Adding further intrigue, Smith shed the ideal actor award for "Ali" to Washington for "Training Day" at the Oscars nearly two a long time in the past. The best actor race is shaping up to be a showdown involving two of Hollywood's most enduring stars. Hip distributor A24 has two doable best actor contenders in Simon Rex ("Red Rocket") and Joaquin Phoenix ("C’mon C’mon"), equally of whom star in critically beloved festival films.