She’s the newcomer Hollywood can’t stop talking about — but is Chase Infiniti about to rewrite Oscar history? The rising star’s breakout role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s explosive action-thriller One Battle After Another has turned her into this year’s most unlikely awards-season powerhouse. But here’s where things get really interesting: despite being only 24 and making her feature film debut, Infiniti isn’t playing the supporting game. She’s going all in for a lead actress Oscar campaign, and insiders are already calling her one to beat.
Directed by the ever-enigmatic Anderson and loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, One Battle After Another follows a band of aging revolutionaries who reunite to save a comrade’s daughter from a resurfaced enemy. Produced by Warner Bros., the film is packed with Oscar-caliber names — Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor among them — yet it’s Infiniti who’s generating the loudest buzz. As Willa Ferguson, the daughter of DiCaprio’s character, Infiniti is every bit the emotional and moral anchor of the film. Her performance doesn’t just hold up next to Hollywood royalty — it commands attention.
Strategists confirm that Infiniti will compete in the lead actress category, while Hall and Taylor are positioned for supporting actress runs. Similarly, Penn and Del Toro will aim for supporting actor nominations, reducing the risk of splits within categories. This calculated strategy could propel One Battle After Another to one of the most competitive Oscar showings in years.
And the early stats back it up. The film currently boasts a 95% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an almost identical 95 on Metacritic. According to the latest Variety forecasts, Anderson’s latest could nab up to 14 Academy Award nominations — tying the all-time record held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016). That’s no small feat for a darkly stylized thriller that juggles themes of redemption, rebellion, and intergenerational trauma.
Some awards pundits think this film could make Oscar history by pulling in as many as six acting nominations: Infiniti and DiCaprio in lead, with Penn, Del Toro, Hall, and Taylor in supporting. If that happens, it would be the first time a film has ever managed six acting nods. Only 15 movies to date have scored nominations across all four acting categories — the last being American Hustle in 2013. And only four have managed five acting mentions, including classics like From Here to Eternity (1953) and Network (1976). Could Anderson’s sweeping ensemble join their ranks?
For Infiniti, the stakes are even more extraordinary. Landing a lead actress nomination in her debut film would place her in rarefied company alongside legends like Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins), Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl), and modern icons like Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild). Not bad company for someone who, until recently, was best known for short films and indie theater work in Indianapolis.
Even the Golden Globes race carries intrigue. Although One Battle After Another’s category placement hasn’t been officially set, insiders hint at a potential bid in the Golden Globes’ “comedy or musical” segments — an unconventional twist that could reshape the awards narrative entirely. If that happens, Infiniti may find herself up against names like Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).
Infiniti’s portrayal of Willa Ferguson is earning raves for flipping Hollywood’s old “damsel in distress” trope on its head. Instead of waiting to be saved, Willa fights — literally. A purple belt in martial arts, she embodies resilience and independence, emerging as one of Anderson’s most dynamic heroines to date. Critics have called her performance not just electric but transformative — revealing a performer who seems both fully formed and endlessly surprising.
Financially, the film is holding strong, having grossed $58.9 million internationally and $101.7 million worldwide to date. During an appearance on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast earlier this fall, Infiniti described the role as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done — but also the most rewarding.” That humility may only deepen her appeal with voters and fans alike.
As Oscar season heats up, one question burns brighter than the rest: Can Chase Infiniti turn her first-ever movie role into an Academy Award win? Hollywood loves a discovery story — but will it love this one enough to make history? What do you think — is Infiniti the real deal, or just the latest overhyped newcomer? Let the debate begin.
