Actress in a Supporting Role, Personal Ballot
Oscar predictions are already up for Best Supporting Actress.
It's looking like the most settled of the acting categories with Viola Davis, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Nicole Kidman, and Octavia Spencer all widely expected to place.
If there's a sudden shift look for either Greta Gerwig or Janelle Monae to spoil... or enliven the party, depending on your preferences. "Spoiler" is such a weird word in this context, no? Regardless, it will be a good year for the Academy in Supporting Actress with all seven of those performances that ranging from quite good to phenomenal; we'll take it!
But it's not my personal ballot and that's not only because I consider Viola Davis a lead in Fences (I realize others feel differently). Three of those names above, however, do make my personal list. The two I'd like to add to the mix are Riley Keough, so mesmerizingly trashy/real as a entrepeneur (of sorts) toying with her underlings in American Honey and Elle Fanning doing the best work of her already lauded teenage career (thus far) in 20th Century Women. Read the writeups here at the Film Bitch Awards.
Reader Comments (33)
A great list no one has mentioned Tyne Daly all season long and that's a shame.
I need Greta Gerwig to be nominated. That performance is perfection.
Ah, you did watch American Honey (I still haven't).
My five:
Elle Fanning (20th Century Women)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Lupita Nyong'o (Queen of Katwe)
Rachel Weisz (The Lobster)
Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)
Were the film on the Academy's eligibile list, NATHALIE BAYE's name would be high on my list for "It's Only the End of the World". As it is, I'd go for:
MICHELLE WILLIAMS "Manchester By the Sea"
LINDA EMOND "Indignation"
KATE DICKIE "The Witch"
JANELLE MONAE "Moonlight"
ANN DOWD "Captain Fantastic"
Must admit to not having seen "20th Century Women" yet. I'm already an Elle Fanning admirer (think she should have been Best Actress nominated a few seasons back for "Ginger and Rosa"). So I'm looking forward to seeing whether she or Greta Gerwig can shake up my list.
So pleased you caught up to AMERICAN HONEY. I did a rewatch this week and Keough likely jumped onto my ballot as well, but didn't strike me as strongly the first time. What'd you think of the film overall?
My winner would be J. Smith-Cameron for Christine.
The Supporting actress category is a bit dry this year. I like all of the potential nominees but excluding Viola from the bunch, who I rather see put in lead, I don't feel too strongly about the other four. Spencer and Kidman give solid turns but nothing that leaves much of an impression. Harris is good throughout but only delivers something truly great in the third section and Williams did fine in her big showdown scene with Casey but that's about it.
My top five:
Olivia Colman (The Lobster)
Lily Gladstone (Certain Women) ~winner~
Lupita Nyong'o (Queen of Katwe)
Imogen Poots (Green Room)
Angourie Rice (The Nice Guys)
'20th Century Women' opens today in Montreal. I'm very excited to see it!
I have to disagree that Viola Davis is "inarguably" the lead in 'Fences'. I finally saw the film this week and was looking forward to hopping on the category fraud train with you, only to be surprised by how much I feel like she actually is a supporting actress in that movie -- and that's basically the whole point of the story. The movie is about Troy Maxson, full stop. He's so self-absorbed that he doesn't allow his story to be about anyone else. The film doesn't follow Rose any time she leaves the house; she never appears in a scene that doesn't involve Troy until the epilogue. Rose is a supporting character in her own life -- that's how much she's sacrificed for her husband. That's basically the point of the movie as I see it.
Sooo glad you have Riley Keough on your Supporting Actress ballot. 20th Century Women just came out near me and I plan on seeing that soon.
My personal top 5:
Olivia Colman, The Lobster
Paulina Garcia, Little Men
Lily Gladstone, Certain Women (WINNER)
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Riley Keough, American Honey (Runner-up)
Jena Malone in The Neon Demon, anyone?
I still have not seen 20th Century Women (it opens in my city today) and, I must confess, I found Naomie Harris to be very bland in Moonlight. Part of this is the fact I feel I've seen the character dozens of times before, but I also don't think she brings anything new to the role.
My top 5:
Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
Kristen Stewart, Certain Women
Janelle Monae, Hidden Figures
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
I wish I could fit in Molly Shannon in Other People and Dakota Johnson in A Bigger Splash. I really liked Michelle Williams and Laura Dern in Certain Women, too.
Nat, did you ever see Certain Women? You never mentioned it.
suzanne -- i didn't see certain women. eventually i had to have a cut off date. tried to locate a screener and it was out of theaters but to no avail.
Great list! My top 5:
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Riley Keough, American Honey
Molly Shannon, Other People
Rachel Weisz, The Lobster
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Great list! My top 5:
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Riley Keough, American Honey
Molly Shannon, Other People
Rachel Weisz, The Lobster
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Molly Shannon, Other People
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Judy Davis - The Dressmaker
Michelle Williams - Manchester By The Sea
Lily Gladstone - Certain Women
Greta Gerwig - 20th Century Women
Hayley Squires - I, Daniel Blake
Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Kate Dickie, The Witch
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Lupita N'yongo, Queen of Katwe
Did you see "Indignation?" Linda Emond and Sarah Gadon are nomination-worthy.
Great List.
My top 5
Olivia Colman - The Lobster
Marion Cotillard - It's Only The End Of The World
Naomie Harris - Moonlight
Greta Gerwig - 20th Century Women
Octavia Spencer - Hidden Figures
Having not yet seen MOONLIGHT...
Lily Gladstone (CERTAIN WOMEN) - WINNER
Jena Malone (THE NEON DEMON)
Kate McKinnon (GHOSTBUSTERS)
Haley Squires (I, DANIEL BLAKE)
Michelle Williams (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA)
My ballot and oscar prediction: no guts no glory lol
Davis - Fences
Kidman - Lion
Gerwig - 20th century women
Harris - Moonlight
Williams - MBTS
craver -- your ballot AND your prediction? I hope you are very gifted this on Tuesday! That'd be an amazing (and conceivable) lineup.
Nathaniel, did you enjoy Kristen Stewart's performance in 'Café Society'? I'm a little surprised to not see her place on your ballot. You've inspired me to see out 'American Honey,' though!
1. Laura Linney - Nocturnal Animals
2. Olivia Colman - The Lobster
3. Tilda Swinton - Hail, Caesar!
4. Elle Fanning - 20th Century Women
5. Alice Isaaz - Elle
@Cal roth-OH FUCK YEAH!!!! Also Chloe Sevigny for Love & Friendship.
Nathaniel: I thought you were a fan of García in LITTLE MEN? Anyway, my list goes like this:
Paulina García, LITTLE MEN
Harris, MOONLIGHT
Keough, AMERICAN HONEY
Kidman, LION
Zeggers, EL CLUB
20th Century Women and Lion unseen... here's my ballot
01. Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
02. Hayley Squires, I, Daniel Blake
03. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
04. Riley Keough, American Honey
05. Dakota Johnson, A Bigger Splash
... with Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman (The Lobster) as runners-up.
I kinda hated Harris in Moonlight - such a one note/overcooked performance in a film full of beautiful understated work from everyone else. I don't blame her entirely - that was a very cliched, underwritten character.
I haven't seen any of the movies that feature the performances you nominated, but I love the list. Elle and Riley! Nicole!
Did you forget Nina Arianda or did she just not make it?
James T -- she was literally 13th and i only allow myself 12 *weeps*
Nat - You should definitely catch up on Certain Women eventually, you would love the actressing!
1. Paulina Garcia, Little Men
2. Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
3. Riley Keough, American Honey
4. Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women
5. Julianne Moore, Maggie's Plan
---
runners up: Judith Marge, Elle//Janelle Monae, Hidden Figures// Kate Dickie, The Witch// Elle Fanning, 20th Century Women// Laura Dern, Certain Women//
4 for 5 with you, Nathaniel!
20TH CENTURY WOMEN is such an actressing paradise. GG and EF both so, so wonderful, and Bening transcendent. And the guys were good, too! It's a crime the movie got no SAG love.
Also happy to see the love for Riley Keough here. I liked her a lot in "The Girlfriend Experience," but she really stood out in AMERICAN HONEY. Excited to see what she does next!
just came from 20th Century Women. Such an amazing movie. Everything just felt so lived in and natural.