This year’s Best Supporting Actress race made for, in many ways, one of the most wide open categories of the major nominees. While three of the contenders seemed fairly locked in place, the other two slots appeared up for grabs, and there was no shortage of deserving contenders waiting to fill out the field.
Contenders such as Samantha Morton and Julianne Moore ultimately missed despite precursor attention, paving the way for last year’s winner in the category (a SAG nominee in a film that found itself floundering by year’s end) and a young actress who found herself opposite the year’s likely lead actor Oscar winner (and landing her first Oscar nomination in the process).
The nominees are:
Penélope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious”
It has become rather obvious throughout the season that the writing has been on the wall in this category. But while this might be one of the least interesting races from a competition standpoint, it is nevertheless worth pointing out that there is some fine work here.
Penélope Cruz, however, doesn’t necessarily reflect that, in my opinion. Last season she was a dominating force on the circuit for her sparkplug performance in Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” but in Rob Marshall’s critically dismissed musical “Nine,” she lacked the virtuosity she displayed a year ago. While her character has plenty of humorous moments to chew on and, indeed, exudes a sexiness that can be difficult for the male-dominated Academy to resist in this category, the actress nevertheless feels like filler this year. She got in over a couple of more deserving co-stars, one with a misguided campaign, the other a seasoned vet who never made much of a mark on the season, but I think it’s safe to say Cruz won’t be getting out of her seat on Oscar night.
Managing two acting nominations in the same category for a film like “Up in the Air” is, in my opinion, quite the accomplishment. It isn’t unheard of for that to happen in this field, of course, but generally it seems much more comedic fare tends to yield that result. Nevertheless, Vera Farmiga deserves the accolades she received this year for her work in Jason Reitman’s film. Embodying one of two intriguing paths the film’s main character is faced with on his journey of maturity, Farmiga reminded us that she has more in one package than most American actresses working today. She hints at deep waters and complex emotions throughout that live in her subtle expressions and steady gaze. This is her first trip to the dance, and some might say it’s a bit overdue despite her relatively short career in features.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the nominations announcement (for some, anyway — ha) was Maggie Gyllenhaal sliding into the running with nary a precursor mention in sight. Fox Searchlight wisely shifted her campaign from lead to supporting back in December and it payed off, as the “Crazy Heart” star now finds herself nominated for the first time opposite the year’s likely Best Actor winner, Jeff Bridges (which can’t hurt). Dare I say that if anyone poses a threat to this category’s dominant frontrunner, it might be Gyllenhaal, who fully fleshed out what could easily have been a less complex role. She brought a certain Southern authenticity to the part and went toe-to-toe with Bridges as a single mother falling for the wrong kind of man, carefully balancing love with responsibility.
While the precursor circuit was largely manhandled by the last contender on our list, it was Anna Kendrick and her work in “Up in the Air” that seemed to be right there every step of the way. As a naive firecracker vulnerable to the typical stings of youth — love lost, ambitious dreams, professional inexperience — Kendrick made for equal parts comic relief and forced introspection for the film’s main character. The only thing that makes me hesitate in calling her an outside threat to win the Oscar, however, is the in-film competition she faces with co-star and co-nominee Vera Farmiga. Both have managed to find a place for themselves throughout the season, and yes, Kendrick proved to be the most lauded throughout, but one can never underestimate potential vote-splitting.
Rounding out the category is the contender largely perceived as the odds-on favorite to win: Mo’Nique in Lee Daniels’s artfully rendered “Precious.” The actress’s work in the film is instantly iconic and, without a doubt, one of the most amazing performances of this or any year. She has steamrolled the competition from the starting gun and has shown no signs of slowing down, despite the efforts of miffed journalists and opportunistic competitors who have attempted to seize on her non-campaign campaign as a downfall. At the end of the day, that Mo’Nique was able to get to this point without an overabundance of exposure and self-promotion is a testament to the fact that, if you really and truly have the goods, the work ought to speak for itself. And so it has, all season long.
Will win: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Could win: Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Should win: Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Should have been here: Marion Cotillard, “Public Enemies”
Who do you think deserves to win the award for Best Supporting Actress? Have your say in today’s sidebar poll!
Comments
60 responses to “OSCAR GUIDE: Best Supporting Actress”
Yeah, this was absolutely the deepest field this year, and yet, I feel like most of the actual noms wouldn’t have made my Top 5; not with the likes of:
Samantha Morton
Marion Cotillard – for Nine*, & Public Enemies
Julianne Moore*
Melanie Laurent*
Diane Kruger
Judi Dench
The only 2 who were on my own personal Top 5 that were actually nommed were Mo’Nique & Gyllenhaal.
And while I enjoyed Cruz in NINE; even showing some depth in the quiet scenes, I think it’s kinda lazy on AMPAS’ part to not consider Cotillard or Laurent – even when they were wrongly ‘campaigned’ as Leads.
I absolutely agree about Marion Cotillard in Public Enemies. Man, with all the build-up and consequential fizzle with Nine, I completely forgot about that.
Her role as Billie was the overlooked pinnacle of an otherwise bland and extremely disappointing movie filled with wasted talent. God, that would’ve been nice.
I don’t really have much to say about this category, because I’ve been vehemently pro-Mo’Nique from the get-go. Her performance was vicious, disgusting, terrifying, appalling, and strangely heartbreaking. You can’t get past the complexity and how brilliantly she got through it.
I’ll admit, I’ve hated Mo’Nique and her abrasive attitude for a really long time, but I can’t deny how great this truly was. She’s earned this 1000 percent.
The one category where should win/will win are the same. Besides Bridges for Lead Actor.
I would have liked to have seen Julianne get a nom in place of Penelope. Her work in A Single Man was one of the best of her career and she was much more deserving than Cruz, but I guess that’s when the male majority of the academy comes into play.
Could Maggie pull a Marcia Gay Harden ie win for a semi-lead role that got no attention all season except for Oscar?
completely agree that Cotillard should have been here for PUBLIC ENEMIES or NINE. The best thing about both movies by far and certainly more emotionally satisfying then the been there, done that Cruz performance.
That being said, Mo’Nique knocked it out of the park and her performance remains a remarkable discovery.
If Cruz manages to pull off a win my television is going to be trashed.
Agree on the Cotillard for Public Enemies mention, that’s actually my favorite performance of hers.
Yeah, Mo’Nique should go onto an easy and well-deserved win; but Gyllenhaal (though I actually feel she belonged in lead) and Kendrick were also great; Cruz’s nom on the other hand is a waste and the worst in the top 8 IMO.
I agree that I could easily see Maggie G. being the upset here. Her studio and herself seem very serious about this, in fact it’s refreshing to see how much she is loving being nominated and how hard she worked to get the movie out there. I noticed in the past month she had done so many interviews talking up the film. I think she could take the Cotillard route and outdo Monique, since we know Mo won’t be campaigning as hard in LA.
I won’t belabor too many of the above points (re: Mo’Nique’s shoo-in status, and Cruz’s bafflingly wrong nomination for “Nine” over “Broken Embraces”), but I will shout-out for Cotillard again – a nom for “Public Enemies” would have been welcomed.
I’d like to take the discussion in the direction of “Up in the Air,” namely how I have yet to understand the enthusiasm that critics, guilds, and academies have had for Anna Kendrick. I think it’s a fine performance for what it is, but it wouldn’t come anywhere near my idea field of nominees. I do think there’s a stronger case to be made for Vera Farmiga, from her subtle body language to her casual indifference that’s nonetheless as durable as Pyrex.
Kruger Cotliard and Laurent should have been there
penelope is such a weak nominee, damn weinsteins, should have done the work for inglourious!
I have absolutely no probem with Cruz’s nomination. I think she was a joy to watch.
Will win: Mo’Nique – Precious
Could win (yeah, right!!! :D ): Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Should win: Mo’Nique – Precious
My ballot would look like this (* = winner):
Penélope Cruz – Nine
Marion Cotillard – Nine
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air
Mo’Nique – Precious *
(and I have switched Mélanie Laurent to lead in my own awards). I haven’t seen Gyllenhaal or Julianne Moore’s performances yet.
Really enjoyed this article, I’m looking forward to the future ones, especially the technicals, where my knowledge is pretty light.
Mo’Nique certainly deserves this win, and I love the fact that she’s going to get it despite the lack of campaigning. As far as the rest of the nominees, Farmiga is well-overdue for a nomination, but it’s still exciting to see her name among the five. I agree with you that she’ll probably end up splitting votes with Kendrick.
I also agree that Cruz doesn’t really stand a chance. Gyllenhaal is an interesting contender, but I think Mo’Nique just brings too much to the table. Not that it’s a bad thing though, because I’m sure Gyllenhaal and the Crazy Heart team are ecstatic with the nomination alone. They still have a Bridges win to look forward to.
@Fitz: Supporting Actor?
I can’t say, as I haven’t seen Crazy Heart, but it seems that every acting category, save for Actress, will go to the best nominee.
@6 – “Could Maggie pull a Marcia Gay Harden ie win for a semi-lead role that got no attention all season except for Oscar?”
– – –
Actually Marcia Gay Harden was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award and won the New York Film Critics Award.
As far as I remember, Gyllenhaal has gotten absolutely nothing except the Oscar nod!
am I the only one who thinks Vera Farmiga deserves best actress this year for ORPHAN?
Kris?Guy? anyone?
@AmericanRequiem: The short answer to your question is yes.
The long answer to your question is: I’m sorry, you did say “Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist,” right? Oh nevermind. Then in that case, yes.
Wait, I wrote that wrong. My ACTUAL point was Charlotte Gainsbourg DOES deserve to be nominated and win (but hey, she’s got that Cannes award to keep her warm). Vera Farmiga in Orphan does not.
I will say this though: I want to see Farmiga and Sarsgaard do another, less terrible movie together. They have amazing chemistry.
Am I the only one who is getting tired of all this Oscar talk? Don’t get me wrong I love coming to the site, but I think you guys can put your talents to better use (like film reviews and discussions,you know, the stuff that actually matters).
There is nothing wrong with covering awards, but this is getting very tiresome, and it’s been a long time since you guys wrote any reviews or pieces.
I can’t wait until this Oscar stuff is over with so we can get back to actually discussing films instead talking about who has more awards buzz.
I apologize if this comes off as overly cynical but I wouldn’t be writing this if I didn’t value you opinions.
On a side note, I think Chad should be writing reviews. I am the only one would like see him do some more writing?
@Filmoholic: I’ll start with a positive note. Yes, I, too, would love to see Chad write more reviews. I’ve found some damn good films based off of his recommendations.
Now onto why you fail.
This website has always been largely about awards prognostication. You’re basically telling Kris to make this another website. The easy answer is to go to another website where awards prognostication isn’t the specialty.
Filmoholic: This is an awards site after all, so…
Also, I doubt anyone is interested in my or Guy’s reviews of such seminal classics as “Tooth Fairy” or “Legion.”
I mean, seriously, Filmoholic, just look at the banner. It says “No one needs awards coverage this deep…” What the fuck did you expect?
Well, Adam beat me to it, so…there you go.
Adam: Well, I guess the tagline for the site kind of makes Filmoholic’s point, in the final analysis.
@Kris: Well, in a schadenfreude sort of way, I kind of totally would.
I haven’t seen Precious or Crazy Heart yet, but I’m sure both actresses are quite deserving of the nomination. I’d have put Melanie Laurent over Penelope Cruz though.
I don’t agree with you on Gyllenhaal. Love her generally, but she did not make the character of Jean believable or very organic to the story.
AmericanRequiem: It’s funny, since you’re the second commenter who has brought up “Orphan” in as many days, but I actually agree with you that Vera Farmiga is really rather superb in it.
And my friend Tim Robey at the Daily Telegraph would completely back you up on that Best Actress call. It was on his glowing recommendation (of her performance, not the film) that I checked it out in the first place.
I think Farmiga did the best job in terms of these nominees, no….not Kendrick. Anyway, Mo will no doubt take it home……..obviously.
Robert: Go on…
I agree with Filmholic. No one is suggesting they want to hear you guys talk about Tooth Fairy or Legion, but more actual discussion about the films you dissect would be interesting.
Mo’Nique will break the trend for the last decade of black Oscar winners winning in pairs. However – if Sandra and Meryl split votes Gabby could end up with the mercy vote – but I suspect the mercy vote will go to Mulligan.
I’d LOVE to hear Chad’s review of “Tooth Fairy.”
His dry sense of humor would make it a rip-roaring good read.
And I happen to think the awards buzz is a lot of fun. There we be a small void in my life when the Oscars are over.
Single tear.
Filmoholic: If it helps, I’ll be bringing some Berlin festival coverage later this month to break up the Oscar talk.
James: I can’t help but think we go above and beyond the norm in that light but you’d obviously have to be more specific. In this very piece I’d say I’ve been pretty specific about my feelings on five of the year’s supporting actress performances, but whatever.
Guess you can’t please everyone. Usually I’m aiming JUST to please Megan.
Mo’Nique is the best of the five. No doubt about it.
“Guess you can’t please everyone. Usually I’m aiming JUST to please Megan.”
Aw geez, Kris. Come here, bro.
[Gives you a noogie]
i think Maggie Gyllenhaal will pull an upset
This is one of those years where I feel like there are multiples right choices. Mo’Nique would obviously be the most alluring choice, and I wouldn’t fault the Academy for choosing her.
I thought Gyllenhaal lent a considerable amount of weight to Jean. The writing for her was a bit flat, but she toggled the emotions of bitterness and forgiveness, grounded rationale and floating whimsy so well. I don’t think that she’ll win, but she’s my choice.
Mo’Nique is right behind, with Cruz following her. Cruz didn’t have that same kind of volatility or zest this year, but there was that same neediness in Carla as there was in Maria Elena.
The “Up in the Air” duo struck me as rather bland overall, and I don’t see why either was nominated. I would’ve rather seen Morton slide in there alongside Cotillard (for “Nine” though).
All my fingers crossed for Maggie’s Oscar. LOVE this actress. Sherrybaby was robbed of a nomination at the very least.
I definitely preferred Cotillard to Cruz, though I did love Cruz quite a bit. I just thought Marion was superb in Nine (and Public Enemies) I wish AMPAS had corrected her campaign and put her where she belonged instead of Penelope. Same with Laurent.
Though I haven’t seen Crazy Heart, I’m pretty confident that nothing can top Mo’Nique this year. She will win, and rightfully so.
It appears some people are seriously considering the possibility of a Mo’Nique upset.
Seriously?
Haven’t seen Crazy Heart yet, but from what I’ve heard, it’s one of Maggie’s weakest performances. But I’ll judge once I’ve seen it.
I loved both Up in the Air ladies and they deserve the nominations (I prefer Vera Farmiga more, however).
Mo’Nique was fantastic and will most certainly take the Oscar. I don’t really have a problem with Penelope Cruz since I thought she was great in Nine, but hands down I would have rather seen Marion Cotillard nominated for the film. She was heartbreaking and her singing was beautiful. The Weinsteins really f***ed her up this year with the category fraud. She would have been a sure fire nominee if she had been campaigned in supporting all season long.
This is Mo’Nique’s no ifs or buts about it. Will instantly go down as one of the greatest (top 5, very possibly) supporting actress wins in the Academy history.
It’s such a shame that Marion Cotillard couldn’t show up for “Nine”. She made that movie and was the only one who gave a full performance in both acting AND singing. When people watch that movie in the future (and they will, despite the reputation it has today) they’ll wonder why Marion wasn’t nominated, I’m sure. Not so much Julianne Moore.
I’ve got to say that I think this category is slam-bang terrific. I had predicted Kruger (my favorite supporting actress this year) and Moore (and actress I love), and I’m not even disappointed they’re not there. The three locked nominations are wonderful, and the other two make me very happy. Gyllenhaal is an actress I love, and it’s great to see her finally connect with the Academy. And I feel like Cruz’s nomination validates her completely, the same way that Tomei’s third last year was what it took to erase from collective memory the failings of her early career.
Overall pretty satisfied with how this field came out except for Cruz’s nomination which goes to show the Academy can’t resist a sexy, showy performance (I’ve heard Cotillard’s performance is better). I was disappointed to not see someone like Melanie Laurent not get pushed more and I think that’s only because there was some confusion as to whether she was lead or not. My two favorites here are Mo’Nique and Vera Farmiga (have not seen Gyllenhaal or Cruz though).
Mo’Nique should and will win.
Definitely Mo’Nique, although I cannot express how excited I was when they announced Gyllenhaal’s name! That was a sensational performance that absolutely matches Bridges every step of the way, and I remember being baffled when I walked out of that movie and found virtually no buzz for her.
But yay!
Oh, and Julianne Moore missing out was definitely a huge disappointment.
Laurent is a lead, so I don’t know why people keep trying to stuff her into Supporting.
Definitely Mo’Nique, although I quite liked Ms. Rain from the same movie; I wish PRECIOUS would have had the double nomination mojo going. My two favorite performances in this category were never going to get in… Celia Weston and Ana Faris played clueless repugnance for laughs in OBSERVE AND REPORT, but that movie just didn’t catch on.