Illustration by Kyle Metcalf

Each year around this time, I sit down with several Oscar voters who, under the warm cloak of anonymity, spill their true feelings about the current season's crop of contenders.

Not just what or whom they voted for, but exactly why and how they came to those decisions. It's not meant to be a scientific survey; it's just the candid, unsugarcoated opinions of a handful of members (out of 6,687) of the most important and powerful movie club in the world.

Below is an edited transcript of one such conversation, Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot #1, with a longtime female member of the 1,158-member actors branch who — this season, anyway — is not associated with any of the nominees.

More: Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot #2 I Brutally Honest Ballot #3