Oscar poll: Who'll win best supporting actress?
At this time last year, Mo'Nique was already out front in the Oscar race for best supporting actress based upon the early buzz generated by "Precious" at the Sundance Film Festival. And there was no stopping her thereafter, of course. This year, there is no leader.
Some pundits say Helena Bonham Carter is ahead thanks to "The King's Speech's" status as a best picture front-runner, but, truth be told, her role as the beloved "queen mum" Elizabeth isn't very expressive. Other seers say Dianne Wiest is ahead for portraying Nicole Kidman's doting mom in "Rabbit Hole," but that's just because she's an automatic Oscar grabber with past victories for "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "Bullets Over Broadway."
Lots of Oscarologists are betting on Hailee Steinfeld because she's got the grandstanding role as a sassy tomboy in "True Grit," but that didn't help Kim Darby in 1969. Even though Darby stole every scene of the original film version (some from feisty John Wayne, who nabbed the gold for lead actor), she wasn't even nominated.
So what about Jacki Weaver, whose "Animal Kingdom" led with the most nominations at the Australian Film Institute Awards today? Read more here.
This is one of those Oscar categories that usually becomes more clear once we've heard from the film-critics' awards in early December — after they picked the likes of Marcia Gay Harden ("Pollock") or Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") in past years.
Photos: "True Grit" (Paramount), "The King's Speech" (Weinstein).
Get Gold Derby on Twitter. Join the Gold Derby Group at Facebook. Become friends with Tom O'Neil on Facebook. Get Gold Derby RSS feed via Facebook. RSS Feedburner. RSS Atom.
Country Strongs Leighton Meester will be a surprise contender
Posted by: Key | November 04, 2010 at 01:16 PM
I'm predicting:
Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"
Dale Dickey "Winter's Bone"
Mila Kunis, "Black Swan"
Sissy Spacek, "Get Low"
Dianne Wiest, "Rabbit Hole"
Posted by: Joe | November 01, 2010 at 01:56 PM
I can't believe you left Dale Dickey off of this list for Winter's Bone. She was mesmerizing.
My fingers are crossed that Dickey, Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes all get nominated, but especially Dale.
Posted by: Joe | November 01, 2010 at 11:52 AM
No mention of Melissa Leo or Kristen Stewart for Welcome To The Rileys? I had a chance to see it this last weekend and they blew me away! If people can forget about Twilight and really look at the performance I think Kristen Stewart stands a great chance..her performance moved me to tears. It would be a shame if she gets over looked.
Posted by: Lily | November 01, 2010 at 06:42 AM
This race will be up for grabs. It looks to resemble the years that Marcia Gay Harden and Tilda Swinton won it when there was a different frontrunner every week.
Posted by: Michael | October 31, 2010 at 02:13 PM
What about Milla Jovovich in Stone? I haven't seen it yet, but have heard she's very strong in it...and could Greta Gerwig be considered Supporting? I think so, and she was fantastic in Greenberg. Out of the suggestions listed, I've gotta go with Cotillard...hopefully her winning for La Vie En Rose wouldn't set her back in the race because she's completely amazing in Inception.
Posted by: Jennifer | October 30, 2010 at 01:41 PM
I don't care if "For Colored Girls" is the worst film since "Manos: Hands of Fate," Thandie Newton is overdue for a nomination after getting unjustly snubbed for "Crash."
Posted by: AK | October 30, 2010 at 12:13 AM
Wait til you see Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM. It will make hairs stand on end and make blood run cold.
Posted by: beyondwords | October 29, 2010 at 05:40 PM
Just so you know...Marcia Gay Harden was not a frontrunner or even thought to be in the running back in 2001 for "Pollock". She did win the NYFCC award, but that was it. Almost the category was up for grabs, the consensus was that Kate Hudson would win, with Dame Judi Dench as a possible alternative, after she won SAG.
Posted by: Mike | October 29, 2010 at 02:56 PM
Helena Bonham Carter and Kiera Knightley should be serious contenders for supporting actress noms. Carter is overdue and Knightley is well deserving for Never Let Me Go. (Carey Mulligan is deserving for a lead actress nom for Never Let Me Go). Andrew Garfield should be considered for either NLMG or Social Network - he's wonderful in both.
Posted by: steve herrera | October 29, 2010 at 01:13 PM
Anne-Marie Duff for Nowhere Boy!
Posted by: Mimi Minou | October 29, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Oh, come on, Anne! We pundits play this game all the time before we see all of the films. Why can't award nuts? At tleast they have the benefit of knowing our points of view before they jump off cliffs.
Posted by: Tom O'Neil | October 28, 2010 at 06:07 PM
What's the point of having people participate in a poll like this when most of them have not seen most of the movies? On what basis are people voting? A hunch?
Posted by: Anne Thompson | October 28, 2010 at 05:26 PM
How can you expect people to vote when most of these films have yet to be seen? Is it based on gossip from columnists? Pretty silly poll....
Posted by: peter | October 28, 2010 at 03:46 PM
No mention of Mila Kunis? I don't know how much of a real shot she has, especially with Barbara Hershey in the same movie, but I've heard good things.
Posted by: Jeff C. | October 28, 2010 at 01:14 PM
I think that Elle Fanning (Somewhere) and Julianne Moore (The Kids are Alright) are strong contenders. I also think, although minimum screentime, Rooney Mara in the Social Network was fantastic. It could be one of those nomination for short performances like Viola Davis or Judi Dench.
Posted by: Angel | October 28, 2010 at 07:54 AM
I think Keira was wonderful in Never Let Me Go and Rabbit Hole looks remarkable. I also think Welcome To The Rileys looks like it could be a underdog in the Oscar race this year. I am hearing amazing things about Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo's performances.
Posted by: Jessica | October 28, 2010 at 05:29 AM
You mentioned Melissa Leo in "The fighter", I want to add her role beautiful role in the movie "Welcome to the Rileys" with James Gandolfini and Kristen Stewart ;)
Posted by: Félix | October 28, 2010 at 01:07 AM