Andrew Scott ‘all but secures’ Best Actor Oscar with ‘heartbreaking’ Elsinore
Andrew Scott in Elsinore (StudioCanal)
Andrew Scott is being tipped for a Best Actor Oscar after critics praised his “astonishing” performance in AIDS drama Elsinore, following its European premiere at the London Film Festival.
The film premiered on Wednesday night, with a screening at the Royal Festival Hall. It received a standing ovation as the credits rolled.
Reviewers were quick to frame Scott’s turn as awards-season material. In his review, The Times’ Kevin Maher wrote that Scott “has all but secured the best actor trophy,” adding: “You’ll barely be able to see the screen through the tears.”
The Guardian’s Benjamin Lee called Scott “astonishing”, writing that watching him “resiliently try to not cave in to what his body is telling him” is “an utterly heartbreaking trial to watch”.
What is Elsinore about?
Directed by Simon Stone and written by Stephen Beresford, Elsinore is based on the true story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson. Autumn 1989 is the period it explores, when Charleson replaced Daniel Day-Lewis as Hamlet at the National Theatre after he withdrew.
The film portrays Charleson as already seriously ill with AIDS at the time, and it is suggested him taking the part of Hamlet could accelerate his decline.
Scott, known for playing Moriarty in Sherlock and the “Hot Priest” in Fleabag, previously starred in Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers. In 2024, Russell T Davies suggested Scott was overlooked for awards recognition for that role because he is “publicly and visibly gay”.
Which reviews are driving the Oscar talk?
Other reviews were similarly effusive. In a four-star Telegraph review, Tim Robey wrote that “the ovations for Scott will be instant, thunderous and deserved following his career-defining role”.
The Standard’s Nick Howells awarded the film five stars and argued: “This is a performance of a lifetime; and one the Academy voters would need a collective bout of insanity to ignore.”
Not every critic was won over, though. Slant Magazine’s Ed Gonzalez gave the film two stars, calling it “a fascinatingly confused brushstroke of a film,” while still noting Scott’s impact.
Elsinore is set for release in UK cinemas on 29 January, 2027.
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