2015 Awards Season: Oscar Highlight: Best Supporting Actress
February 24, 2016
With our annual Oscar Prediction contest underway, now is the best time to look at the nominees and try and figure out who the favorites are and which films should just feel honored to be nominated. This year, Best Supporting Actress is a two-horse race, making it one of the more competitive categories of the ones we are going to look at.
(Note: All previous awards listed are only for acting and not other categories. However, they are for supporting and lead acting. Previous awards and nominations are not for TV roles, on the other hand. )
Best Supporting Actress
Rooney Mara for Carol
Rachel McAdams for Spotlight
Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs
Conclusion: Alicia Vikander is a tiny favorite for The Danish Girl, but Kate Winslet is close behind. This might be the closest of the races we are profiling.
Jennifer Jason Leigh for The Hateful Eight
Tomatometer Score: 75% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: Golden Globe and BAFTA
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and Four Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: The reviews are merely good and not great and it missed box office expectations. Perhaps if Jennifer Jason Leigh had been robbed of an Oscar earlier in her career she would have a chance here. As it is, she might be the longest of the long shots.
Tomatometer Score: 93% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: SAG, Gloden Globes, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Award
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None (One Pending)
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One Oscar and One Golden Globe
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: This film's Awards Season buzz peaked way too soon. It earned a lot of nominations, but hasn't been able to turn many of them into awards. This will be another case of close, but no prize.
Tomatometer Score: 96% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: Two SAGs and One Independent Spirit Award
Movie's Previous Major Wins: SAG and One Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One SAG
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: Rachel McAdams and Jennifer Jason Leigh are in a battle for the longest of the long shots. She missed out on the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs as far as nominations are concerned and her only two wins were as part of casts, not individual awards.
Tomatometer Score: 69% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: SAG, Gloden Globes, and BAFTA
Movie's Previous Major Wins: SAG
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and One BAFTA
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: There's about a 50/50 chance Alicia Vikander will win for The Danish Girl. She earned a number of nominations for her performance in this movie as a Leading Actress and that could help her win Best Supporting Actress, because she has more screen time to make an impression on voters. However, there has been some major backlash against the movie, because a cis actor is playing a trans character in a way that many actual trans people find cringe-worthy. It's not Mr. Yunioshi bad, but still not good.
Tomatometer Score: 86% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: SAG, Gloden Globes, and BAFTA
Movie's Previous Major Wins: SAG and BAFTA
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Six Oscars, Ten Golden Globes, Seven BAFTAs, and Ten SAGs
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Oscar, Three Golden Globes, Two BAFTAs, and Two SAG
Notes: This is the safest choice for the Academy to go with. Since the Academy is dealing with controversy, it might be the most likely choice as well.
Filed under: Awards Season, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, Spotlight, Steve Jobs, Carol, Kate Winslet, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams, Alicia Vikander