In a move that will come as a surprise to almost no one given the high acclaim for his performance, Casey Affleck has won the 2017 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his subdued performance in Manchester by the Sea. Affleck’s win was pretty much a lock from the moment the nominees were first announced, with many speculating that his only real competition would be Denzel Washington, who gave a compelling performance in Fences.

This is Affleck’s second Golden Globe nomination and first win; he was previously nominated in the Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture category in 2008 for his performance in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Competition for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama at this year’s Golden Globes wasn’t particularly stiff, with Affleck pitted against Washington for Fences, Joel Edgerton for Loving, Andrew Garfield for Hacksaw Ridge (of his two dramatic performances this year, that one was certainly a strange choice) and Viggo Mortensen for Captain Fantastic.

The controversy surrounding a 2010 civil lawsuit, in which Affleck was accused of sexually harassing two co-workers, resurfaced just in time for awards season, but had little impact on the actor’s campaign. And now that he’s secured a Golden Globe win, an Oscar nomination has become all but guaranteed for Affleck in February.

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