The Academy has a long history of picking an incredible performance as their best supporting actor winner. Since I’ve been watching the Oscars, they have rarely missed in this category, and that trend extends back to the award’s inception in 1936. The supporting categories are meant to honor characters actors who rarely get the spotlight. No matter which direction the Academy goes this year, they will honor that tradition.
Brendan Gleeson is one of the most respected character actors of his generation, but he is shockingly nominated for just his first Oscar this year for “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Gleeson’s character drives the film’s narrative forward. He is the foil to Colin Farrell’s lead and an indirect nuisance to supporting actress nominee Kerry Condon. It’s a critical role in one of the biggest contenders of the year. It’s about time Gleeson got his time to shine.
Gleeson’s co-star Barry Keoghan is also nominated for “The Banshees of Inisherin.” His portrayal of the town fool is deeper than it appears on the surface. The character is a tragic one, undervalued and mistreated by his neighbors. The saddest scenes of the film feature Keoghan as the central voice. I’ve mentioned before that I was relatively unimpressed with “Banshees” on the whole, but this performance in particular stuck out to me.
Keoghan won a BAFTA award in this category, but the season’s sweeper otherwise has been Ke Huy Quan for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” Ke has been in the midst of an incredible career turnaround. Nearly 40 years after playing child roles in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies,” Ke has finally made it to the acting mountaintop. With SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe and Spirit awards to his name, Ke has established himself as a firm frontrunner for the Oscar.
Speaking of comebacks, Judd Hirsch scored his second Oscar nomination this year for “The Fabelmans.” The 42-year gap between his first and second nominations is the largest in Academy history. While Hirsch has less than 10 minutes of screen time, his impact is immense. It’s a pretty unhinged performance laced with chaotic, creative energy. “The Fabelmans” is a pretty standard flick on the whole, but Hirch provides the spark of madness that elevates a piece of art.
The most surprising inclusion in the category this year was Brian Tyree Henry for “Causeway,” the only nomination for that film. Henry has been working on interesting projects for years, and this is a major breakthrough for an already ascending career. The Academy recognized Henry as the standout element of the film, as did critics and audiences who happened to tune in. The nomination may be the win in this case, but it’s impressive that the Academy paid attention in the first place.
While the race appears to be mostly over, stranger things have happened in this category, especially when the BAFTA winner breaks from the general consensus. Each of these performances brought a little something I can appreciate, again making this one of my favorite categories of the night.
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