A number of people wanted Anne and I to discuss the seemingly thin Best Supporting Actress category on the podcast Friday, but we didn’t get to it. So it seemed an opportune time to dedicate this space to the discussion.
One should keep in mind that the race is still in its early days. This time last year we didn’t even know “Crazy Heart” would be in the mix, and any number of things can change. But while I have been saying for a while now that the supporting actress field is week, it does seem to be taking shape as of late.
There is no hard and fast frontrunner in the field right now. If Lesley Manville’s “Another Year” campaign were to switch gears, that would be a different story, but the only contender that feels right at the moment is Miranda Richardson as the fiery Barbara Castle in the Brit comedy “Made in Dagenham.”
On the next tier, I feel pretty good about Dianne Wiest’s chances in “Rabbit Hole,” where the three-time nominee (and two-time winner) stars as a concerned but affable mother to Nicole Kidman’s grief-stricken housewife. Meanwhile, Helena Bonham Carter could well ride the coattails of “The King’s Speech” to a nomination for the comic relief and emotional support she maintains throughout the film.
Beyond that, it’s still up for interpretation. Sony Classics has planted an early flag on behalf of “Animal Kingdom” star Jacki Weaver that could pay off. It’s imperative that people see the film so being first out of the gate with screeners is good insurance. Meanwhile, there are the ladies of David O. Russell’s “The Fighter,” Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. The studio is high on Leo’s chances in the showier role of mother to Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale’s Boston brutes, but all involved would love to see both find room.
Speaking of which, if you’ll allow a brief tangent, you might recall a recent Oscar Talk debate where Anne Thompson contended that Russell’s film had pretty much a snowball’s chance in hell at getting any Academy recognition. The reasoning seems sound enough. Russell is a bit of a hot-head director with no shortage of enemies.
But one of them isn’t Lily Tomlin, you might be surprised to know. The two had a particularly prickly relationship on the set of “I Heart Huckabees,” which bubbled to the surface when videos of their fights made it to the internet a few years back. But the two are actually close friends these days.
Tomlin was the emcee of Variety’s Power of Women luncheon two weeks ago and Russell was in attendance to present an honor to Adams (who stars as girlfriend to Wahlberg’s Mickey Ward in “The Fighter”). Tomlin introduced Russell as “my good friend, my favorite director” and added that the two “are so hip that they’ve written rap songs about us.”
They embraced on stage and Russell thanked her, saying, “Lily’s like family and is indeed one of the most powerful women I know, which I found out the hard way.” So, no hard feelings there. Could it be that these things are overplayed because they’re so juicy? Just throwing it out there.
Back to supporting actresses, I’m told Lionsgate is most excited about Kimberly Elise and Thandie Newton in Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls.” I won’t see the film for few weeks but the other ladies of the cast aren’t as likely. And also sporting two possibilities is “Nowhere Boy,” which saw Kristen Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff recognized by BAFTA last year. The HFPA loved the film, I’m told, and it will be a comedy/musical player at the Golden Globes, so perhaps that momentum could bring Thomas and Duff back into the conversation.
After that, it starts to get dreary. Barbara Hershey is a unique possibility for “Black Swan” (more so than the Venice-honored Mila Kunis), but one wonders how the Academy will receive that film on the whole. Speaking of Venice, Sofia Coppola’s Golden Lion winner “Somewhere” may have Elle Fanning in the mix.
Staying with child actresses, I would continue looking to the possibility of “True Grit”’s Hailee Steinfeld being pushed in this category, despite the fact that she is the lead of the piece. But there’s one more young lady worth considering: Saoirse Ronan in Peter Weir’s “The Way Back,” the latest contender to join the mix. The former nominee (“Atonement”) offers a lot of emotional context in the film, especially in later scenes.
I suppose it’s worth mentioning Rebecca Hall in the AMPAS-adored “The Town” and Marion Cotillard in the summer blockbuster “Inception.” I quite liked what Keira Knightley had to offer in “Never Let Me Go” and it’s a shame Bryce Dallas Howard didn’t have a few more scenes to chew on in “Hereafter,” because she’s easily the best part of the film. But the list starts to run out of steam after that.
The point is, maybe the category is taking shape after all, just not in the form we would have expected. And that’s fine. Not having an assured front-running contender makes it all the more exciting, right? So let’s watch it unfold and appreciate what we have.
The Contenders section has been updated throughout the week and the sidebar reflects my latest predictions. (Interesting to note MCN’s Gurus o’ Gold have picked the same 10 supporting actors I’ve had on up for at least a month. I hope that doesn’t mean a consensus is forming this early.)
Comments
59 responses to “OFF THE CARPET: Can the ladies get some support?”
The Way Back in for Best Picture and Best Director but not for best screenplay, any particular reason? Is it that the film is told more through images and tone than through words?
you think the way back gets directing and picture but no screenplay? hmmm
taking eisenberg out for actor hurts, hes truely fantastic
I always think original score is the hardest category to predict, and it looks like that trend will continue this year
I like how True Grit is growing in numbers, and i wouldnt be suprised to find damon or brolin find some love in supporting as well
I feel like we know less this year then we have in years past. let the race begin
Such an interesting change from last year when it was Mo’Nique at the top for months and months.
“Helena Bonham Carter… as Queen Elizabeth I”
Queen Elizabeth I?
I’ll be here rooting for Wiest (without having seen her film) and Cotillard.
Supporting actors/actresses… I always find them much more interesting as Oscar players.
Minor correction: Helena Bonham Carter isn’t playing “Queen Elizabeth I”; queens consort don’t have numerals.
I was looking at the animated feature contenders and there are somethings that need to be fixed.
-Yogi Bear is a live action-animation hybrid, so I doubt it will qualify
-The same goes for The Smurfs, and it comes out next year
-And I doubt Hoodwinked will get released as it was supposed to come out in like February (even Burger King had toys then), but it never came out.
So, that makes means there are only 9 contenders, which I think is barely enough for three nominees, unless there are seven more out there that will qualify based on the new rules.
My mistake on the numeral. Though I suppose I’ll just remove that entirely since she isn’t exactly the Queen “throughout the film” either.
is it just me or has supporting actress been thin since you started this site?
Mr. F: Yeah, I haven’t been paying much attention to that category beyond the obvious possibilities. Thanks for the notes.
kris, is there any reason true grit is strangely absent from film editing besides over sight?
Also Im suprised to see shutter island not even mentioned in art direction, my favorite so far this year
I’m pretty bummed nobody is talking about Rooney Mara in “The Social Network”.
Any word on when people are going to get a look at The Fighter ? Love and other Drugs is at AFI right?
req: It’s on the big list but not predicted. I’m holding out for now.
I was intrigued by Guy’s post awhile back about Kunis possibly sneaking in. That is something hard to predict as of now and I’m sure all attention is going to Portman.
Ah, no more Eisenberg, Tapley? I sure hope he gets in. I doubt I’ll see 5 better performances in that category. Looking forward to The Way Back, including a better cut trailer. Though I did like the previous one.
The sad fact of the matter is that too many screenwriters have forgotten about the supporting characters that enliven, color, and fill out the main story. Plots are simplified to the point of abandoning any real universe of people to act as best friends, mothers, neighbors, co-workers, or even antagnoists to the central characters. Jason’s comments about the category being thin since this website began is spot on.
I love movies. But I admire the better written (older) films when actresses who specialized in dynamic, interesting characters were just as much of a draw as the lead characters. I would see any film that featured Thelma Ritter, Agnes Moorehead, Ethel Barrymore, Joan Blondell, Eve Arden, Maureen Stapleton, Lee Grant, or Angela Lansbury….the list goes on.
Today, I can only think of Dianne Wiest and Patricia Clarkson to fill that void. Get busy writers!
From what I’ve seen so far, the only awards-worthy performances from supporting actresses came from Keira Knightley (“Never Let Me Go”) and Ellen Page (“Inception”), though perhaps you could call Naomi Watts’ work in “Mother and Child” supporting. Here’s hoping things fill up with Oscar season rolling around.
I see no reason why Marion Cotillard can’t get in for Inception. She’s an Oscar winner in a certain best picture nominee, and she’s fantastic in it. I’m pretty disappointed in the general sense of Inception fatigue.
Also, looking at the Gurus o gold…Hereafter? really? Are other people seeing the same trailer I’m seeing?
” The sad fact of the matter is that too many screenwriters have forgotten about the supporting characters that enliven, color, and fill out the main story. ”
I agree. A script like Inception with horribly written supporting characters (forced to mouth thankless exposition with a straight face) is considered some of the best writing of the year!!!
Kris, out of your predicted 10, only Way Back doesn’t have a corresponding screenplay prediction. Only James Cameron can make a contender out of a film whose script isn’t nominated. And The Fighter trailer looked so cheesy, I doubt the writers will nominate it. They even refused to nominate Avatar, the biggest film of all time.
re: The Way Back and screenplay, I mentioned this in the round-up thread but I’ll mention it again since people are asking.
It’s a fine script, but it’s a film more about the direction and the acting, IMO. So I’m remaining a bit reserved on its chances there. For now.
hey Kris, I don’t think there’s been a real opportunity for readers to post there predictions in a while, think there could be a chance for that?
It’s a really fascinating year for this category, because other than Helena Bonham Carter you’ve got a whole bunch of lower-profile, underrated veterans (Wiest, Richardson, Hershey, Thomas, Leo), really young contenders (Kunis, Ronan, Steinfeld) and a few unknowns. Not a major star among them. The closest would be Cotillard, but she’s probably a longshot.
Also, what about Sissy Spacek? I haven’t seen Get Low, but I did put her among my contenders when I first jotted some predictions down. She’d certainly fit right in with the other low-profile, underrated veterans. Man, imagine if they five nominees would end up being something like that: Weist, Richardson, Hershey, Thomas and Spacek.. Talk about some of the finest actresses around.
Anyway, I’d still love to hear you and Anne (and Guy?) dish a bit about the supporting categories, especially about potential winners since there are no real frontrunners.
cineJAB: Like a dedicated post? What would you suggest?
Kris, on Miranda Richardson: I realize that you thought she was great and can see her being nominated, not just because she’s great in the role, but because she’s somewhat overdue.
That said, I’m curious – are you hearing from somewhere “inside” that her nomination is a strong possibility? Because aside from your endorsement (and a couple of mentions in the recent Gurus of Gold that went up), I do not see/hear her name coming up a lot. If Dagenham is widely seen, and if the actors love her, then of course. But, do you know what I mean?
And do you think that HBC, Richardson, and a Scott Thomas (3 major overdue brit ladies) can all get in?
Also, I agree with Mike Smolinksi, gone are the days when there was a certainty of the ‘great’ supporting role (and the great supporting actors). I hope there’s a resurgence.
I still think Eisenberg will get in.
It’s usually quiet at this point, JJ, because voting members haven’t seen the films. More pundits will jump on the bandwagon soon (many still haven’t seen it, mind you). And I think it should be clear that she’s in the thick of it before long.
That said, I’ve certainly been wrong before, as I’m sure plenty would delight in reminding you.
Ha. I’m sure, too.
yeah that would be cool
Well, if Richardson gets in, I think Kris should get bigtime acknowledgement for being the 1st to predict her. :)
And can I just say, I know the talk is The King’s Speech right now, which is great. But it’s so early, and there doesn’t seem to be an overwhelming ‘No Country for Old Men/Slumdog Millionaire’ domination on the horizon in most categories (supp. actress, mostly). So grateful for that.
I think it’s interesting that people keep bringing up Rooney Mara… I don’t really think it’s an Oscar-caliber performance, but there are so few this year that I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s an impossibility that she could get nominated. I suspect that TSN is going to be the clear favorite going into the awards season (maybe not so much at its conclusion), so I feel certain that some folks will ride the coattails of the film itself into serious awards consideration. (Which is why I think it’s ludicrous to remove Eisenberg from the Actors contenders… I just don’t see the lead actor who gave a lauded performance in a film shaping up to be a frontrunner in a number of categories not getting nominated. But I may well be wrong.)
All I know is… who on earth would I root for in a year where Miranda Richardson, Helena Bonham Carter, and Dianne Wiest are all (potentially) competing for the same prize??? Ay me.
It’s too bad that the year is actually shaping up to have a great slate of candidates for a terrible slate of performances.
Not that the performances are terrible, mind you, but the slate as a whole seems kind of uninspiring. People tend to say that Best Supporting Actress tends to be a weak field, but I’ve thought the last several years had a number of really awesome performances, and this year it’s just kind of “meh”.
actually kris it would be a cool idea to have a poll of all the big films and see what the readership in general would predict as the 10. a la a readership gurus of gold
I second americanrequiems idea. Sounds pretty good to me.
[…] has a pretty great article up on this year’s still wide-open Supporting Actress field over at InContention.. Seriously, it’s anyone’s game at this point. I just updated my own predictions […]
if i could pick 3 sure bets they would be one of the ladies from Nowhere Boy (i prefer Anne Marie Duff), Jackie Weaver, and also Keira Knightley for sure. Saoirse Ronan is a more talented actress although she has to compete with Hailee Steinfeld. Too bad Chloe Moretz is the breakthrough this year but not in any higher profile/awards movie, because she is terrific in both films this year.
req: You got it. Next Monday we’ll implement that and a quick “post your predictions” item just before the Off the Carpet column hits.
Top 5 :
Wiest – Rabbit Hole
Elise – For Coloured Girls
Newton – For coloured girls
Richardson – Made in Dagenham
Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
Then :
Manville – category confusion
Scott Thomas/Duff cancel each other
Same for Leo/Adams
Hershey might sneak in
Sadly Weaver’s film might be too small to get notice
GO JACKI!
(that’s all)
I think when For Coloured Girls rolls around this category might fill out a bit – the movie seems made for this category.
Dooby: As I say in the piece, there are only two real possibilities for the film.
It’s a shame THE GHOST WRITER didn’t catch on. Because Olivia Williams gave the best performance I have seen so far this year. She could easily have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress, if the movie wasn’t forgotten already.
I still think about Olivia Williams (Ghost Writer’s best shot other than score). And does anyone think Redgrave will get a sole campaign from Letters to Juliet?
On The Way Back and Saoirse Ronan: Kris, I’m curious. And sorry if this is slightly off-topic. Regarding her (and the rest of the cast, in general), I know this is apparently a tough film to sit through (however magnificent it is). Is it emotional? Will it make people cry?
One more thing on the animated feature category:
The trailer for “Chico & Rita” is now on apple, and it says it is coming out this year, so there is another contender
Graysmith said, “It’s a really fascinating year for this category, because other than Helena Bonham Carter you’ve got a whole bunch of lower-profile, underrated veterans (Wiest, Richardson, Hershey, Thomas, Leo)”
….. I don’t think you can really put Dianne Wiest in the lower- profile, underrated category as a supporting actress. She is a 3 time Oscar nominee in this category and one of only two actresses in history with two Best Supporting Actress Oscar wins. She’s choosy about her roles. But her work is consistently stellar whether it’s on film or TV. Lower-profile, perhaps, but certainly not underrated. A nomination for her in this category this year would hardly be a surprise. A win for her in “Rabbit Hole” would put her in a league all by herself.
My pick for most deserving of a supporting actress nomination is Marisa Tomei for Cyrus. If anyone who works for Fox Searchlight reads this site get to it.
I think Whoopi Goldberg or Janet Jackson may usurp Lionsgate’s main contenders for awards recognition that For Colored Girls may receive from the mainstream.
/3rtfu11: Re: For Colored Girls, no, it’s Elise and Newton. That’s it.
JJ: The Way Back is not a tough film to sit through.
Mr. F: It’s set for a 2010 UK release, I believe, but I don’t think there is even a US distributor attached yet.
I’ve updated the animated category after doing a little digging and chatting with like minds. Looks like we’re tapping out at 12, 13 if Chico gets a distrib, but ultimately, 16 will likely be out of reach.
“Tales from Earthsea” came out in Japan in 2006, so it doesn’t qualify. And I saw the release date for “Chico & Rita” in Apple Trailers, so I just assumed that the Nov. 19 date was for the U.S
While Leo may have the flashier role in The Fighter, I bet Amy Adams wins for going against type and playing a supportive girlfriend figure. She’s well-liked in Hollywood, and it goes without saying the Oscar game is all about the politics.
Would love to see Bonham Carter win, but being a Hollywood outsider and having missed out on nominations for great work in the past makes me skeptical of her chances…The fact that she missed out on the win in ’97 despite being far and away the best of the lead actress nominees has me thinking AMPAS isn’t that into her :(