A Closer Look at Best Supporting Actress

Often considered "The Wife, Mother and Girlfriend" category, the Academy doesn't change that up too much again this year.

Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech

(Second Nomination: Previously nominated for Best Actress in 1997's The Wings of the Dove)

 

 Helena Bonham Carter had a good year. This is sometimes helpful when in an Oscar race. Don't be fooled, Carter's minimal work in The King's Speech isn't the only reason her name was called on nomination morning. She was in two other box-office smashes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 and Alice in Wonderland. They just picked the more Oscar-friendly one (ask 2005's Catherine Keener who was nominated for Capote but had also starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.) As a fan of Carter, this is my polite way of saying she rode the coattails of her co-stars. It's also helpful to play British royalty as this seems to be something the Academy thoroughly enjoys. To be totally honest, I don't know why she's nominated here and I don't think she has a shot in hell of winning.

Melissa Leo - The Fighter

(Second Nomination: Previously nominated as Best Actress in 2008's Frozen River)

 

 Melissa Leo gave a scene-stealing performance in 2003's 21 Grams (and had minor Oscar buzz) and has been rocking steady ever since. 2008 was her breakthrough year in the smash (by Sundance standards) hit Frozen River in which she picked up a Best Actress mention. This year she was unrecognizable in David O. Russell's The Fighter as a hostile mother of nine children complete with hormonal bleach-blond hair hive. Expect Leo to win here, it's a performance that the Academy often loves (scenery-chewing, wild and raw) in Supporting Actress and she has a good start by winning the Golden Globe and Critics Choice award. It helps that she's also in a Best Picture finalist that has many passionate fans. However, do know that if any category loves going off the map - it's this one. So it's never 100% ... unless you're Mo'Nique.

 Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit

(This is Hailee Steinfeld's first Academy Award nomination.)

Ignoring the obvious category fraud, Hailee Steinfeld fills the flavor-of-the-month quota that often is a big success in Supporting Actress. She seemingly came out of nowhere, beat out a bazillion girls, was cast in a high-profile movie directed by fan favorites; The Coen Bros. And she's only fourteen. The Academy resists embracing young men (go ask little Freddie Highmore) but continue to adore talented little girls. I found the performance to be less than spectacular but my bias doesn't prevent me from considering her a threat for upsetting Leo. And after a surprising show of support for True Grit (10 nominations!) You shouldn't either.

Amy Adams - The Fighter

(Third Nomination: Previously Nominated as Best Supporting Actress in 2005's Junebug and 2008's Doubt) 

 

Amy Adams is a hard-working actress everyone loves to love and has built a solid rapport with Academy members as this makes the third time she's been recognized in a five year period. Here, she's included for going against type in a performance that takes her typical sweet demeanor (2005's Junebug, 2008's Doubt) and replaces it with a hard edge stacked with nudity and several F-bombs. Don't count on her to win especially when she's competing against a fellow cast-mate who steals most of the scenes she's in. Always a barmaid and never a bride? As I fear Adams is the kind of actress that Academy does enjoy - but doesn't exactly envision as an Oscar winner. Is she the next Renee Zellweger or the next Julianne Moore? Either way, she hasn't found her Cold Mountain just yet.

Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

(This is Jacki Weaver's first Academy Award nomination.)

The Academy loves to show their ability to look beyond big-names and often embrace smaller films. This is to the great advantage of Australian veteran Jacki Weaver who exploded with critical acclaim for her performance as a shady grandma in a family of criminals. Weaver spends the first half of the film deceptively planting seeds in your memory and rises in the final moments with harrowing confirmation of any evil you may have feared. Grandma, what big secrets you have! The better to rip your world apart with, my dear. Electrifying stuff, but the nomination is the prize.

WHO YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR IN YOUR OSCAR POOL:

Ask the audience and narrow it down between Melissa Leo and Hailee Steinfeld.
Then phone-a-friend who saw The Fighter and pick Melissa Leo.