-wood is a foregone conclusion. A surprise winner in this clash may be Michelle Williams, Gosling’s leading lady, the blue in his valentine, since Harvey doesn’t have an actress competing in that category. Another plus for Williams? Oscar-winner – and fellow NY mum – Kate Winslet is in her corner.
