The Runner Up
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Why she deserves it: Never heard of her? Well, British thesp Hawkins (Cassandra's Dream) is picking up many of the critics’ associations awards for her too-little-seen performance as Poppy, the ever-optimistic London schoolteacher whose positive attitude and cheeriness rubs off on the people she meets. Might be hard to beat the titan Streep, but think last year’s Best Actress winner La Vie en Rose’s Marion Cotillard.
KEEP READING: The New Indie “It” Girl …