Will Brad Pitt Finally Win an Oscar?

Pitt at the Academy's Governor Awards on Nov. 16.

The four-time Oscar nominee is a producer on 12 Years a Slave, which would probably win Best Picture if the awards were next month. It's a longer haul though, especially given the later date (March 2) of the ceremony. There are several reasons he could win, but first he has to be nominated.

Since the Academy only allows three producer credits (except in special cases, like The Reader), being one of the film's seven producers doesn't help his chances. Actually, Pitt should be an Oscar winner already for producing The Departed. The Academy's Producers Branch Executive Committee, which determines the eligible producers of a nominated film, ruled that he wasn't eligible at the time and again as a producer for The Tree of Life, but they did grant him a nod for producing Moneyball.

While his pal George Clooney's recent win for Argo could be called into question, Clooney was a credited producer. Pitt might not make the cut, even if four producers are credited with a nomination. That might(?) make him the first producer of two Best Picture winners NOT to win an Oscar. It seems like a bittersweet honor, but it's entirely possible.

As previously mentioned, Pitt does have a few things going for him, which could work to his advantage. (This is assuming that he might be on the fringes of missing the nomination.) His fiance Angelina Jolie just accepted an Honorary Oscar - her second statuette, and the pair will also be attending the winners ceremony together. The prospect of honoring both of them, making them an Oscar-winning couple, on the the same night could play on the minds of the committee.

Of course, Pitt's profile might also be on the committee's mind. If the film wins Best Picture, he'd be up on stage, which is a plus for the broadcast. And he even appears in the film briefly, which could convince the committee of his active involvement in the film. Moreover, this is Pitt's best shot at winning an Oscar. Will the committee consider that? (Again, he might have that nomination locked up, but it's impossible to know for sure.)

Obviously, Pitt doesn't need the recognition. His career has been on a high since Ocean's Eleven, and it even reached new heights since The Curious Case of Benjamin Button garnered him a second Oscar nod. Furthermore, a snub for 12 Years a Slave wouldn't be the end of his Oscar potential. An Honorary Oscar could be in his future, regardless of what happens with Steve McQueen's film.

Will Brad Pitt finally get that Oscar? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's see if he gets nominated first.