This is the first of four posts I am doing on the Academy Awards, which airs this Sunday. This post focuses on the supporting acting categories. Unlike last year when these categories were filled with mostly minor performances, the supporting actor and actress categories are teeming with talented performances this year.
Best Supporting Actor:
Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips
Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street
Bradley Cooper in American Hustle
Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club
Michael Fassbender in 12 Years A Slave
Who Will Win:
Jared Leto. His turn as a transgender AIDS patient struggling with drug addiction is a complete transformation for Leto. If there's one thing the Academy has consistently rewarded, it's actors who transform themselves for roles. If you have any doubts about Leto's chances of winning, he has already taken home awards at the SAG, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice Awards this year.
Who Should Win:
It's hard to argue against Leto winning this award. The transformation he takes on as an actor is very impressive. Beyond that, the role offered Leto a lot of depth, and he takes full advantage of it in his performance. Another testament to Leto's performance here is that it actually brings out the best in his co-stars Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey. That all being said, this is easily one of the most impressive supporting actor categories in years. Barkhad Abdi is haunting as a pirate who slides seamlessly into the role of thief and hostage taker. Bradley Cooper is manic as the FBI agent who loses all sense of reality in his pursuit of glory. Michael Fassbender is visceral as the mentally disturbed slave owner who treats everyone around him like objects to be abused. In any other year one of these three could easily walk away with this award.
Snubs:
This category is so strong this year, there aren't too many strong cases to make for people getting snubbed. I haven't seen Jonah Hill's performance, and I really have no desire to watch The Wolf of Wall Street. I would personally argue that Sam Rockwell should have been nominated from The Way Way Back, but I'm fully aware that The Way Way Back was never taken as seriously as it should have been, and his name was never legitimately in the mix.
Best Supporting Actress:
June Squibb in Nebraska
Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle
Julia Roberts in August: Osage County
Lupita Nyong'o in 12 Years A Slave
Who Will Win:
Most of the acting categories are pretty much set in stone as to who will win, but if there's any chance of an upset, it's in this category. Lupita Nyong'o has won in this category at the SAG and the Critics Choice Awards. Jennifer Lawrence took home the Golden Globe in this category. Does that suggest that this race is extremely close? Probably not. Lupita Nyong'o seems to have most of the momentum going into this one. There's also the factor of Jennifer Lawrence having just won an Oscar last year. Unless something shifts the momentum before voting ends, Lupita Nyong'o is almost certainly getting this award.
Who Should Win:
I'm a little up in the air on this one. Lawrence and Nyong'o both gave amazing performances. Just like her winning performance last year, Lawrence is a force of nature in American Hustle. Her role isn't the most vital one in the film, but she steals the attention from just about every other actor when she's on the screen. The beauty of Lawrence's performance is how she makes her character larger than life one moment, and the next moment she makes her character seem like a vulnerable child looking for shelter. Her subtle moments are just as impressive as her over the top ones. Lupita Nyong'o's debut performance was the kind that can define a career. There is a deep personal struggle within her character that she portrays with perfection in her acting. The true testament to Nyong'o's acting here is how deeply she makes you feel the pain of her character's existence. At times the pain is emotional, but it is also physically embodied by the tortures that her character suffers at the hand of her slave owner and his jealous wife. For that, I would give the slight edge to Nyong'o. June Squibb is excellent as a blunt foul-mouthed old woman, but her performance lacks the depth of Nyong'o and Lawarence's performances. Julia Roberts gives one of the best performances of her career here, but in reality it's more of a leading role than a supporting role, so her nomination is a stretch. Sally Hawkins' performance was not even close to the same caliber as her fellow nominees, and her nomination makes no sense.
Snubs:
Other awards ceremonies this year gave nominations to Oprah for her role in The Butler. I think that would have been a much better choice than Sally Hawkins. The true snub here though is Amy Adams for Her. It's not the biggest role, but Adams makes it a vital role to the film through her genuine and honest portrayal of the main character's best friend.
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