Best Supporting Actor/Actress

Without too much ado, I'd like to roll out my Fall picks for the Best Supporting players. First, though, let me recap best Actor and Actress.



BEST ACTOR

Josh Brolin - W
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

reserve - Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway - Rachel getting Married
Sally Hawkins - Happy Go Lucky
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristen Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

reserve - Nicole Kidman - Australia

These picks are all based on what I know now. But, there are questions remaining...Will Cate Blanchett and Marisa Tomei go lead for Benjamin Button and The Wrestler respectively? Will Robert Downey Jr. go lead or will it be Jamie Foxx for The Soloist?

These questions are also considerations when putting together my supporting list.
But, as it stands on October 10th...these are my picks.

So...BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

I'm going to come right out of the gate with Heath Ledger. Doesn't everyone feel he is a lock? I don't see how he could miss. He gave an astounding performance, what does it matter that it was in a Batman movie? I honestly have no question about his nomination for The Dark Knight. Only sadness that he won't be here to enjoy the night.

Lock - Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight



The rest of the field is difficult, and rather muddy at this point.



I really love Jamie Bell, as I have said before. My heart wants to choose Jamie For Defiance...but my head is telling me to go with Liev Schreiber. He looks to have a more substantial role, and he seems due for recognition of this sort. I'd like to see Naomi Watts walking the red carpet in support of her "baby daddy".

Possible - Liev Schreiber - Defiance


Another movie making waves is Slumdog Millionaire.

I didn't get to Toronto, or any of the film festivals this year, so, it's a tough call. But, I'm thinking this movie will be the little movie that can....get a nomination, not win. I'm in murky water, not having seen it to make a call on a supporting actor that I know nothing about. However, I do feel the academy needs more diversity, and as long as he isn't considered Lead...I'm going to pick Dev Patel for a possible nominee.  Yeah, I know, I hate the photo too, but, the kid isn't famous enough to even have decent images on Google!

Possible- Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Milk looks so damn good, I'm thinking someone else is getting a nomination out of it.  But, the question is....Josh Brolin or James Franco? That is a tough call.  Once I see the movie, I will at least know who I'd vote for.  I'm feeling like if Brolin pulls off the Best Actor nom, this one will go to Franco.  If not...this one falls to Brolin.  Yes, possibly, it could be both...but, for now, I'm going with Frolin...or Branco...er...I don't know, there is something very Heath Ledgeresque about Franco so...

Possible - James Franco - Milk

The Soloist. If Robert Downey Jr. goes supporting, this is his nomination. If he's as good as he usually is...this is his win. I know a lot of people are going for Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder, but, see my post re: A Mighty Heart. I know, the whole joke was that he was a white guy, and he wasn't trying to play a real black guy, but...isn't any black face, black face all the same? Am I too sensitive? My guess is that the academy is too. So, I'm putting him here for The Soloist until I hear otherwise. If I find out he's going lead...all bets are off in the Best Actor category. Downey Jr. has had a hell of a good year. How can he really avoid a nomination this year? How?  That's right...you're a brat...and we love you anyway.  Good thing you have talent, and balls.  

Possible - Robert Downey Jr. - The Soloist

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Another tough category. It is always more difficult to pin down the supporting nominees this early on. Too many candidates, too little known.

Taraji P. Henson is someone I have loved ever since she sang through her hurt and confusion " Oh, it's hard out there for a pimp." Her role in Benjamin Button could turn out to be a thankless one, but this woman shines even in the trailer. She is on my "can do no wrong list" so, she has my vote as of now.

And I am really hoping this happens for her. 

Possible - Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Samantha Morton. Really, do I need to say a lot more then that? The Academy loves her. She is a crazy bedbug, but brilliant, and if anyone is going to stand out in the ensemble of women that is Synecdoche , I believe it will be her.



Possible - Samantha Morton - Synecdoche, New York


Who is Rosemary Dewitt? Where did she come from? I suppose I must have seen her in Cinderella Man but, I don't remember. I don't watch Mad Men. I could run her over on the sidewalk and have no idea who she was. I have a feeling, based on what I have read already regarding Rachel Getting Married, that she will be the great find of the year. Much like Amy Ryan was last year. As much as I would like to see Debra Winger back at the oscars, it sounds as if her role may be too small by comparison. If Winger was not competing against anyone else in her film, I would choose her, I would. But, Dewitt sounds like the true support in this film, so I am gutting her in. I hope the photo is really her...I wouldn't know for sure!


Possible - Rosemary Dewitt - Rachel Getting Married

Now...this is another hard call. The Wrestler is all about Mickey Rourke. But, remember what I said about supporting actors? Who has the balls to get in Mickey Rourke's face? Who did Darren Aronofsky tell to get up in his shit and push him around? Well, I have source on this one, and I'll tell you, it wasn't Marisa Tomei. It was Evan Rachel Wood. In fact, one of the "tales from the set' involves Wood's hand getting slashed open during their pivotal scene, and Wood working through it. The blood is real folks. Not until after they wrapped did they take Wood to get stitched up. I am also hoping...although it is a long shot, that Tomei goes lead. She is the lead actress after all. if she goes supporting, it will severely hamper Wood's chances as her role is smaller. We'll see. I think I will see this film soon, so I can make a better judgement then. But for now...and they owe her...

Possible - Evan Rachel wood - The Wrestler




I really don't know much about Frozen River, except that the screeners have gone out...I didn't get one...and that they are going to push hard for Melissa Leo in the Best Actress category. Leo does have a decent shot. But, I think that this is going to be a big help to Misty Upham in Supporting. Also, I, again, like the diversity she adds...so, I'm gonna call her. 


Possible - Misty Upham - Frozen river