Supporting Actress: The Chart, The Poll, The Stats
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 7:25PM It's funny how little news coverage there is now each time Meryl Streep breaks her own Oscar records. With her 19th nomination she's just 5 more away from DOUBLING the previous record holders (Jack Nicholson & Katharine Hepburn) whose record of 12 nominations she broke a dozen years back with Adaptation (2002), her 13th. Five would seem like a ridiculous number remaining to even mention (only roughly two dozen actresses have managed five nods in entire careers in the history of the world) but it's Meryl and she's nominated each time she makes a movie and makes them (almost) every year. Maybe she'll reach that big number before her 75th birthday in the summer of 2024?
Supporting Actress nonsense, The Arquettes, and more trivia after the jump...
"Honest Movie Posters" teehee. love the tagline.
I don't quite know how Meryl fares in the hiearchial history of actors who've appeared in the most Best Picture (anyone?) but she's starred in 5 nominees, 3 of them winning during the course of her career. Of this year's supporting actress lineup only Laura Dern has never appeared in a film nominated for Best Picture, despite being unarguably tied to David Lynch in movie culture, a man who is quite popular with the director's branch.
Another interesting stat is that three of the five women are from showbiz families: Keira Knightley's parents are an actor and a playwright, Patrica Arquette's entire large family (parents and siblings) were or are all actors of varying degrees of fame though she's the only to win multiple high profile showbiz trophies (Big sister Rosanna Arquette won a BAFTA for Desperately Seeking Susan); Laura Dern is famously the daughter of two enduring character actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Laura joins them in having the distinction of being Oscar nominated multiple times for acting. Meryl & Emma were not born into showbiz families.
The Arquettes back in the day (I believe this is from the early 90s?): David, Alexis, Patricia, Richmond, Rosanna
The Arquettes recently: Alexis, David, Patricia, Richmond, and Rosanna
With Patricia Arquette's near-sweep of pre-Oscar prizes both large and teeny-tiny for playing "Mom" in Boyhood (that's literally how she's billed but I believe the character is named in the film, I just can't remember it. Anyone?) there's little drama left in who might win the Oscar that night. So let's make our own drama and suspense with the following questions in the comments.
1. Who among these talented five nominees will be the first to be back in Oscar's good graces (besides Streep)? That's always hard to say. It took Keira a full 9 years to return and Laura Dern a gasp-inducing 23 despite her amazing gallery of characters!
2. Will Patricia Arquette bother to memorize a speech in time for Hollywood's High Holy Night? She's an actress. Surely she knows how to memorize.
3. Who do you think should win? Vote on the poll and read our theories about how they each got nominated on the new chart.
Reader Comments (69)
Her name is Olivia, but I've never understood her billing as "Mom." Maybe Linklater began working on the credits back in 2002 before the character had a name and forgot to edit them?
Keira should've been back sooner for Atonement and Anna Karenina.
I think Emma Stone and Keira will be the first back, and if I had to choose, I'd say Emma. She's talented, beautiful, and well, young. I also think she's well liked, as in people like to put her in their movies.
Patricia will do a little of both - something memorized, but she needs that list and the glasses to feel secure. :-)
I just realized I haven't seen a single one of these performances so I can't say who should win!
Another question - when will Streep be in a BP nominee again? It seems like she's come close so many times, but she never quite makes it.
Arquette should loan her notes to the Best Actor frontrunner. He's making me long for the relative coherence of McConaughy.
@Bia - Completely agree, especially with regards to her performance in Anna Karenina.
Good question, Suzanne. Meryl's last 13 nominations have been in movies that were not nominated for Best Picture (I believe the last was Out of Africa, nearly 30 years ago). That's very strange. Contrast that with Daniel Day-Lewis, whose 5 nominations have ALL been for Best Picture nominees. FYI - none of Denzel's 6 noms has come in an Oscar-nominated film.
I agree about Keira in Anna Karenina, too.
With the way Keira's career has been going she will definitley be back after her pregnancy for that oscar win,straage how a few years can change peoples perception of an actors abilities,well done Keira I would have nommed you in 2007 and 2008 aswell.
Keira + Green Dress + Clipped Speech = Movie Star.
i remember when jack and meryl were tied at 12 nominations apiece and wondering what number jack would get to, since meryl was obviously [hollywood] ageing out of contention...
i keep getting horrifying jennifer connelly flashbacks whenever patricia nears a podium
If Patricia Arquette gets the Oscar for 'Boyhood,' it will be my favorite acting win in a long time (I haven't seen 'Still Alice' yet). It's rare to see such a grounded, subtle, and natural performance rewarded with trophies, so I am loving all of her trips to the podium. More plum roles for her, please!
I think Emma Stone will be the first nominee to come back, and she could very well win soon. She's probably the runner-up to Arquette at the moment.
In Patty's case, I actually find it kind of endearing that she brings a piece (or several pieces!) of paper with her to every awards show. Her speeches are still very heartfelt and she's not actually using the papers all the time. It's nowhere near the horror show that was Connelly's Oscar speech (seriously, was she ill that night or what?).
Meryl will get TWO Oscar nominations next year. How about that as an answer?! Ricki and the Flash, Florence Foster Jenkins, and Suffragette all seem like good possibilities.
Two Globe noms is certainly within the range of possibilities.
As for the others, Keira could get in next year for Everest.
Meryl will be back first, probably within 2-3 years. I hope Emma Stone's career takes off from this role though. I'd love to see her as the next Julia Roberts type. With Hollywood in remake mode, I hope she wouldn't get suckered into doing a Pretty Woman remake.
Confession time: I didn't really get into Boyhood. Arquette was great, but I was more impressed with what Linklater accomplished with the 12 year trick, rather than the stories. The worst stuff was the first husband mess, too telegraphed and cliched while Hawke's second family felt like mocking. Also, I sort of wanted to know more about the Samantha character over Mason in the film - he got somewhat insufferable in his late teen years but what teenage boys aren't insufferable at that age?
Arquette's name is Olivia in the film. :)
1. Who among these talented five nominees will be the first to be back in Oscar's good graces (besides Streep)?
Keira, for sure and to win.
2. Will Patricia Arquette bother to memorize?
I think so, I hope so.
3. Who do you think should win?
I think Dern should win, but I'm not very excited about this batch of nominees, frankly.
Should: I haven't seen Dern, but the rest didn't impress me enough to actually vote for. I liked Arquette, but am annoyed (like Nick).
Will: Arquette - and I'm still floored. I thought she'd Madsen herself out of the race,
Return first (besides Streep): Knightley. Her autuerist streak will keep her in the conversation if not really get her to the Dolby, but she's relaxing quite nicely into her screen presence (Loved her in Begin Again) and I think she'll grace the stage one day. This is once in a lifetime for Arquette, imo, and Stone and Dern are pretty iffy to return.
1) I think Knightley will be the one back first ( streep will be back next year for Ricki and the Flash ( August 2015!)or Florence Foster Jenkins (2015?2016?) or The Good House (2016)
2) Arquette will not be memorized, will win, and never be nominated for anything again.
3) Did not get the point of Boyhood... Saw Arquette's performance after way too much hype and the performance did not live up to what I thought was going to be the powerhouse front runner she has turned out to be... I still do not get it. I thought Chastain or Knightley was going to win this one honestly. Who do I want to win? Streep of course. Hers is the showiest role of them all.
All you Streepites. OF COURSE she'll be back first and next year, too :) That's why the question said "Besides Streep"
I'm still stunned that Kiera is in and Jessica is out. Ain't right. I can't say who should win, as I've only seen IG and Birdman. But empirical evidence indicates Patty should win. Laura's role sounds too slight but I'm glad she's in.
brookesboy - i think keira was always going to be in. It was Dern that was fighting for Chastain for that slot. Hopefully Chastain will be back soon. but you never know Many a career has ended (Oscar-wise) while it was still going strong. Not everybody is Adams or Streep. I remember people assuming Renee Z was going to have a bunch of nods after Cold Mountain. and I don't think anybody thought Nicole Kidman would only get 2 more after Moulin Rouge
Kiera stands the best chance of being back first, then Stone--both next year.
PA will not memorize. I get the feeling she is highly insecure in front of crowds and needs the crutch.
Naomi Watts or Tilda should win. But since that ain't happening, I'm going with Dern. (All the women gave good performances, so anyone can win and it is legit.)
Arquette is a lead, Keira was perfect but the role didn't stretch her much, Emma was very good, but not quite up to the others, Streep has been better, often. Dern was pretty near perfect as well. If the role had been larger, she would have been nose to nose with PA from the start.
Broadway world and The Daily Mail also reporting that Marshall and Streep want to bring Follies to the screen...
Meryl Streep will slum happily in supporting actress to extend her nomination record. Though I sort of prefer her there. She elevates the category by virtue of not coming across as a filler nominee. When she has no chance at winning in Best Actress it feels like a waste of a nomination that could have gone to someone more deserving---'98, 99. The late nineties were the worst for Streep. I have come to terms with Streep. Hence my ability to compliment her without kissing her backside. Or getting upset about the women who do not have her good fortune.
I kind of hate Keira, but sometimes I love her - as in The Imitation Game.
Oh, how i miss Rosanna Arquette!! Hopefully her year comes one day.
The Patricia Arquette steamroll is one of those things where, although it seems primarily concerned with the "aging onscreen" angle, the benefit is that a lovely, natural, low-key turn will win the award. I love Dern's similar performance equally, and appreciate that two of Lynch's blondes will share this category (another reason Watts should have been in instead of Stone - we could have had three!)
Hopefully Knightley will be back soon. Her nomination this year feels like Helena in King's Speech. A great actress who should have been nominated plenty after the first time, doing easy work in a baity project. I'm glad to see her nominated - hopefully next time it's for something great.
Keira is much, much better and had much, much more to do than Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech. I actually loved Keira Knightley in The Imitation Game and thought she gave Joan Clarke the perfect amount of grit, integrity, and intelligence. Helena just went through the motions and got a coattail nomination. Keira earned hers solely on her merits, in my opinion. Plus, I believe her previous years of hard work (Atonement, Anna Karenina, A Dangeorus Method, Begin Again) paid off and Hollywood was definitely paying attention to how much she was challenging herself.
I have my doubts that Arquette, Laura and Emma will be nominated again, but I'm pretty sure Keira will so I'll go with her.
Aaron: I love Keira, and I was grateful for every second she was in Imitation Game. But I think her function in the movie is similar to Helena in TKS - to be the bright, warm counterpart to the difficult protagonist. I didn't mean to sound hard on the performance. She's very good. By "easy" I mean that it's the kind of role that Keira can knock out in her sleep.
HBS was excellent in TKS, I don't care what anyone says to the contrary. Such a simple, intelligent supporting performance, and a nice break from her weirdness cycle.
As stated in an earlier post, Meryl Streep has more total nominations (19) than the entire Lead Actress and Supporting Actress nominees COMBINED. Quite a feat.
I don't think Streep will be back until 2016, unless Florence gets made really, really fast.
Follies with Marshall and Streep sounds interesting. Hope that happens.
Should - Laura Dern
Will - Patricia Arquette
Could - Meryl Streep
Should not be here - Keira Knightley and Meryl Streep
Should be here - Tilda Swinton and Rene Russo
Meryl has not been nominated for an Oscar every year she has made a film.
Streep dig number XXX of 2015. Dench and Mirren digs to follow. Kidman and Pfeiffer raves yet to be counted for 2015.
No pressure but - it would be really cool to have a pre-Oscars 2015 Supporting Actress Smackdown. (A boy can dream, right?)
It's rare to see such strong agreement, I think Keira Knightley has the strongest chance for a repeat because she has been under nominated. When glancing at her filmography there are many strong roles, Atonement, Anna Karenina, Never Let Me Go, The Duchess, Dangerous Method, Begin Again.
She has worked with so many A list men, and has built up a lot of good will. I don't know what Everest is going to be like but if it's a well received performance she will get nominated.
Emma Stone is the next strongest candidate for a repeat, I have liked her since Easy A, but her rave reviews doing Cabaret have earned her a lot of respect. I really liked her in Birdman, nothing against Arquette but I wish this category wasn't so decided, because there is a lot of talent that deserves a chance.
Arquette should enjoy this ride while she can, b/c we all know this is never happening for her again nor should it.
Keira and Emma are Oscar winners in the making, in lead actress and supporting actress, respectively.
Dern got in by the skin of her teeth. Maybe one more nod in the future if she works with Lynch again.
Streep is in like Flynn, bitches!!!! I ain't mad at 'cha, Meryl. Do your thing and rack up those record-breaking nods until you croak lol!
Patryk -- i did a post on Streep's non-nominated roles a few years ago. It was fascinating. I should update it but the times she is not nominated (not including the years where she makes multiple films but is only nominated for one) are EXTREMELY RARE...She is nominated for about 40% of her screen roles but many of the other 60% of roles come in years where she has more than one performance so that doesn't really count. the only person who scores higher in terms of percentage of work nominated is John Williams in score (because his category allows him to be double nominated) and actors who only made like 1-3 films.
While I was mystified as to why Arquette rode such a long and unbroken wave of critics' wins, I was still happy that she was nominated. Ultimately, though, it won't be a satisfying Supp Actress win for me. It coulda/shoulda been much more interesting with Swinton, Russo, and Watts in the mix.
zig -- it is weird that it feels like a sedate category. But i think it's because, other than Streep & Stone (both exploding with fury here and there), they went with a trio of warm "supportive" performances. Woulda been nice to have one genuinely weird (Swinton) or sociopathic (Russo) star turn in the mix.
Knightley's only got a tiny part in Everest and most likely won't work be working on any new movies until 2016. So she won't be coming back in the very short term.
Nominees shoulda been:
Chastain, Coon, Riseborough, Russo, Swinton
1. I think this is one of the best and most fun Oscar questions that is put out every year (ranking up there with "who's in second"), mostly because it could just as easily be the most obvious as the least. I know her name is verboten around these parts, but who would have thought in 1989 that Jessica Tandy would be the first nominee to return to pick up another citation? Or that actors in the peaks of their careers like Kathleen Turner and Tom Cruise would be picking up their final nominations in 1986 and 1999, respectively? The 2010 Supporting Actress lineup certainly lended itself to Amy Adams being the first to return with a nomination, and she was...along with Jacki Weaver. I mean, even look at this year's nominations: who would have thought after all of these years that Ethan Hawke and Laura Dern would finally return (or that Michael Keaton would become an Oscar nominee?). Therefore I'm going against the grain and hoping that some random auteur becomes so smitten with Patricia Arquette in Boyhood that she lands an afterglow nod, even if Emma Stone technically makes more sense.
2. She's apparently very nervous in auditions, and so my hunch is no, unless it becomes a thing in the press. I do hope she does, though as someone pointed out it hasn't hit Connolly levels of disaster yet.
3. Still deciding between a few (really fun lineup this year), but I shall bookmark to vote later. :)
To be honest, it's a shame the Academy felt the need to nominate Streep again. It's getting, at this point, where she can get nominated for virtually anything. I'm an actor, so I have a unique connection to her work because I love to study it. After years of watching this glorious actress, you tend to find the tricks and the similarities in the performances, which naturally happen because it is simply not possible to change your being. This performance in Into the Woods, was very reminiscent of her Lemony Snickets performance, the difference is that she sang in Into the Woods. It didn't necessarily show me something unique from her. Something like Miranda Priestly of The Devil Wears Prada was completely warranted of a nomination because it was a complete departure from what she has done before. (that was the only nomination she truly deserved so far)
Streep has stated that there is no such thing as the "greatest living actress." I find that to be true, she knows it, most artists know it. You can't really compare different performances, but you can definitely have favorites and an opinion on how that particular performance affected you. However, that title given to her, and it is immense. She didn't ask for that. But if it's given to you, you take it, and you challenge yourself to live up to it in someway. You know that you can't achieve it entirely, but you try. I would find that to be a truly scary place to start when filming a picture or beginning a project. She now has to start at that level every time. That is so daunting. And that's why I find her recent performances to be a bit "manic," because she's trying to appease this pressure to be "that" good.
At this point in her career, she has a trajectory that is completely unrivaled, and she has delivered some of the best performances on screen that I have ever seen. She continues to push herself, and seems so incredibly humble, and congratulatory of her fellow colleagues, and doesn't take herself that seriously. She's a breath of fresh air when it comes to Hollywood and it's pretentious, obnoxious, self-serving, subjective industry.
However, these continued and unnecessary Oscar nominations, are a hindrance to her continued growth. Even at her age and experience, she's still learning. That's the awesome aspect of being an artist, you never stop learning. But, we shouldn't simply accept this egregious nomination count. And it's not her fault, but she could step aside. Don't campaign. Don't accept roles that can go to your fellow sisters in this industry that need a boost and the experience. Meryl should be at a point like the Oprah Winfrey Show with the Daytime Emmy Awards. There came a point where Oprah stopped the nominations from happening, because no one else was ever going to win if her show kept getting nominated.
And no actor at this point, is going to reach her record. No one is even close. And if they are, they aren't making movies anymore. And to be honest, it's not exciting to see her name up there anymore. It's run it's course.
Carmen Ejogo, Jessica Chaistain, Naomi Watts, Adrianna Barraza, Marion Bailey, Rene Russo, and Katherine Waterson just to name a few deserved that recognition, that can be so vital to their careers, and possibly give them a chance to play another role of a lifetime that Meryl has done a dozen times over.
Nah, any best supporting actress lineup for this year without Knightley would have been shitty. She was just so remarkable in Imitation Game and I did not think of her highly before this. But with her turn in IG, I'm seeing a thoroughly compelling humanity in her that she should tap into more.
Maybe because her role was just one of those kind souls which is normally insufferable onscreen but in her hands, it was so endearing. Reminded me of Emma Thompson in scenes where she's showing some grit. Really great supporting performance. She moved me.
It's either Russo or Chastain for me if we're talking about having sociopaths in the category (LOL). I guess, Chastain had a better role. Russo had a more special execution of it.
Emma Stone was unbearable. Sorry. Did not like her in the movie. Did not like that role and that movie, for that matter. No one supported anyone in that movie.
Knightley was so much better in 2014 in Begin Again and Laggies than she was in the Oscar bait, good work but definitely not one of the five best supporting performances this year.
Hilarious how you can say that when Riseborough barely registers in Birdman.
I feel like people were much more supportive of Patricia Arquette's performance before she started steamrolling. Not her fault people! I smell backlash starting...
Back to the Oscars? Emma makes the most sense, but Keira does too. But as we've said, you can't really predict it like that. Who would've thought Jessica Tandy or Kathy Bates or Jacki Weaver would've gotten nominated again? So I'm gonna go with Patricia Arquette. I think this will renew her film career a teeny bit and I could see her getting an afterglow nod.
I don't think she'll fully memorize, but hopefully... but as I said on another post, although it's kinda annoying, I think it adds to her down-to-earth, anti-Hollywood charm a bit. But I do wish she would memorize. But she didn't memorize for her Emmy speech, so who knows...then again, she probably thought she had no chance in hell of winning. *shrug*
Should win: Patty Arquette
Will win: Patty Arquette
Should've been nominated: Rene Russo, Jessica Chastain, or Naomi Watts (for Birdman)
Shouldn't be nominated: Meryl...BAFTA's got it right on that count. And I didn't think Emma was amazing...she was good, but not great. Keira's performance is the only one I haven't seen so I can't speak on that.
Just watched Wild and the fact that Laura Dern made it over Jessica and Rene makes me kinda sad. She was great, but there wasn't enough to the role at all to warrant a nomination or breaking into a competitive category like that. I'm kinda shocked because I was expecting more since she was able to breakthrough.
I would replace Dern and Streep with Rene Russo and Naomi in Birdman. Although as Dern has been nominated I'm pleased for her.
I'd agree that Keira and Emma will be back quite soon. Maybe Emma will be back first though, only because of Keira's time off for the baby.
I've seen lots of people comparing Keira to Helena BC in King's Speech, and I don't agree. Keira has more screen time and more to do and is second billing, whereas Helena was third billed after Colin and Geoffrey.
I won't mind Patricia Arquette winning, but I do prefer Keira of the nominees.
1.- Keira
2.- No
3.- Patricia
Just watched Wild and the fact that Laura Dern made it over Jessica and Rene makes me kinda sad. She was great, but there wasn't enough to the role at all to warrant a nomination or breaking into a competitive category like that. I'm kinda shocked because I was expecting more since she was able to breakthrough.
The nomination was a mercy for a legacy performer.
Once again Streep becomes divisive just because she got another nomination. Get over it people. The recognition happens because of the range of the roles she takes. Plus, she delivers.
Her detractors always say 'I love Meryl, but....' It's so predictable and tiring.
I'm happy she received her 19th nomination and I hope she receives 19 more in the years to come.