Unlike the Supporting Actress Category, which is utter chaos and lacks a clear frontrunner, Supporting Actor is much more clear and defined. With the nominees for all major precursors already announced, it’s only the Oscars that are missing. As such, only a handful of performers find themselves in real contention.
The Supporting categories are historically less afraid to embrace diversity. And while category fraud remains a concern, most of the potential nominees are true supporting performances. Four of the final five seem set in stone but there are at least three more possibilities that could really surprise come Oscar morning.
David Strathairn – Nomadland
The frontrunner for Best Picture by far, Nomadland is bound to be well-represented in several categories, including Best Actress with Frances McDormand. Veteran actor David Strathairn seems like a longshot in Supporting Actor, but strong love for Nomadland could carry him to a nomination.
Strathairn plays David, a fellow nomad who meets and develops a close relationship with McDormand’s Fern. Already an Academy Award-nominated actor, Strathairn received his first and so far only nomination for his lead performance in 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck.
Glynn Turman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Another veteran with a shot at a nomination, Glynn Turman made waves with his performance as ill-fated bandmate Toledo in Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Turman’s turn in the film was critically lauded, even when most reviews focused on the lead performances of Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis.
Turman landed nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards and the National Society of Film Critics and even won the Supporting Actor prize from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Turman is best known for his roles in the NBC sitcom A Different World and the HBO drama The Wire.
Jared Leto – The Little Things
Millions of jaws fell to the floor when Jared Leto’s name was announced as a Supporting Actor nominee at the Golden Globes. He’d receive another nomination soon after, for the SAG Awards, cementing his place as a contender. In The Little Things, Leto plays a mysterious loner who may be behind a series of murders in 1990s LA. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances but criticized the screenplay and tone.
Already an Academy Award winner, Leto prevailed in this same category in 2014 for his role as transgender woman Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. This would be his first nomination since.
Bill Murray – On The Rocks
American icon Bill Murray finds himself back in the awards game, eighteen years after his last stint as a contender. Reuniting with Sofia Coppola, Murray stars in On The Rocks, playing a semi-retired playboy who reconnects with his daughter as they harbor suspicions about her husband’s fidelity.
Murray famously lost the 2004 Oscar for Best Actor to Sean Penn. His performance in Lost in Translation earned him the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy as well as the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Alan Kim – Minari
Once a longshot for a nomination, Alan Kim now seems like a real possibility. As the heart of Minari, Kim injects his character with a real sense of innocence and wonder, creating a true and engaging portrayal of childhood.
Minari is widely considered as one of the year’s best and is bound to make a splash come nomination morning. Youn Yuh-jung has a high shot at a nomination and after being recognized by SAG, Steven Yeun could also be part of the Lead Actor category. Kim could take advantage of his movie’s positive reception and sneak into the final five Supporting Actor nominees.
Paul Raci – Sound Of Metal
An evocative and compelling portrayal of deafness, Sound of Metal has received critical acclaim for Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci’s performances. The film, which began streaming on Prime Video in December 2020, follows a drummer who begins losing his hearing.
Raci received numerous accolades from several critics’ associations. Absent from both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards nominations, Raci made a comeback in BAFTA. And with Sound of Metal‘s situation improving as a contender in more categories, including a potential bid for Best Picture, Raci’s odds at a nomination drastically improved.
Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods
Chadwick Boseman has the possibility of receiving double posthumous nominations for his work in both Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. In the former, he plays the divine-like figure of Stormin’ Norman, the squad leader of the titular Bloods during the Vietnam War.
Boseman’s performance was lauded instantly, with many considering it one of the strongest parts of the film. Indeed, Boseman received recognitions from several critics’ groups and nominations for the Critics’ Choice and SAG Awards on his way to a certain Oscar nomination.
Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night In Miami
Tony Award-winner Leslie Odom Jr. is bound to receive his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Sam Cooke in Regina King’s directorial debut, One Night in Miami. The film tells the story of a fictionalized meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Cooke in a room at the Hampton House in February 1964.
Odom Jr. has been one of the few contenders to hit every major precursor: Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, SAG, and BAFTA. He could also be a double nominee thanks to the song “Speak Now,” which he co-wrote with Sam Ashworth and which might very well earn him an Oscar.
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial Of The Chicago 7
One of the most noteworthy parts of The Trial of the Chicago 7‘s large ensemble cast, Sacha Baron Cohen was once considered the frontrunner of the category. Playing Abbie Hoffman, a founding member of the Youth International Party, Cohen displays all the traditional elements the Academy likes to reward.
With the success of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Cohen had an exceptional 2020. He received nominations from the Globes, SAG, and the Critics’ Choice, and despite missing BAFTA, he is the second surest bet for a nomination. His absence from the final five would be a genuine snub.
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas And The Black Messiah
The undisputed frontrunner in the category, Daniel Kaluuya has everything to achieve a full sweep, perhaps the only one in any of the four categories. In Judas and the Black Messiah, Kaluuya plays Fred Hampton, chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party, who is betrayed by William O’Neal, an FBI informant.
After receiving a Lead Actor Nomination in 2018 for his breakthrough role in Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Kaluuya is now poised to win his first Oscar. He already won the Globe and Critics’ Choice and is bound to repeat at both BAFTA and SAG, cementing his place as the one to beat.
