2020 Awards Season: Oscar Highlight: Best Supporting Actress
February 4, 2020
Our annual Oscar Prediction contest underway so now is the best time to look at the nominees and try to figure out who the favorites are and which films should just feel honored to be nominated. We are continuing today with Best Supporting Actress. In this category, there is an absolute favorite, a long shot with a shot, and then everyone else.
(Note: All previous awards listed are only for acting and not other categories. However, they are for supporting and lead acting. Previous awards and nominations for TV roles are not included, on the other hand.)
Best Supporting Actress
Laura Dern for Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson for Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh for Little Women
Margot Robbie for Bombshell
Conclusion: Laura Dern will almost certainly win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. However, her Marriage Story co-star, Scarlett Johansson has a slim chance to win for Jojo Rabbit.
Kathy Bates for Richard Jewell
Tomatometer Score: 75% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: Golden Globe
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Three Oscars, Two BAFTAs, Five Golden Globes, and Five SAGs
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Oscar, One Golden Globe, and One SAG
Notes: This is not a good movie and Kathy Bates previously won an Oscar, so I don’t think the Oscar voters will be interested in giving her another for a substandard movie. Perhaps if she had been snubbed previously they would give her a make-up Oscar this year, but that’s not the case.
Tomatometer Score: 95% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: BAFTA, Golden Globes, SAG, and Independent Spirit Awards
Movie's Previous Major Wins: BAFTA, Golden Globes, SAG, and Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Two Oscars, One Golden Globe, and Two Film Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: Laura Dern has never won an Oscar, or any other major movie award, which I found surprising. (She has done much better for her TV performances, but that’s another matter.) The does help her chances of winning here, as does the film’s reviews and its previous Awards Season success.
Tomatometer Score: 80% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: BAFTA and Two SAGs
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One Oscar, Three BAFTAs, Four Golden Globes, and One Film Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One BAFTA
Notes: There was a time when Scarlett Johansson was thought to be in a close race with Laura Dern for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. That time is over. She’s also the second place in the running for Best Lead Actress and many think this cross-category vote splitting will likely cost her any chance of winning either award. That said, it is very rare for an actor to earn nominations in both Leading and Supporting categories, so Johansson should be very proud of that accomplishment.
Tomatometer Score: 95% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: BAFTA
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: BAFTA
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: I wouldn’t be surprised if Florence Pugh won an Oscar within five years. I would be completely shocked if she won this year.
Tomatometer Score: 70% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Two SAGs
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Oscar, Four BAFTAs, Golden Globe, Three SAGs, and Film Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: None
Notes: This film missed expectations with critics and Oscar voters usually only hand out acting Oscars for subpar films if the actor in question has been nominated a lot without a win. That is not the case with Margot Robbie, at least not yet.
Filed under: Awards Season, Richard Jewell, Jojo Rabbit, Little Women, Bombshell, Marriage Story, Kathy Bates, Laura Dern, Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Florence Pugh