So, hey, whazzup with Oscar voters loving cannibals?

I know, I know, thre's no proof that Idi Amin was really a people-eater. Forest Whitaker told me himself. But the rumors persisted during his bloody reign over Uganda, fueled by tales that he exulted in eating (was the hearts?) of his political enemies after torturing them in prison. If true, we have a curious Oscar parallel. Rarely, do villainous roles get rewarded with an Oscar, of course. One notable exception was Anthony Hopkins in "The Silence of the Lambs," who delighted in telling Jodie Foster, "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

The two roles have something else in common. They're both arguably supporting roles.

(Fox Searchlight/ Orion)