One of the most difficult categories to predict going into the Oscar nominations was best supporting actress. There appeared to be two or three safe slots, and then a basket of other options that could break a seemingly infinite number of ways. I think the Academy could have gone with some edgier choices, but these five make up an interesting collection. Four first-timers and a two-time winner make up the nomination list this year. Let’s meet the contestants.
The two-time Oscar winner is Jodie Foster, nominated this year for “Nyad.” Her previous wins were in the leading actress category for 1988’s “The Accused” and 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs.” Foster’s role here, while substantial and pretty well-acclaimed, might be the Oscar-nominated performance this year that came closest to scoring a Razzie nomination. That has less to do with the quality of the performance and more to do with the film’s memed and bruised reputation.
America Ferrera is nominated for playing one of the few human characters with substantial dialogue in “Barbie.” Surely everyone who has discussed this performance has noted Ferrera’s Feminism 101 monologue, a moment that doesn’t resonate with me but does to many women. Some moments are delivered with a sort of forced enthusiasm, but perhaps that’s what she was going for. The idea is that this is a depressed character who is finally able to have a moment. Good for America.
Danielle Brooks was considered a front-runner at one time. Her showy performance in “The Color Purple” might be worthy, but that film’s middling reception and the fact that this is its sole nomination don’t work in her favor. Still, Brooks is doing a lot with her time in this supporting role, and comparisons to recent winner Ariana DeBose have been made. If there’s room for a big-time upset, perhaps Brooks will be the one holding a gold statue.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph is one of the only steady presences this awards season in any category. She played Mary Lamb is “The Holdovers.” In a role opposite of difficult people like Paul Giamatti’s lead and Dominic Sessa’s deuteragonist, Randolph holds her own and often imparts some wisdom on the so-called intellectuals. Her character’s lived experience is what makes her strong, and Randolph expresses this strength beautifully without being coarse. I really hope she gets more big roles like this one.
Finally, Emily Blunt is an Oscar nominee. Despite dropping a number of worthy performances over the course of nearly 20 years, she is in the race this year for “Oppenheimer,” a juggernaut that brought everyone along for the ride. Blunt is quite good in her somewhat limited role, playing Kitty Oppenheimer, a woman who was certainly smarter than given credit for during her time. Blunt’s shining moment, a final act show-stopper, is the highlight of a restrained performance.
Some Oscar Outlook readers are also my competitors in a high-stakes Oscar pool. This category is one of the easiest to pick, but will I give away the frontrunner? No. I will not. There’s 20 points on the line by guessing this category correctly, and I’m not going to give them up so easily.
