Pro: We wouldn’t be including Bardem if he wasn’t fantastic in the movie, and as the snakily sinister Silva, the Spanish star has created one of the most intriguing villains in the history of the Bond franchise – in an acclaimed 007 entry that looks set to please audiences and critics alike. Bardem’s already won in this category for playing a memorable baddie, while his against-the-odds nomination two years ago for “Biutiful” proved that the actors’ branch holds him in very high regard indeed.

Con: “Skyfall” may be one of the franchise’s classiest entries, but it’s still a Bond movie – and over 50 years, the Academy has never warmed the series, nominating only a few of the films in minor technical categories. Will they take Bardem’s performance seriously, or just as a bit of campy throwaway fun?

- Guy Lodge