Winslet picks DiCaprio for Oscar

SPH Brightcove Video
The race for the Oscars heats up as stars attend the Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.
SPH Brightcove Video
Leonardo DiCaprio has been nominated five times for an acting Oscar and his Titanic co-star Kate Winslet says he may finally win the golden statuette next month.
(From left) Actresses Rosie Huntington- Whiteley, Abbey Lee, Zoe Kravitz, Courtney Eaton and Riley Keough, who starred in Mad Max: Fury Road, helped pick up one of nine awards for the film at the 21st Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Californi
(From left) Actresses Rosie Huntington- Whiteley, Abbey Lee, Zoe Kravitz, Courtney Eaton and Riley Keough, who starred in Mad Max: Fury Road, helped pick up one of nine awards for the film at the 21st Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Sunday. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

LONDON/LOS ANGELES • Kate Winslet tipped her Titanic (1997) co-star Leonardo DiCaprio to win this year's Best Actor Oscar, though The Revenant star lost out at the British film critics' awards on Sunday.

Winslet, 40, said she would be "surprised" if he did not land an Oscar on his sixth nomination when the Academy Awards rolls around on Feb 28.

On the red carpet at the 36th London Critics' Circle Film Awards, Winslet said: "It would be amazing. It's also quite difficult for me, too, because Michael Fassbender is also nominated and I was his right-hand woman for three months making Steve Jobs.

"I saw how hard he worked and I thought his performance was extraordinary.

"But I think you can feel the temperature and it's probably going to be Leo's year."

At Sunday's event - which is voted by members of the Critics' Circle Film Section - Winslet won the supporting actress gong for her role in the Steve Jobs biopic.

DiCaprio lost to British veteran Tom Courtenay, 78, who won for his role in British drama 45 Years. Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling won best actress for her role in the film.

Mark Rylance took the supporting actor honour for his part in Bridge Of Spies.

The Film of the Year accolade went to Mad Max: Fury Road, which also won George Miller the Director of the Year award.

Miller's film on Sunday also swept awards in nine categories, including Best Director, at the 21st Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California.

But it lost the Best Picture award to Tom McCarthy's Spotlight.

DiCaprio won Best Actor for The Revenant and Brie Larson continued her winning streak with a Best Actress gong for Room.

Top stars including Jennifer Aniston, Helen Mirren, Sharon Stone, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Bale and Amy Schumer attended.

This is the the first year the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Broadcast Television Journalists Association combined their annual awards in one show, according to thewrap.com.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 19, 2016, with the headline Winslet picks DiCaprio for Oscar. Subscribe