Supporting Actress Finale: Fashion, Speech and Reader's Choice.
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 5:18PM 
I have displayed the talented women above in the order of Readers Choice voting. Jacki Weaver (25%) just barely won your virtual Oscar over Amy Adams (24%) . Of course the Oscar went to Melissa Leo (21%), who memorably hammed it up with Kirk Douglas before bringing the crazy that we've come to expect and dropping a rare Oscar night F Bomb on the Kodak. Film Experience readers didn't wish the win on Hailee Steinfeld (15%) or Helena Bonham Carter (11%) in big numbers though I noticed that Hailee trounced her competition in Awards Daily's balloting of readers. Different crowd with some overlap. Like AMPAS & BAFTA ;)
It's all over but the memories... and the fallout... and the statistics... and the gowns. Oscar night has a way of bleeding over. Certain competitions remain in the popular memory, or at least the blog memory for long periods of time. Consider how often people still talk about Annette Bening vs. Hilary Swank (1999, 2004) as opposed to say, Marion vs. Julie (2007) ? or especially Reese vs. No One (2005). I sense that Supporting Actress 2010 will be one of those categories we come back to time and again, not only for the real sense of "it could go to any one!" drama that sprung up in the hive mind of Oscar watchers, but for the way that Kirk Douglas almost psychically seemed to understand that dragging out the envelope opening to ridiculous but funny lengths as the women laughed nervously.
Melissa's Speech
Oh my god. oh wow. really really really really really really truly wow. I know a lot of people said a lot of nice things to me for several months now but i'm just shaking in my boots here. ok all right. thank you David O. Russell. I wanna thank the actors Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy My Sweet Sister Amy, Jack, our lovely daughters. ok yeah I am kind of speechless. [Looks up] Golly sakes there's people up there, too.
When i watched Kate two years ago it looks so fuc [BLEEPED OUT] Alice Ward. Your beautiful family that opened your hearts. I saw Mick here earlier. Dick? all right Dick's not in the room. Thank you so much opening your hearts to all of us to make this film. I thank David. I'll thank him again. My family, my beautiful son who is traveling right now who couldn't join me. It's okay I'm okay Jeff. My mom and my dad and my brother and my friends and my family. And I want to thank the very most of all the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences [sic] the Board of Governors and all their members and many of you are here today. This has been an extraordinary journey getting to know what the academy is about. And first and foremost thank you Academy [suddenly shouting] because it's about selling motion pictures and respecting the work! Thank you so much.
And then she stole Kirk Douglas cane. She brought the kooky and Oscar needs moments like that.
Three Questions
1. Best dressed of the category?
2. Who will be back the quickest to the nominee pool?
3. Who owes Melissa $200 dollars?
Reader Comments (58)
Incidentally, that expletive was not bleeped out in Australia. I had it on at my workplace and it rang out across a quiet consumer electronics store.
Best dressed is a three-way race in this category, just like it was in the actual voting. Except I'd cast it as Leo-Adams-Bonham Carter, not necessarily in that order. They were all so Who They Are, and I thought they all looked stunning but not boring. I guess Leo in a squeaker?
I think Bonham Carter could be back fastest if she gets another Fight Club change-of-pace part out of this nod like she did out of the Wings bid. Though I suppose the smarter money's on Adams.
Nobody owes Melissa $200. She owes them all lunch, like the one Whoopi hosted for Annette, Lorraine, Diane, and Mary in the aftermath.
1. Best dressed of the category?
Hailee, I guess... Actually, I didn't like any of them
2. Who will be back the quickest to the nominee pool?
Amy Adams, for anything. AMPAS love her.
3. Who owes Melissa $200 dollars?
Amy Adams too
Best Dressed:
Hailee>Amy>>Helena>>>Melissa>>>>>Jackie
I love Jackie, but that dress wasn't even matronly like Melissa Leo. It's almost in prom dress category.
Oddly, commenting on Hailee's attire is oddly like commenting on her performance. "Well, it is pretty good for a child's gown/performance, but is it as nuanced as an adult's gown/performance?" In the end, I just went with it. It looks lovely.
Best dressed was Hailee, but I liked Jacki's dress, too. I think Amy will be back first, obviously, since she is sort of becoming a main stay.
Oh- and next to be nominated: based on IMDB future works, Melissa Leo's Seven Days in Utopia is intriguing, but she's alienated herself so definitely Amy Adams for On the Road or, more likely, the Janis Joplin biopic.
1. Steinfeld- Age-appropriate, love the slighty-50s ball gown kinda of hem
2. Adams. I liked that you and the gang brought it up during the podcast. I'm starting to think that Adams is going to become more due with each good role. Hopefully they're all as naturalistic and beautiful as The Fighter.
3. I feel like owe Melissa Leo $200. I kept second-guessing my pick for supporting actress up until Friday night, and I always thought the Leo upset would happen.
1. Amy Adams has my favorite dress, though I wish she didn't wear the necklace over it. Still, very nice. Love Jacki Weaver's hair, though I wish the dress was a little shorter. HBC's look appears to be homage to Mrs. Lovett, and I'm digging it. I admire her comment about dressing somewhat conservatively, as she thinks the night should be about film and not fashion.
2. Amy Adams will be back the quickest. Melissa Leo makes so many films that I'm sure she'll return again, though AMPAS is likely to take a recess from her following this year. Hailee Steinfeld needs to make the tricky leap from child to adult actress, and as Jacki's 63 and seldom appears in films, I wager this was her first and last nod.
Helena Bonham Carter is the mystery. Does this 2nd nod signify that AMPAS has finally warmed up to her, or was the baitiness of the role and success of the film too much to overlook? She seldom does Oscar bait, so if a 3rd nomination is to come, I think it's a ways off, unfortunately. This was probably her best shot at the win (damn Helen Hunt!)
Thanks to Melissa's craziness, Helena Bonham Carter seems like a rather boring person to me these days. Who would've thought that?
1. Hailee, none...
2. Amy Adams
3. The 'Consider' ads creative team
1. Hmmm. Hailee, I guess. She looked very elegant!
2. Amy Adams, methinks!
3. CONSIDER.
Best dressed - Hailee, of course. And Amy will back be the quickest, I hope. And she deserved to win last night in my opinion.
1. Amy
2. Amy
3. Amy
For me, the 'Consider' ads have taken on a different tone after seeing Melissa Leo's acceptance speech. The ads are as wacky as she is. God love her.
I was expecting Haille to be a big disaster because, you know, nobody this age can slam dunk ALL her red carpet appearances in a season, specially her first season. She would make a big mistake, sooner or later. Except she didn't. Well, a diva is born.
1. Helena. I like that she had a costume designer create her frock.
2. Amy Adams. Three nominations in five or six years. The Academy is sweet on her.
3. Kirk Douglas. I'd hit him with that cane if he made me wait that long to find out if I won.
1. Helena.
2. Amy (although I think Helena gained an even bigger fan base over this last few months)
3. other way around; i think Melissa owes it to the FCC ;)
1. Amy
2. Amy
3. To hell with the FCC, Melissa owes me $200 for that god-awful speech and all the ones that came before it. I don't care about the F-bomb. I just wish she was truly surprised that she won instead of putting on an act at every ceremony.
Carter and Adams are leagues above the others. I'd vote Adams because I was expecting some hyped up crazy-look from Carter. That dress is stunning on Adams, even if the necklace should go. I can't wait for her Janis Joplin movie so she can snag one of the golden boys.
Also, since Leo has gotten more attention for her antics, expect her to be all over the map and loud as hell at future ceremonies. Yeesh.
For best child performance ever, accept no substitutes: Aleksei Kravchenko in Come and See. Easily in the top 10% of performances ever done.
I wonder if AMPAS won't take a long break on Amy Adams. She's had such a spurt- shouldn't they be tired of her? But there's got to be support for her to win one soon too...so who knows. She could win next year or she might have to wait ten years for a nomination.
I think Helena might be in for some better roles soon. She could come back in two or three years.
Weaver, Steinfeld, Leo? I think they're all done for now. Weaver and Leo will have trouble getting roles (and they'll feel they did their due for Leo, certainly). Steinfeld will probably go into more mainstream stuff- the Abigail Breslin and Saoirse Ronan route. Which is smart- if Steinfeld's got the chops she'll be back for more in six or seven years, maybe.
Melissa leo seemed so dignified in 2008 compared to this year were i have grown to loathe her from the moment she opened her dirty mouth she seemed so false!!!
1) In order of fashion sense, for me, it's Hailee, HBC, Amy, Jackie, and then Melissa. Oh btw, another site mentioned that Hailee had a hand in *designing* her own dress. Despite what some may think of her acting abilities, girl got game when it comes to fashion!
2) Amy Adams will be back as a nominee quicker than the others. Leo just won, plus she's likely turned off a fair number of AMPAS voters with her wackiness. So even if she could score another great role, there may be a backlash. Weaver is getting on in years and there's the difficulty of finding quality roles for mature actresses. HBC is a possibility, but her quirky persona seem at odds with finding another quality role in which she can strut her stuff. Steinfeld is young and still in her teens, so it's unlikely she'll score another nom in the next few years. If she's got staying power and can make the transition from child actor AND find the right role, she could be back in her mid-twenties. Actually, come to think of it, she's proven that she can handle stylized dialogue very well. She's age appropriate to play Juliet in a remake of Romeo and Juliet, too. I could see her working well as Juliet.
3) Gotta say that Leo kinda gets on my nerves. She's probably a very nice person, down to earth and all that. But she's not the most saavy person. Quite frankly, she's comes across as crass and not particularly bright.
1. Hailee.
2. Amy. However, I think Hailee's going to be a star. Everyone's talking about Jennifer Lawrence being the next big thing. Its Hailee IMO.
3. Eugh. I don't want to think about Leo. Bonkers.
I find the response to Leo so interesting.. I mean people got angry then some flipped from anger to ok, gurl, bring on the crazy and there is a pocket of it's good that people are themselves respect. Others are more furious after the win.
winning Oscars is so crazy. Even if people love you at the moment they can turn on your right quick in a couple of years.
i REALLY hope, some of you saying that Helena will get better roles now, but i worry. i just feel like Burton is too much of a default to get the great roles and his films rarely have great roles since the early 90s.
NICK -- i love the lunch suggestion.
^ Actually, I think things are changing a lot for Jacki...while Melissa will have some trouble getting roles now, I think Jacki will get more offers than ever. Not saying she'll be back nominated though. Would be amazing if she could come back though. :)
I think best dressed was between Amy and Hailee. If anything, I love Hailee now for her flawless style.
First back will probably be Amy, yes. (As obvious of a choice as that seems).
Sorry but that speech was cringe-worthy. Maybe the Oscars need moments like that but still... I have to agree so much with Kris Tapley who called her previous acceptance speeches already "daffy" in his last Oscar Talk with Anne Thompson before the ceremony, but this speech was the most embarrassing of all. That F_CK moment seemed planned and the whole thing was over-the-top and mostly phony with very few honest and heartfelt moments.
What a graceful and humble and honestly funny speech we could have heard from Helena Bonham Carter or Amy Adams... :(
1. Amy
2. Amy (either she'll get nominated for a bewildering and riveting turn as Janis Joplin, or she'll be laughed out of Hollywood)
3. Helena, for winning her snubbed BAFTA
1. Amy
2. Amy & Haille (and maybe Helena)
3. Jackie for her national board of review highlight...
1-Hailee. Amy's close but the necklace loses points.
2- I think both Helena and Amy will be back very soon.
3-I'm surprised she doesn't owe it to the FCC.
That speech made me love Melissa so much, I can't believe anyone could think otherwise. She's a good actress, but that kind of sincerity is hard to fake. I wasn't really looking forward to the acting wins, not being a huge fan of any of the likely winners, but the speeches all worked for me. Natalie Portman's was quite good, and I loved what she said about wanting to work with her nominees, Melissa Leo's was insane (and I don't find the F-word so offensive - they didn't even bleep it in Canada. Maybe it's a cultural thing), and Christian Bale's speech was just perfect.
Amy Adams will get her 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th nomination very soon. Very soon.
Mikhael -- omg. that would put her in the top ten of all time. I seriously doubt 7 is happening ;)
Gross! That's the type of women you do your best to stay away from! I think The lady from the King's Speech was the best choice. And that young girl from True Grit.
BWAHAHA HBC's reaction shots just kill me. In some ways she's just the opposite of Melissa Leo. She'll have crazy getups, but underneath that facade of wackiness is all that refined, semi-detached self-aware Britishness that just completely blanches at the thought of anything self-promoting or crass. From her confused WTF squint at the Golden Globes to her look of frozen semi-horror at the Oscars once Leo starts jumping all over the place, I'm guessing that HBC cannot stand Leo. Gosh, I love her.
Yeah HBC's face made me LOL.
Hailee was best dressed! And Amy will be back as a nominee very quickly, but I hope we see Hailee among the nominees again soon as well.
All of this MELISSA LEO actressing is too much for me to handle! That speech. THAT SPEECH! One for the ages, LEOGEND! The speech was doomed from the start with Kirk Douglas barely being coherent and making the moment about himself. He shouldn't have been asked to do something that big. But once Leogend took over, things went to the next stratosphere. Those eyes, the F-Bomb, "the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences," and the cane. That cane. Too much for me!!! That speech made my day, month, maybe year. It almost made up for Fincher losing director to the mess he lost to, but whatevs. That's the Oscars for ya. Now back to YouTube to relieve this glory that is Leogend.
1. Steinfeld, what a genius. Nailed it again! - Helena, not quite as crazy as I wanted it to be, but the garter made up for it - Amy Adams, didn't like the neckless, dress was nice though - Weaver - was fine but nothing special ----------Melissa Leo, I bated the dress, but my mum loved it, so maybe its a matter of personal taste.
2. Amy for sure, hopefully Helena, time will tell for Steinfeld, and Weaver probably not a chance (I predeict more Aussie awards though). Leo maybe has turned peolle off, but she's a good actress so who knows.
3. I think Leo probably owes Amy Adams 200 bucks, for taking a backseat in the race, and not campaigning so much, she could have had this methinks.
I'm starting to think that Melissa Leo is Batsh*t Crazy. Swearing, taking Kirks Cane, her weird as hell choice of roles (anyone else seen the clip of her in red state...need a shower). Then at the after party, she was walking around with a giant shawl around her, seemingly trying to keep her oscar warm. Then she put it down to wrap it up better while giving someone behind her the evils (no sound though) It was so bizzare.
1. Hailee without a doubt. A fashion icon indeed.
2. I think Adams ends up with five. One more in supporting-soon, perhaps one or two years and finally an Oscar bait win in lead. All the others are likely done-Weaver was always a one and done, child actors never repeat (when your only example is Jodie Foster you don't have a good argument), Leo is not going to be super popular after this race (even though I like her better as a result), and HBC seems to be content to stick to Burton. While anything can happen the only way I see a return is if Burton decides to make a prestige picture.
3. I sincerely hope Leo bought a round for her fellow nominees.
stella -- an apt read of HBC's personality i think.
Dorian ==LEOgend. lol. i'm gagging. i love it.
John T -- ditto ditto ditto on almost everything you're saying. I like Leo a lot more after this but i kind of like crazy actors. maybe because i find acting so magical that i assume you'd have to be bonkers to be good at it, able to access places that sane people cannot.
samuel -- that's great. did she say "fucking easy"? as soon as she got "fu" out they bleeped her.
Oh yes, she said all of it. The unedited version of Melissa Leo's speech is on YouTube.
And I think Amy Adams is winning in lead for that Janis Joplin biopic. She'll be "due" then.
LEOgend indeed!
1. Consider
2. Consider
3. Consider
I loved that Helena had Colleen Atwood do her dress, and not a fashion designer, but it was close between her and Steinfeld for me.
Adams will be back, but in lead, and probably winning for that Janis Joplin biopic. Or she'll be back in this category if she lands one of the sisters in August: Osage County. Meryl sure does seem to enjoy working with her...
Melissa's speech and behaviour was disgusting and fake.
1. Hailee. I couldn't stand her nod for True Grit but the girl can wear clothes! Although, I thought it was really nice seeing Jacki all dressed up and glittery. Glad to see she won the reader's poll. Adams would've been my choice without the necklace. HBC is awesome for wearing a costume designer because DUH what else would she wear? I love how people have grown to love her for being totally herself this season. I feel like that's one of my favourite mini 'stories' to take away from this past award season.
2. Adams -- but hopefully she'll skip another Supporting nod and just have her next nod be for that Janis Joplin biopic because five seems a bit too much for her. I'd love to have my answer be HBC because I love her the best out of all these five but she's unpredictable.
3. Courtney Hunt. IDK.
@ nathaniel. Yeah, 'fucken easy' was what she said. You can see the unbleeped version here (assuming copyright folks allow it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g10MSYReDj0
I thought Melissa Leo looked great. I think I am in the minority for that. Hailee looks like a princess, and Amy's dress is actually growing on me.
Amy will be nominated for playing Janis Joplin in two years.
I'm positively offended there hasn't been a post dedicated to the Oscars most memorable moment: James Franco's ass in tights. Forget about the drag, it was a cheap laugh. The ass was a thank you note, a tribute if you will, to all the faithful gays that keep excitement over the (boring and predictable, though we won't admit it) Academy Awards alive.
Oh, and another thing: Is there any other living man that benefits more from having a mustache than Darren Aronofsky? Without it, he looks "meh" at best. But with it, he becomes a very handsome man. He was the most handsome man there.
Darren Aronofsky does rock the stache well, but I'm more taken with his love of the scarf. That man hasn't found a scarf that he didn't like. It's very cool in its own odd way.