The still-unreleased indie film It Boy is quietly building awards-season momentum, with industry insiders now confirming that its two lead actresses - Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto - are being positioned for separate, distinct categories in the upcoming prize races. The move, which was finalized in recent weeks following the film’s celebrated premiere at Cannes, is designed to maximize the project's chances across multiple competitive fields rather than pitting the two performers against each other.
Efira, the Belgian-French star whose dramatic range has long been a fixture of European cinema, is expected to be campaigned in the lead actress bracket for her role in It Boy. Meanwhile, Japanese model-turned-actress Okamoto is slated for the supporting actress conversation, a strategic split that reflects the film’s two-hander narrative structure. The news comes as a relief to awards watchers who had speculated about a potential logjam within the same category, given how much Cannes attention both women received for their on-screen chemistry.
The announcement was made exclusively to Hollywood Buzz News by a representative close to the production, who emphasized that the categorization was not merely a marketing tactic but a natural extension of the screenplay’s design. “The story is architecturally built around a central performance and a vital counter-performance,” the source said. “From the earliest script drafts, it was clear that Efira carried the emotional arc while Okamoto provided the gravitational pull that set it in motion. Splitting them honors that dynamic.”
Little else is known about It Boy beyond its festival pedigree. The film’s director has remained unnamed in public materials, and its formal release date is still under wraps. Even the plot synopsis has been closely guarded, with early reviews out of Cannes describing it only in vague, evocative terms - one critic called it “a study of sudden intimacy,” while another referenced “the violence of quiet decisions.” That scarcity of detail has only intensified curiosity around the project, particularly after both actresses appeared together on the Croisette, generating a buzz that many compared to the breakout moments of prior Palme d’Or contenders.
For Efira, the lead campaign represents a continuation of a remarkable career resurgence. The actress, who first gained fame in French-language comedies, has shifted dramatically toward arthouse dramas over the past decade, earning critical laurels for her work in emotionally austere films. Her turn in It Boy reportedly required her to work in a language not her own, a challenge she embraced during the shoot. Okamoto, who previously appeared in major studio fare like Wolverine and Ghost in the Shell, has been steadily pivoting toward more nuanced, character-driven projects, and her supporting push here is seen as a deliberate step away from blockbuster obligations.
What remains unclear is how the awards bodies themselves will receive the categorization. Guild rules and academy voting often deviate from a studio’s preferred lines, and there is precedent for organizations reclassifying performances against a campaign's wishes. However, the production’s early move suggests confidence that the distinction will stick. One veteran awards strategist, speaking anonymously, noted that the split is “textbook smart” for a film with no major studio infrastructure behind it. “You don’t have the budget to run two lead campaigns from the same title,” they said. “You pick your strongest horse in lead, and you thank the other actress’s role is showy enough to ride support. That’s exactly what happened here.”
The Cannes jury’s reaction to It Boy - which secured the film significant critical praise but no top-tier prize - was nonetheless seen as a precursor to a longer awards life. Industry observers point to the parallel of past Cannes titles that failed to take the Palme but flourished in the U.S. awards season on the strength of acting work. Given the prominence of Efira’s and Okamoto’s names in early prediction lists, the confirmation of their category assignments will likely reshape several forecast models in the weeks ahead.
For now, audiences remain in the dark about when It Boy will reach theaters or streaming platforms. The producers are believed to be waiting for a prestigious autumn festival slot before committing to a release window, with some speculation pointing to Telluride or Toronto as next stops. Until then, the film’s awards path is officially charted: two actresses, two different races, one shared project - and no internal rivalry to muddy the narrative.
As the campaign gears up, Efira’s camp has already begun selective screenings for critics’ groups, while Okamoto’s team is planning a round of intimate Q&A sessions with academy members in Los Angeles and New York. Both efforts will dovetail with a broader publicity push that is expected to accompany the film’s eventual rollout. Whether the gambit pays off remains to be seen, but for now, insiders say the mood among the production is buoyant. One thing is certain: It Boy has suddenly become a name to watch, even if almost nothing is known about it.
Source: Hollywood Reporter