Some lead actresses are made better because of the women who
support them. Other supporting roles stand out on their own, separate from
whoever earns top billing. Either way, here are 10 supporting actresses who
should have been nominated alongside the Oscar nominated leads for their films.
Nominated lead: Ingrid Bergman (lost to Jane Fonda, Coming Home)
Ingrid Bergman’s breathtaking turn in Autumn Sonata works so well much in part to Liv Ullmann’s
devastating performance. And visa versa. To praise one is to praise the other.
Kelly McGillis – The
Accused (1988)
Nominated lead: Jodie Foster (won)
McGillis is the welcome voice of reason for Foster’s
vengeful rape victim in The Accused.
It isn’t nearly as flashy a role as Foster’s, but an it’s essential one all the
same.
Jennifer Connelly –
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Nominated lead: Ellen Burstyn (lost to Julia Roberts,
Erin Brockovich)
Burstyn and Connelly don’t share a single scene in Requiem for a Dream, but that’s no
excuse for Connelly’s baffling exclusion in this category. Sure, the Academy
made up for it next year, when they awarded Connelly for her work in A Beautiful Mind, but her role in Requiem is nothing short of gut
wrenching.
Patricia Clarkson – Far
From Heaven (2002)
Nominated lead: Julianne Moore (lost to Nicole
Kidman, The Hours)
Clarkson’s eventual disdain for Moore’s actions in Far From Heaven made for some of the
film’s most compelling moments. Clarkson was vital at propelling Moore’s guilt.
Christina Ricci –
Monster (2003)
Nominated lead: Charlize Theron (won)
When I got the idea for this list, Christina Ricci’s role in
Monster was the first performance I
jotted down. Like Ullmann and Bergman in Autumn
Sonata, to praise Theron’s startling work in Monster is to credit Ricci’s distressing portrayal of innocence
lost.
Melissa Leo – 21
Grams (2003)
Nominated lead: Naomi Watts (lost to Charlize Theron,
Monster)
Watts and Leo never meet in the fractured world of 21 Grams, but their actions affect each
other’s characters irreversibly. I’m so taken with Leo’s desperation in this
movie. She wants nothing more than her troubled husband to get his life back in
order, when he most surely will not.
Emily Blunt – The
Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Nominated lead: Meryl Streep (lost to Helen Mirren, The Queen)
Meryl Streep was good as a spiteful fashion magazine editor
in The Devil Wears Prada, but she was
far from the standout. That honor would go to Blunt’s turn as an impressively
bitchy assistant. She’s all anyone could talk about when the credits rolled.
Rosemarie DeWitt –
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Nominated lead: Anne Hathaway (lost to Kate Winslet, The Reader)
Perhaps my favorite performance on this list, Rosemarie
DeWitt was a quiet, angry revelation in Rachel
Getting Married. As the neglected older sister to Anne Hathaway’s drug
addict character, DeWitt more than deserved to have a seat as a nominee come
Oscar night. Hell, in my opinion, she deserved to win.
Mila Kunis – Black
Swan (2010)
Nominated lead: Natalie Portman (won)
As the devious swan who brings out the worst in Natalie
Portman’s impossibly innocent Nina, Mila Kunis floored me in this film. I was
aware that she could use her sexuality to her advantage, but I never knew it
could be so deadly.
Isabelle Huppert – Amour
(2012)
Nominated lead: Emmanuelle Riva (lost to Jennifer
Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook)
Most of Huppert’s scenes in Amour are with her on screen father, Jean-Louis Trintignant, but
their verbal battles proved to be some of the most riveting moments in this
ceaselessly riveting film.
I'm hoping for Sally Hawkins to get a nod too! I always find it interesting that in most years the best supporting actress category is the least competitive out of all the acting categories and there's always one person who ends up being the stand out lock (such as Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer)
ReplyDelete-Dan
That category is always so hit-or-miss in terms of its predictability. The years you mentioned were such (boring) locks. But then look at 2007... an even four way race. I love when it's too tough to call.
DeleteBIG YES on Emily Blunt! She was so good. Also totally agree with Kunis, Clarkson and Connelly. I still don't understand why the latter won the Oscar for A Beautiful Fucking Mind and not this.
ReplyDeleteLove Blunt in that movie. She's definitely my favorite part of that flick. Ugh, A Beautiful Mind is so bland, but I will admit that Connelly is outstanding amidst its dullness. Still, she deserved it more for Requiem.
DeleteOMG!!! I am in complete agreement with you on that list! All of these ladies got robbed! Damn... I can't think of anything or anyone to add to the list. I do hope for Sally Hawkins to get an Oscar nod. I'll be pissed if she doesn't.
ReplyDeleteNice! Love hearing that. All these ladies definitely got robbed, and it's a damn shame.
DeleteHawkins, for the win!
The only one I can think of that would make a great addition would be Chloe Sevigny supporting Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry.
Delete-Dan
Sevigny was nominated, bro.
DeleteDamn she was, my bad.
DeleteHa, it's all good. That was a well deserved nomination right there.
DeleteExcellent list. I agree 100% that Connelly was more than deserving of a nod for "Requiem..." I always thought her win for "A Beautiful Mind" was one of those Academy make-up awards for one of their prior screw-ups. Speaking of Academy screw-ups, I also don't understand how Julia Roberts beat out Ellen Burstyn that year. Burstyn was flat amazing, but that's off subject...so...yeah...great list.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yeah, Connelly's 2001 win was definitely the Academy saving face. And I couldn't agree more about Burstyn deserving to win over Roberts. That's hype over talent right there.
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ReplyDeleteYou know, I actually prefer Hershey's work in Black Swan to Kunis'. Ryder as well. But in terms of market probability, I definitely expected Kunis to land a nom. Don't really think Hershey and Ryder had a chance, sadly. Either way, strong acting from four females there. Love it.
DeleteLoved Blunt! She should have gotten nominated! Same goes for Kunis, I think she really complimented Portman's performance.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! I think Blunt wasn't nominated because she was still a relative unknown. That's certainly no excuse, because she is perfect in that movie. Love her.
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
When I saw the title, Christina Ricci in Monster instantly came to mind as well. Great list! I think all of these ladies deserved a nomination.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Ricci is so good in Monster, still her best performance to date in my opinion. Well, that and Casper... obviously :)
DeleteI am yet to see a couple of the list(McGillis and Ricci) but the rest of them could easily have been strong contenders in their respective years. Love the inclusion of Emily Blunt. She was so good. And Clarkson. Her scenes in that film are the ones I remember the most.
ReplyDeleteClarkson is really the unsung hero of that film, isn't she? She plays that character so well. I despise her, but I understand her.
DeleteMonster... man, that's a movie you've gotta check out. It's intense.
Great calls on McGillis, Connelly and Ricci. 3 unforgettable films and performances! Love Patricia Clarkson too so might have to eventually get round to Far From Heaven one day!
ReplyDeleteOh man, Clarkson is so good in Far From Heaven. A brief performance, but very effective. Plus, that's just a damn fine movie. Bathed in color. Hope you can check it out soon!
DeleteYey, Mila! She was so fantastic, she had to play essentially two roles in this movie, much like Watts in Mulholland Dr., and she was fantastic. Love the mention of Blunt, she was terrific.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Mila's performance really is a double role, and I love it. Blunt, too, so much fun.
DeleteLove seeing Ullmann, Connelly, DeWitt and Kunis on here. Though, I consider Ullmann a co-lead.
ReplyDeleteFair point about Ullmann as co-lead. But either way, she deserved further praise for that one.
DeleteHonestly, Blunt hadn't really impressed me till Looper.
ReplyDeleteShe was good in that movie, but I didn't really dig that flick overall.
DeleteGreat post! I agree with you on many of these. As an aside, my nephew performed in Far From Heaven when he was a little boy. He's in his 20s now, and still a dedicated actor. As a result, that movie has kind of become an honorary favorite in the family. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! I didn't know you had an actor in the family. Love it. Does he live in NY or LA? Or somewhere else?
DeleteRyan lives in NY. He has talked about moving to LA, especially since his sister is living out there. But right now he's getting ready to do an off-Broadway play, so he's probably in no hurry to leave NY. :)
DeleteThat's awesome. Really, best of luck to him!
DeleteGreat post, I totally agree about Christina Ricci. I've always thought she is such an underrated actress.
ReplyDeleteThanks man. Ricci is fantastic in Monster. In fact, I wish she was in more movies today.
DeleteI wish she was in more movies to, she really is great at playing different characters. I've always seen her as a character actress, perhaps another person you could add to your excellent In Character posts.
DeleteThanks for those kind words! I hadn't even considered her for one of those posts, but she's a great call.
DeleteJesus Christ, all of these ladies were robbed! To say that they were Oscar-worthy in the films you mention is actually an understatement. They were oustanding! Personally, I think that Meryl Streep owned "The Devil wears Prada", but Emily Blunt was definitely the #2 cast member that stood out for me. Wouldn't be fuckin' amazing if Blunt hadn't been just nominated but had actually won? She'd surely deserve it. She was astonishing. Hell, she always is. Such a shame she was robbed for "The Young Victoria" and "Looper", as well. I'd also nominate her for "Edge of tomorrow" which I recently saw (and LOVED), but that's not even a possibility. The minute I started reading your post, the first person I thought was EMILY BLUNT! Man, I love this woman.
ReplyDeleteI really love Emily Blunt as well. Even if she's in movies I don't particularly care for, she ALWAYS stands out. I also liked Edge of Tomorrow much more than I thought I would. She's a touch chick, isn't she?
DeleteShe's certainly a tough chick, man. That's why I love her! And obviously because she's an exquisite actress as well. But yeah, she has played so many badass roles over the last few years ("Looper", "Edge of tomorrow") and she can really kick some serious ass. And that voice, my God... She's so damn sexy and so damn talented. What an amazing woman she is.
DeleteAgree with you on Christina Ricci, Isabelle Huppert, Mila Kunis, and Jennifer Connelly. If Connelly were to win an Oscar, it should've been for RFAD instead of A Beautiful Mind (even if my personal choice that year would've been Kate Hudson for Almost Famous). Mila Kunis, I think, should've been recognized because she is pretty much the Black Swan of the title and was responsible for Portman's arc. An essential supporting performance.
ReplyDeleteFully agree with you on both points. I think Connelly mostly won in 2001 because the Academy was trying to save face for her lack of a nomination for RFAD. Not to say she didn't deserve it for A Beautiful Mind, but I'm not sure she deserved to be as much of a shoo-in as she was.
DeleteEven though this list came out before it csme out, one performance I would throw in is Carrie Coon for Gone Girl. Despite her and Rosamund Pike not meeting in the same scene, Coon was still the film's beating heart amongst a sea of darker, grey characters. I can't wrap my mind on how she missed out.
DeleteThat's a great call. I would have loved to see Coon get a nom for her work in GG. "The film's beating heart..." so well said.
Delete