Early Predictions for the Best Supporting Actor and Actress Categories
It seems every year at the Academy Awards one of the most hotly contested categories seem to be for the best supporting acting gongs. It's always a hair's breadth that separates the winner from the losers. This upcoming Oscars seems to be going with the trend.
Best Supporting Actor
This years Best Supporting Actor category has been a long winded race. By the mid-way point of the year, three of the five allotted spots where practically shoo-ins — Ethan Hawke in Richard Linklater's Boyhood, J.K. Simmons for Sundance gem Whiplash, and Edward Norton in the brilliant Birdman. All three seemed like strong competitors and by the looks of things, they still are.
So who else could challenge them? Mark Ruffalo has now been added to the list of 'strong favourites' for his turn in Bennett Miller's, Foxcatcher. So far, Foxcatcher has been highly praised for its performances, with Ruffalo and Steve Carrell being strong challengers for both male acting categories. Other names that can be thrown in the mix are Tim Roth and Tom Wilkinson for Selma. Not much is known about Selma so far, with a few early reviews to draw from. But with a trailer and a few TV spots released recently, Selma is starting to gain momentum, so both Roth and Wilkinson could become possibilities.
It's being suggested Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice may not be the strong Oscar contender it was first perceived to be— due to it being too out there— Josh Brolin's performance has got a lot of attention from critics. So expect lobbying from Brolin's camp to help gain him a nomination.
if we had to name the nominees now;
• Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
• J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
• Edward Norton (Birdman)
• Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)
• Josh Brolin (Inherent Vice)
potential party spoilers;
• Tom Wilkinson (Selma)
• Tyler Perry (Gone Girl)
• Tim Roth (Selma)
• Albert Brooks (A Most Violent Year)
best supporting actress
The same can be said for the Best Supporting Actress category this year; it's just as competitive as the men. Although the men's category seems to be heavy in strong challengers, the women seem to be stacked in possible nominees. There is a chance that as many as nine actresses could be vying for five slots. Out of those nine, only one seems to be a certainty.
Patricia Arquette in Boyhood is about the only lock for gaining a nomination. Does this make here the favourite? I guess it does, but it by no means secures her success on the night.
One actress has a big decision to make this year; Jessica Chastain is in a familiar position once again. Back in 2011, she had the possibility of landing a nomination for up to four movies (The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, The Help and Coriolanus). She landed the nod for The Help but was beaten by co-star Octavia Spencer. History has sort of repeated itself. Chastain has the possibility of gaining a nomination this year for either Interstellar or A Most Violent Year. With mixed reviews for Interstellar and so far strong early reviews for A Most Violent Year, it seems Chastain may choose the latter as her best bet.
But Chastain isn't even guaranteed nomination, there is a whole host of strong challengers out there. Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman), Laura Dern (Wild), Sienna Miller (American Sniper), Kristen Stewart (Still Alice), Carrie Coon (Gone Girl) and Rene Russo (Nightcrawler) are all thirsty for landing nominations but all will have to fend off the mighty Meryl Streep (Into the Woods). Streep is looking for her 19th Oscar nomination for what could be a show-stopping performance in Rob Marshall's musical. What could hold Streep back is Into the Woods may not be the hit it's trying to be, but who knows? One thing is for certain, never bet against Meryl Streep.
if we had to name the nominees now;
• Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
• Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)
• Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
• Emma Stone (Birdman)
• Laura Dern (Wild)
All could all easily land nominations;
• Carrie Coon (Gone Girl)
• Rene Russo (Nightcrawler)
• Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
• Sienna Miller (American Sniper)
• Kristen Stewart (Still Alice)
