Introducing... the Supporting Actress Nominees of 2016
Friday, February 17, 2017 at 5:48AM The new Smackdown season is upon us. Before we get to the main event, which will be in a day or two depending on when we finalize it, let's look at the ways in which even movie introduces the characters that will then go on to help their supporting actresses win a nomination. We'll take them in the order in which they show up in their movies.
After the jump you can also vote to determine the reader ranking of the contenders. You know you want to do it. Meet...
Okay try to turn it over now! Katharine? Mary! SOMEBODY ?!?
Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer). 3 minutes into Hidden Figures
After a brief prologue featuring a child genius at math, we cut to the main story. That'd be three mathematically gifted adult black women working for NASA. On this particular morning though the women are having trouble making it to work. Octavia gets one of only two comical introductions of this year's Supporting Actress nominees, and the only intro that's visually comic as we see only her legs sticking out from under a car at first. In this amusing and smart opening gambit to immediately invest you in the the titular trio we get all their personalities in a nutshell: Katharine is lost in her own very busy brain; Mary is sassily and confidentally chattering away; and Dorothy (Spender) is just trying to take care of the situation at hand and all the other women, too. She'll continue this dynamic with even more dynamism in the film. It all works. This introduction is endearing and you are with the heroines from moment one.
What are y'all out here getting into?"
Rose Maxson (Viola Davis). 5 minutes into Fences
Before we meet Rose, we've heard her name dropped as Troy's wife in a horndog conversation about "eyeing women" between Troy (Denzel Washington) and his best friend (Steven William Henderson). When they arrive at Troy's home, Viola enters the backyard. She laughs at Troy's brush off and horny response to her question in which he manages to remind her place is in the kitchen and then the bedroom. Her voice is full of conspiratorial warmth as if the three of them have had this exact small talk banter every work days for years. They seem happily married in this first scene together but it's also performed... and why and to what extent we will see as the film develops and the complexity of their lives together is unveiled.
WHAT HAPPENED?!? WHAT HAPPENED,CHIRON? Why you didnt come home like you're supposed to?
(Naomie Harris). 11 minutes into Moonlight
So many things about Moonlight are perfect including this disorienting shift in tone when we first meet Chiron's mother. We knew there was trouble at home from Little's (Alex R Hibbert) demeanor, but the previous scenes have been weirdly calming in the house of Juan and Teresa (Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monae). Director Barry Jenkins and cinematography James Laxton keep her out of focus for a crucial second but you can feel and then see her disruptive energy coming from the blue streak at the bottom of the frame and Harris' urgent delivery, less comforting and more accusatory than we'd expect from a mother whose child has been missing for a day. Harris we'll keep on knocking the movie off its hypnotic rhythms and Chiron off his meek game each time she resurfaces. Hers is the most dramatic and forceful of these five introductions as befits a character with way way too much messy drama of her own.
[Laughing V.O.] Misery island is where me and your Aunt Randi got married."
Randi Chandler (Michelle Williams). 28 minutes into Manchester by the Sea
This intro, a flashback which is not labelled as such in the film's organically sliding structure of memories coming in and out of view in the present, is a surprise. Her introduction cuts from a voiceover suggesting a combatie marriage, to an almost comic sniffling exasperation, in which the marriage actually seems pretty wonderful. Michelle Williams first scene is funny in a real mundane way that you aren't at all prepared for given the sober context and themes of grief. But these happy memories, with their jokey sadness, only make the real grief to come more upsetting. You don't know what you got til it's gone.
This is John and this is Sue... they are such nice people."
Sue Brierley (Nicole Kidman). 41 minutes into Lion.
We spend the first forty minutes of Lion with just little Saroo, lost and afraid and orphaned in India after a misshap with a train in the middle of the night which takes him hundreds of miles from home. We are introduced to his kindly adoptive mother through a scrapbook of photos. In all of them she looks decidely normal and neighborly. Unlike some movie introductions there's no hint that she'll be an important character -- she's just another complete stranger to Saroo and the photos contain not one hint of glamorous movie star Nicole Kidman. Neither does the performance we're about to see...
Reader Comments (56)
Solid lineup, though not a fan of Harris's strident histrionics. Wish voters would have taken a closer look at "Indignation" and put Sarah Gadon and (especially) Linda Emonds in here.
With Harris it's obvious on screen she had no time to prepare or just did not get the character at all,she adds nothing to this stock role and Rhodes walks away with her final scene by doing little,whilst Harris is doing her darndest to look unpretty and addled and lifelong smoker,the worst of the nominees this year.
Spencer is doing exactly what I thought she would do but does it fine and her scenes with Dunst fizzle,Monae steals the film
Davis on 2nd viewing I appreciate more especially the scenes after a certain character's death but she needs to get out of the subservient woman from the 50's/60's.
Kidman I just lover her naturalness here,the weepy monologue doesn't work for me but she is good in the scene,I am not religious so that may have an effect on her view but she sells the mother without being cloying and Hollywood.
Williams she's barely in it and the big scene rang very false to me,she was the most glam downtrodden grief stricken mother this side of Faye Dunaway,I preferred her in the opening scene,it really is a nothing role.
My Nominees
Kidman - Lion
Gladstone - Certain Women
Davis - Fences
Riazza - Christine
Shannon - Other People
IMO it is a very mediocre crew… there were so many better supporting performances Shannon, Gertig to name just 2
I rank them in this order: !. Viola Davis ( although I consider it lead )
2. Naomie Harris
3. Octavia Spencer
4. Michelle Williams
5. Nicole Kidman
Apart from Viola, who is arguably lead, I like that the others at true supporting performances. Michelle Williams would probably be the winner if not for Viola's category fraud.
1. Viola Davis
2. Michelle Williams
3. Nicole Kidman
4. Naomie Harris
5. Octavia Spencer
I will admit that Kidman's appeal is often, if not always, a complete mystery to me by I have to admit that I loved her performance in Lion. I am more than happy to see her & Williams nominated this year. The rest I've not seen, Moonlight & Hidden Figures open in the uk today!
Harris is terrific in "Moonlight". I thought Davis was okay in "Fences" (she's so very deserving of the statue in "Doubt" though) and I still haven't seen the other three, but I saw "20th Century Women", and wow, I don't know where those nominations came from, but Gerwig definitely doesn't deliver at all. Molly Shannon should've gotten her spotlight during this award season instead.
Viola and Naomie both delivered masterly performances, although Viola's positioning here is blatant category fraud. Give her the Best Actress Oscar she so richly deserves! Michelle and Octavia are both solid but unremarkable. Neither has good enough material to really shine. I haven't seen Lion yet.
Here was my lineup (with Viola in lead, where she belongs):
Sylvia Chang (Mountains May Depart)
Lily Gladstone (Certain Women) *WINNER*
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Riley Keough (American Honey)
Antonia Zegers (The Club)
The rest here: http://inwidescreen.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-wallys-best-in-film-2016.html
I love the supporting actress lineup. Too bad Davis' lead performance is competing with them...
Is anyone else just seeing black boxes and gray buttons where the polls should be? Happening to me on two different browsers and devices...
Yikes. Viola has the only worthwhile performance in this lineup.
I liked Nicole in Lion but it's depressing she got a nomination for that and not for The Paperboy. Honestly all of her Oscar nods Moulin Rouge! aside don't represent her strongest work.
I don't want to reward the shameless Category manipulation, but Viola is fantastic and none of the other four are good enough to justify voting for them instead:
My imaginary ballot would be: 1. Laura Linney - Nocturnal Animals 2. Olivia Colman - The Lobster 3. Elle Fanning - 20th Century Women 4. Tilda Swinton - Hail, Caesar! and 5. Alice Isaaz - Elle
Needless to say, they were pretty much unmentioned by anybody else.
@ ken s.
You must have been very disappointed by supporting actressing last year (or a mega-fan of Laura Linney) if that end-of-the-year cameo was your favorite supporting performance of 2016...
I did some analysis on your poll results, and determine the average score for each.
Williams - 4.74
Davis - 4.36
Harris - 3.85
Kidman - 3.83
Spencer - 3.32
Method: for each score category, take that number times the percent of votes it received, then add up for each score.
Lowest percentage: Kidman received 0% votes of 1.
Highest percentage: Davis received 61.02% votes of 5.
Also interesting - both Williams and Davis almost have the scores in descending order of percentage (i.e. 5 received the most, then 4, etc.) but Davis received slightly more 1s than 2s and Williams received more 4s than 5s.
I love Michelle Williams, but I don't get the love for her performance in Manchester. We all thought it was hammy. Can anyone explain to me why it's one of the year's best supporting performances? Seriously.
I would have nominated Harris even if she only appeared in that amazing scene where the light is kind of purple and she's shouting at the end of the hall.
Octavia does so much with so little and Michelle has three scenes and she kills every one of them (especially the funeral).
@Paul - I'm seeing the same thing on my phone's browser. Any idea Nathaniel?
I really like all of these performances. Viola's so my winner, but between the incontestably supporting performances (and I can't get that snippy about Viola's categorization, since it really feels legit on both sides and is nowhere near as bad as any other fraud nod lately), I'd happily vote for Harris. Her physicality was so haunting, even if on second viewing her voice felt too brittle. Kidman's so lovely in such a down to earth role, and Spencer's just as charismatic and charming as the whole damn film, which is a lot. I wish we had a real scene between the flashbacks and the present for Williams. It all felt so real and lived in but she just couldn't connect those threads.
As is, my own five is Olivia Colman in The Lobster, Elle Fanning(!) and Greta Gerwig in 20th Century Women, Naomie Harris in Moonlight, and Hayley Squires in I, Daniel Blake. They're all geniuses, and I'm still looking forward to Paulina Garcia, Riley Keough, and Molly Shannon in their films. With a big ol' shoutout to Janelle Monae's killer debut year and the two wonderful performances that came with it.
MDA & Paul... not sure what to do. i have really struggled to find a good polls provider since Twiigs went under. It works i test it but i haven't tried on a phone.
I think it's OK to put Viola in supporting since the movie really revolves around Denzel, but I'd still give the Oscar to Naomie. I've forgotten the rest of the performances already (other than Octavia's, which I haven't yet seen).
I like all these performances. Viola Davis would be my winner in this category even though it's a lead performance. I also loved Naomie Harris. Williams made the most of her small screentime while Kidman was a warm yet stern presence in Lion and Spencer added plenty of groundedness to Hidden Figures.
That being said, here's what my lineup probably would've looked like:
Olivia Colman, The Lobster
Greta Gerwig, 20th Century Women
Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Riley Keough, American Honey
This is a VERY solid lineup, not a single stinker in the bunch, even if I think Octavia Spencer isn't doing anything special at all. She does it well, but we've seen this performance from her plenty of times, and better, too. But still, she's very appealing. And she gets the best introduction. Kidman gets my least favorite introduction, even if it's appropriate for the character.
The poll doesn't work on my phone either.
1. Viola Davis. Davis is a rare artist who has the ability to create moments of transcendent reality. Everything around her falls away, and there's just her, shaking me with a recognition that I can completely understand, about the truth of that moment.
2. Octavia Spencer. Spencer is completely on top of each moment, and in each moment. If Spencer was a gymnast, we'd see her doing a perfect routine, with each movement perfectly placed to lead into the next. At the end, when the high degree of difficulty was posted, we'd be surprised, because she made it look so easy.
3. Nicole Kidman. In this role, Kidman is completely sincere, and deeply engaged. It's a lovely turn.
I haven't seen yet:
4. Naomie Harris. I like Harris, and the freshness she brought to Moneypenny in the Bond series. The description of this role makes me a little sad, an African-American drug addict bad mother. I'm sure she makes it special, but...
5. Michelle Williams. Why does one of my favorite actresses have to play a tiny support role to that twerp of an actor? I never want to see him in anything. More female leads, less forgiving wives.
Paul Outlaw: I know that Laura Linney has only one scene and her role is basically an extended cameo. But she completely blew me away!!! As far as impact goes, her performance was the most powerful piece of acting of the year for me, male or female, lead or supporting.
For goodness sake, Michelle Williams part in Manchester isn't tiny. It's just a supporting role. And she's really great. I'm not in love with her big scene, but she's great in the small scenes.
Mike: I'm not sure I liked Michelle Williams at all. Her "big" scene is cliche Oscar bait and her small scenes (in both writing and performance) paint her as "the nag", full of hot air, almost dying in a vaguely sexist piece of symbolism. Here's what I'd give them:
Viola: 5/1 (ONLY thinking of quality, it's a 5, but it shouldn't be in this category SO MUCH that I have to add in that slash and alternate score.)
Naomie Harris: 5
Nicole Kidman: 4 (The Oscar scene is a high point, but its not my kind of thing. Sorry.)
Michelle Williams: 2
Octavia Spencer: Unknown, probably a 3 or 4.
I've seen 4 of the 5 nominated performances (missing Octavia Spencer's). Let's cut to the chase... Nicole Kidman was great (in To Die For, but nothing since). Why she is nominated this year is beyond me. But why she received her other nominations is also beyond me - and that win?!?. Viola Davis gave a great stage performance in the movie Fences, as did Denzel. Unfortunately, this is a movie, not a stage presentation. Of the four nominees I've seen, that leaves me to choose between Harris and Williams. Of those two, I'd have to vote for Williams.
My own ranking (and some thoughts):
1.Viola Davis (Fences) - The body language is complete and affecting. Every element works so well and comes together in this haunting depiction of a 1950s homemaker. She has the unfortunate advantage of getting a two-hander drama rather than an actual supporting role, but her scenes with Denzel are magic. Also, she's LEADING.
2. Nicole Kidman (Lion) - From the first moment, she successfully shakes off her star persona and completely disappears in this endearing if stock role. Again, every gesture feels authentic and she just puts so much heart and empathy in this character.
3. Naomie Harris (Moonlight) - This performance is packed with urgency and commitment. Because of the film's POV, we see her character more as a series of fragmented memories than a whole character but she gives it all, and her final scene is heartbreaking.
4. Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea) - Another role that works with small scenes that accumulates into a big dramatic scene, she gets fewer chances of building the character than Harris, but maximizes every moment in relation to Affleck's damaged character. Her breakdown feels rewarding, if maybe too brief for me.
5. Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures) - Unlike the other contenders, save Davis, Spencer's gets to have a dynamic relationship with the protagonist without stealing the spotlight. She gets a more backgrounded role with no breakdown or visible tears (all of the other nominees cried at one point), but she composes herself with spunky but quiet resilience that goes along with Henson's passive but vulnerable protagonist and Monae's sassy and dignified irreverence. Every look has an emotional baggage that is more haunting than her words.
BEST SCENES
Davis: her initial reaction to Troy's confession
Harris: of course, her final breakdown
Kidman: admitting to Saroo their choice to adopt
Spencer: her final look at the colored computer room
Williams: her extended conversation with Lee
#3 to #5 shuffle anytime.
I won't rank them, but these are the scores I gave them on this poll:
Spencer - 3 (very good, but not blow-me-away great)
Harris - 4 (great, but not stupendous)
Davis - 4 (great, but not stupendous)
Williams - 5 (stupendous, not a false note)
Kidman - 5 (stupendous, not a false note)
@ Nat
The poll didn't work on IE on a public desktop PC and on Chrome on my iPhone, but it did work on Chrome on my desktop Mac.
For supporting actress of 2016, this is my ranking:
1/ Michelle Williams -- I thought she was the real deal in the movie committing nary a false move. Her big scene was not even my favorite. Like someone said in this thread, the quiet and everyday gestures she displayed felt even more authentic the second time I watched the film.
2/ Viola Davis -- Lead or supporting, her performance is volcanic. Like a Verdian aria, it goes for the big moments beautifully counteracted by wonderful small moments. But I still think she is a runner-up in this category.
3/ Octavia Spencer -- If the film is the rhythm section of a jazz trio, Spencer is the bass: steady, consistent and the pulsating heart of the song/movie. I like the quiet dignity she imbued her scenes -- quite the anti-Oscar.
4/ Nicole Kidman -- Although she was all heart and soul in Lion, she is in the company of more compelling supporting actress performances this year.
5/ Naomie Harris -- I thought she was really 'acting' her scenes. I prefer naturalness that comes with inhabiting the role fully without grandstanding. Unlike the other 4 ladies, hers was the weakest for me and one that did not ring true at all. Yet I'd like to see her in future films.
Davis
Spencer
Harris
Kidman
Williams
I'm not saying everyone's wrong for thinking Harris was overacting, but her purpose in the movie was to be disruptive, chaotic and bombastic. I think she gave the best supporting performance of the year. Overall, this is an exceptional lineup with no weak link.
I still haven't seen Hidden Figures (it's finally out here today!), but so far my ranking goes: Naomie Harris; Viola Davis (I honestly can't understand the category fraud debate. I went into Fences expecting her role to be outrageously lead like Vikander and Mara last year, but didn't think it was the case); Nicole Kidman; Michelle Williams.
I know many are pissed thar Viola settled for supp, when she cld hav campaigned n definitely b nom in Lead. But she's gonna have a tough fight agst Stone n Huppert!! And truth her win thr mayb a 50/50 chance, considering the industry luv for LLL n Stone, n the surging popularity o Huppert.
Under supp, her gold is all but guaranteed. Viola is taking the easy way out to win the Oscar. And we can't fault her bcos almos every actors wld probably do tt n to many a winner o a supp Oscar sounds so much betta than a BA Nominee.
My fav is Naomie Harris. She was incredible and the transformation both on screen and within the character is really good.
Viola Davis belongs in the Best Actress category
I still haven't seen HIDDEN FIGURES yet, so for now, my ranking is:
1) Viola
2) Michelle
3) Naomie
4) Nicole
Although they're all very good-to-excellent!
For those who are interested, I ranked the Supporting *actor* nominees this year: http://zummer.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/ranking-of-2017-best-supporting-actor.html
I'd rank the nominees:
1. Davis
2. Kidman
3. Harris
4. Spencer
5. Williams
The best lineup of the acting nominees.
I don't think Viola is category fraud. You could put her in either, but I really do feel she's supporting. (And not just supportive). Fences is Troy's story.
I'd have to agree w/ those who say Viola Davis's role in Fences straddles Lead/Supporting. Her nom is not outrageous fraud like Alicia Vikander's was last year (I'm still a little PO'd by her winning, actually). At any rate Davis is great, and I'll be glad when she presumably gets the gold. I'd have loved for her to have gotten it several years ago for Doubt in this category though.
I thought Nicole Kidman was wonderfully touching and real in Lion. I don't understand the criticism she's getting above - she would be my 2nd choice of the actual nominees. Harris, Spencer and Williams were all solid if not spectacular (and all indisputably supporting)–all in all, not a bad nom in the bunch this time around.
Claran -- i can fault her all i like for it ;) I dont support any actor doing category fraud. Not even actors I love. I think she would have won Best Actress even up against Stone & Huppert. But regardless, you should not be allowed to campaign in a category you dont belong in just because it's easier to win or be nominated there.. I'm so tired of people justifying this!
but that said the performance is great so at least there's that.
Everyone -- i'm trying to understand how anyone can watch Fences and not think of it as a two-hander about marriage instead of "Troy's story" but to each their own. All I will say is that I am so glad that this new definition of what constitutes a lead hasn't been around forever as it would be highly annoying to see like Clark Gable the "King of Hollywood" winning supporting actor for Gone With the Wind or Diane Keaton winning supporting for Annie Hall or some such, just because that would have been less competitive at the time.
Rob -- absolutely agreed on Kidman. I've seen Lion three times now and her performance gets more resonant every time. Really ace work. I shouldn't be shocked to realize how good she is at this point in my fandom with her but i can imagine the part being so much flatter in lesser hands.
I so agree, Nathaniel -- Kidman's role in Lion could have been a boring "noble mom" type thing, but she imbued it w/ such warmth, love, and pain. It's a very special performance, chief among the reasons that I and my companions left the theater genuinely moved (and in tears).
Samuel L. Jackson calls category fraud on Viola
Jackson's under the impression it wasn't Viola's choice. She made a decision for path of least resistance and has swept the season for it.
@Paul Outlaw
My ranked lineup:
1. Williams
2. Harris
3. Gladstone
4. Stewart (BillyLynn)
5. Keough
My ranked lineup:
1. Williams
2. Harris
3. Gladstone
4. Stewart (BillyLynn)
5. Keough
Didn't put Davis in because I consider her a lead.
Moving Viola to lead, my nominees this year are:
1. Naomie Harris, Moonlight * - my winner, she was best in show of a movie full of great performances
2. Janelle Monae, Hidden Figures - breakthrough of the year, such star power
3. Greta Gerwig, 20th Century - proving that she's not just a personality but a legit actress
4. Kate Dickie, The Witch - the terrifying heart of the best movie of the year
5. Alison Sudol, Fantastic Beasts - a comic turn that lifts this dreary miss of a movie off the ground
Not a fan of the Kidman and Williams noms -- I adore both of these actresses but I think these nominations are coat-tails nominations on lauded films rather than pure performance rewards
Nathaniel- I don't view Fences as a two-hander about marriage. I view it as a tale about a man embittered by the realities of being a black man in the 50s, and the difficulties that his anger poses to those around him. It's no more about his marriage than about his relationship with his son.
I know you hate category fraud-- you've taught me to do the same over the past decade-- but I would think that the fact that this thread shows a pretty even split as to whether Viola is supporting or lead suggests that this really could go both ways. This is certainly not as clear a fraud as Jake Gyllenhaal, Rooney Mara, or Alicia Vikander campaigning in supporting.
Or Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction. That was fraud on so many levels.
Evan -- if it's not about their marriage why does Viola get the last twenty minutes to herself? (but i do hear what you're saying)
san fran -- this is the first time i'm ever hearing the name, let alone as a worthy shoulda been. who is that? what does she play?
Nathaniel: Maybe you've answered this question before in another article here, but who determines what category a performer will be placed in before the Oscar nominations process starts? Is it AMPAS, the actor, the actor's publicity team, the flim's distribution team, or someone else entirely? And how do voters know for which category to nominate their favorite performances?