Best Supporting Actor Performance

[jhiggy23]

I think that year after year, the supporting actor category at the Academy Awards is among the deepest category of the night. So, I am interested in hearing what people consider to be the best or their personal favorite supporting actor performance. I know that this will pretty much devolve into people listing their favorite, so I won't even try to enforce a listing of a best! There is only one rule here:

1) The performance HAS to be at least Academy Award nominated (to ensure objective quality)--the person does not have to have been a winner, but simply nominated


I expect a lot of people to list Heath Ledger's Joker performance. There is no doubt that this is a great performance and deserved to win the Oscar. However, I think it is one of the most overrated performances of all time, as good as it was, and that there have been many better performances over the course of movie history. Since people will undoubtedly list their favorite performance, his role is certainly fair game. The following are some of my favorites and some I consider to be among the best (all of which I think are better than Ledger's performance):

1) Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas"

2) Christopher Walken in "The Deer Hunter"

3) Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond"

4) Tim Robbins in "Mystic River"

5) Dr. Haing Ngor in "The Killing Fields"

[Mahatma]

Agree with most of your candidates.Didn't think Djimon Hounsou was that great in 'Blood diamond',but I may have overlooked his performance.Think he overacted somewhat.Film was good though

My personal favourite in this category is:Francis L. Sullivan as The lawyer Mr. Jaggers in 'Great expectations'.Seldom do one see a performance that commanding.

[Batman1980]

I love Heath Ledger but I'll toss up a performance that probably won't even snag an Oscar nod, Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Agree with most of your candidates.Didn't think Djimon Hounsou was that great in 'Blood diamond',but I may have overlooked his performance.Think he overacted somewhat.Film was good though

My personal favourite in this category is:Francis L. Sullivan as The lawyer Mr. Jaggers in 'Great expectations'.Seldom do one see a performance that commanding.

I def. respect your opinion. I posted on some other thread about my thoughts in regards to overacting--I think that it is extremely difficult to classify someone's performance as overacting. To me, Hounsou's performance was heart-renching and I could feel what he was going through. I can understand what you mean though, and I admit I feel that Ledger's performance could also be argued to have been overacting. Very difficult to make that determination.


I admit to not having seen Great Expecations but I will do so based on your description of Sullivan's performance.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

I love Heath Ledger but I'll toss up a performance that probably won't even snag an Oscar nod, Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach.

And I'll toss up a Jackie Earle Haley performance that DID snag an Oscar nod--Little Children

[ZedsDead]

Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting jumped to the front of my mind.

[Mahatma]

Agree 100% with both Robin Williams in 'Good Will Hunting'&Jackie Earle Haley as 'Rorschach'.Didn't even think of Haley before you mentioned it.Good call.

jhiggy23 wrote:
I admit to not having seen Great Expecations but I will do so based on your description of Sullivan's performance.

It's out both on BD and and a restored version on DVD.PQ is a toss-up.BD has better noise,but think the DVD has been cleaned up abit more visually in regards to dirt&scratches.Can check closer if you are in doubt,but can't go wrong with the BD version

Oops!Last came out abit wrong,but you know what I mean

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by ZedsDead

Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting jumped to the front of my mind.

Great pick.

[dvd_mazter]

1. Heath Ledger - TDK (Menacing and chilling portayal, easily earned the Oscar in my opinion)
2. Mark Wahlberg - The Departed (Seriously under-rated performance)
3. Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine (a Favourite of mine)
4. Alec Baldwin - The Cooler (Great performance in a stellar movie)
5. Alec Guinness - Star Wars (Classic role)

[goochspot]

My personal favorite's are:

Ruth Gordon - Rosemary's Baby

Chris Cooper - Adaptation

Amy Adams - June Bug

Ben Kingsley - Sexy Beast

Michael Caine - Hanna and Her Sisters

Tom Cruise - Magnolia

Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction

Brad Pitt - Twelve Monkeys

Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James

And there are many, many more. I agree that the Supporting Actor category is the deepest when it comes to great roles.

[CZAR]

This is easy:

Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption!! Got Em!!

[Idioteque...]

How Alan Rickman has not been nominated is beyond me, he should definitely get something for being Snape. Everyone and even critics not familiar with the book say he's the show stealer.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by dvd_mazter

1. Heath Ledger - TDK (Menacing and chilling portayal, easily earned the Oscar in my opinion)
2. Mark Wahlberg - The Departed (Seriously under-rated performance)
3. Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine (a Favourite of mine)
4. Alec Baldwin - The Cooler (Great performance in a stellar movie)
5. Alec Guinness - Star Wars (Classic role)

I would have to agree with all of them. I especially agree with Wahlberg--too bad he hasn't done much in terms of quality movies since then. I've thought since A Perfect Storm that he had potential to be a fine actor.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by goochspot

My personal favorite's are:

Ruth Gordon - Rosemary's Baby

Chris Cooper - Adaptation

Amy Adams - June Bug

Ben Kingsley - Sexy Beast

Michael Caine - Hanna and Her Sisters

Tom Cruise - Magnolia

Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction

Brad Pitt - Twelve Monkeys

Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James

And there are many, many more. I agree that the Supporting Actor category is the deepest when it comes to great roles.

I would agree with all except Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys--wasn't a fan of the movie or the role. I especially agree with Casey Affleck--I think he should have won the Oscar for his role and I consider it among the top 10 supporting roles I have seen. Underrated performance and film imo. Brad Pitt should have been nominated for an Oscar--his performance was far better than it was in Benj. Button.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by CZAR

This is easy:

Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption!! Got Em!!

Top 15 for me, but not top 10. His performance was a perfect example that subtlety in a performance can be better than flashiness (Ledger)

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Idioteque...

How Alan Rickman has not been nominated is beyond me, he should definitely get something for being Snape. Everyone and even critics not familiar with the book say he's the show stealer.

I COMPLETELY agree with you. It absolutely baffles me. I think he should have been nominated for best actor for the wonderful indie film Snow Cake. And although I haven't seen the most recent Potter movie, I think he could have been nominated for the past few. Maybe this time?

[andyman1970]

I think one of the biggest reasons Heath Ledger won for his performance in TDK was because the Academy felt bad for overlooking him when he was nominated and should have won best actor a few years earlier for Brokeback Mountain. Instead he was passed over for Philip Seymour Hoffman for playing Capote.

I will agree with the OP that Joe Pesci gave a great performance in Goodfellas and the award was well deserved.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by andyman1970

I think one of the biggest reasons Heath Ledger won for his performance in TDK was because the Academy felt bad for overlooking him when he was nominated and should have won best actor a few years earlier for Brokeback Mountain. Instead he was passed over for Philip Seymour Hoffman for playing Capote.

I will agree with the OP that Joe Pesci gave a great performance in Goodfellas and the award was well deserved.

The Academy certainly has a way of giving those that should have earned an award in the past an award for something they did not entirely deserve. Such was the case for Scorsese, who should have won two or three times in the past, but then won for one of his weaker films The Departed.

I agree that Ledger not winning for Brokeback probably had an effect on him winning. Same with his death. However, I do think he legitimately deserved to win this past year, especially since it was the weakest year I can remember for that award.

I think Hoffman deservedly won for Capote, though.

[Blu Titan]

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator. Should have won an Oscar for that one.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator. Should have won an Oscar for that one.

I can't remember who he lost to off the top of my head, but good choice. Hopefully he decides to act again, I thought he was a very good actor.