Could This be Oprah’s Oscar Year?

Oprah Winfrey has long talked about what it would mean to her to win an Oscar. She got close with The Color Purple, but as we know, that movie was nominated for ten Oscars, missed the director nod, and went home empty handed. It was one of the last films with an all black cast to make it to the Oscars until Lee Daniels’ Precious. Now, both Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey are back with a film that has a mixed cast. The way I figure it, Oprah isn’t going to have to do much to win as long as there isn’t too much competition. Then again, we can’t put anything past an Academy that loves to see powerful people lose. Still, early word is that Winfrey is the standout. This, from an early, private screening in New York.

Two sources — neither one affiliated with Harvey Weinstein or his film company, which is behind “The Butler” — told me Wednesday that the television mogul is outstanding playing the wife of Forest Whitaker’s title character.