âThe Shape of Waterâ Reviews Rave About Sally Hawkinsâ âOnce-in-a-Lifetimeâ Silent Performance
Sally Hawkins is very much in the running for the second Oscar nomination of her career thanks to Guillermo del Toro’s acclaimed fairy tale.
Sally Hawkins only has one Oscar nomination to her name (Best Supporting Actress for âBlue Jasmineâ), but that could very well change come early next year. The English actress is front and center in Guillermo del Toroâs fairy tale âThe Shape of Water,â and the unanimous raves out of the filmâs premiere at the Venice Film Festival prove Hawkins could be a major contender in this yearâs race for Best Actress.
Hawkins plays a mute custodial worker named Elisa, who works in a government laboratory during the Cold War and discovers an amphibious creature in a water tank. She forms a special relationship with the creature (played by Doug Jones) that blossoms into something magical and romantic. Critics have weighed in with nothing but raves for del Toroâs latest, and every review singles out Hawkinsâ lead role as one of its biggest triumphs.
âSpecial credit must be given to Hawkins,â IndieWireâs Ben Croll writes in his A review. âHer role was no doubt a serious technical challenge, but you wouldnât know it from seeing her onscreen.â
âHawkins makes this film truly soar,â Marlow Stern of The Daily Beast says, âturning in a voiceless performance every bit as beguiling as her cheery prattler in âHappy-Go-Lucky.â It is in her shimmering eyes and broad smile that we see a woman who finally feels heard; who is basking in the glow of acceptance found in the unlikeliest of places.â
âHappy-Go-Luckyâ is considered Hawkinsâ defining role and it brought her very close to nabbing an Oscar nomination. If her work in âThe Shape of Waterâ is on par with her breakout, then sheâll easily find herself back in the Oscar conversation this year. Some reviewers are even calling Elisa her best performance ever.
âElisa is, for any number of reasons, the kind of role that comes along just once a lifetime. Hawkins meets it with the performance of one,â Robbie Collin of The Telegraph writes. âThe London-born actressâs keen observational eye, technical control and puckish comic touch have been evident in [her roles]âŠbut here theyâre wed to an emotional intensity and shivery eroticism that make you wriggle with delight.â
Variety praises Hawkinsâ work as âmarvelousâ and âa heart-clutching silent star turn,â while The Playlist raves that âHawkins is so perfectly expressive you kind of forget that [she canât speak].â
Wordless performances have had great success with Academy voters in the past: Marlee Matlin won Best Actress for âChildren of a Lesser Godâ; Holly Hunter won Best Actress for âThe Pianoâ; Jean Dujardin won Best Actor for âThe Artist.â Itâs too early to tell whether Hawkins will join their company, but the rapturous reviews prove sheâs a contender to watch. Other Best Actress contenders set to emerge from Venice include Jennifer Lawrence in âmother!â
Sally Hawkins
Actress
Sally Cecilia Hawkins is an English actress. She made her film debut in Mike Leigh’s All or Nothing in 2002. Wikipedia
Born: April 27, 1976 (age 41), Dulwich, United Kingdom
Height: 1.57 m
Nominations: Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Awards: Golden Globe Award for Best Actress â Motion Picture â Musical or Comedy
TV shows: Fingersmith, Tipping the Velvet