Though the Supporting Actor categories don’t have the prestige of the biggest awards of the night, they are almost always among the most competitive of the night – a trend that holds true once again this time around.
From terrific performances by Tommy Lee Jones and Philip Seymour Hoffman to memorable turns by Anne Hathaway and Amy Adams, the Academy has some tough choices to make once again. Here’s a preview of the actors/actresses with the best chance at bringing home the Oscar this year.
Best Supporting Actress:
Favorite – Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables.”
With her haunting performance as a prostitute in the underbelly of Paris in “Les Miserables,” Hathaway is a safe bet to win Best Supporting Actress this year. Hathaway put together one of those physically transforming performances the Academy has rewarded again and again over the years, and there’s no reason to think the trend won’t continue here.
“Les Miserables” also doesn’t seem to have much of a chance in the other categories, which likely only increases Hathaway’s chances of giving “Les Mis” it’s only Oscar. After co-starring in “The Dark Knight Rises” and potentially winning an Oscar, 2012 was a pretty good year for Hathaway.
Dark Horses – Amy Adams, “The Master” and Sally Field, “Lincoln.”
With her fourth nomination for an Oscar, Adams has as good a chance as anyone not named Anne Hathaway to walk away with the trophy. Her performance as the twisted wife of a charismatic cult leader in “The Master” pointed out that she’s as versatile as any actress in Hollywood, though “The Master” probably lacks the Oscar buzz to get Adams over the top.
As Sally Field famously pointed out when winning her second Best Actress Oscar all the way back in 1985 for “Places in the Heart,” the Academy does really like her. Field played a crucial role as Abe’s batty but trustworthy wife, giving her a shot against Adams and Hathaway.
Also Nominated – Helen Hunt, “The Sessions” and Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Hunt snuck in with her second Oscar nomination for her touching performance in drama “The Sessions,” though she doesn’t stand much of a chance at actually bringing home the hardware. With an Oscar win for Best Actress (“As Good as it Gets”) already in her pocket, a nomination is already a nice reward for Hunt.
Jacki Weaver also gave a nice performance as Bradley Cooper’s saintly mother in “Silver Linings Playbook,” but it’s hard to imagine her beating the heavy favorites in a fairly limited role.
Best Supporting Actor:
Favorites – Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln” and Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master.”
Once again it’s “Lincoln” versus “The Master,” with two very well-liked actors giving memorable performances the Academy would love to reward. Jones seems to have the inside track, though, for his hilarious and entertaining performance as a grumpy, no-nonsense abolitionist teaming up with Lincoln to pass the 13th Amendment and end slavery. Though Jones did already win the award for “The Fugitive,” that was nearly 20 years ago and “Lincoln” is so well-liked that he has a great chance to win his second gold statuette.
Potentially standing in his way is Philip Seymour Hoffman, who once again showcases his uncanny acting range as a charlatan religious leader trying to get his thumb on Joaquin Phoenix’s troubled drifter. Hoffman already has a Best Actor win (“Capote”) but was passed over for Best Supporting Actor for both “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “Doubt.” Hoffman has clout and another great performance backing him up, giving him a chance to upset Jones and take down the Oscar.
Dark horses – Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained” and Alan Arkin, “Argo.”
Though Jones and Hoffman look like good choices, this is a deep category once again this year, and both Christoph Waltz and Alan Arkin also stand a chance at winning. Waltz already won the Golden Globe for his performance as a smooth-talking bounty hunter in “Django,” but his character is nowhere near as memorable as the nefarious Nazi from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” Waltz won the Supporting Oscar for that role, which makes it unlikely that the Academy will give him another win so soon despite the acclaim.
Arkin also has an Oscar win (“Little Miss Sunshine”), though his hilarious performance as a sewer-mouthed movie producer in “Argo” was one of the films highlights.
Also Nominated – Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”
It was good to see Robert De Niro in a real role in a good film, but he seems like an extreme underdog to win despite the acclaim for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
(Note: the 85th Academy Awards will air on ABC on Sunday, February 24.)
by RTT Staff Writer
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