Why Timothée Chalamet May Have Lost Oscar Lead to Michael B. Jordan

Michael B. Jordan pulled into the lead for Best Actor after winning two prizes at the Actor Awards on March 1 for Sinners, including Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and Outstanding Performance by a Cast. The wins moved him up on betting markets such as Kalshi, and awards trackers said the momentum now sits with him.

Timothée Chalamet had earlier taken the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice, but his "Marty Supreme" campaign prompted backlash. His Feb. 21 comments about ballet and opera, a campaign built around his cocky Marty Mauser persona — dressing head to toe in orange, enlisting Kylie Jenner and celebrity endorsements, and leaked pitches for stunts like painting the Statue of Liberty — left some voters weary.

One expert said he "fumbled the ball on the five-yard line," and others called the campaign "arrogant" or said he’d been "Kardashian-ized." Jordan’s quieter approach drew praise.

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