Nathaniel's Best Supporting Actress Ballot
Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 4:34PM by Nathaniel R
Da'Vine Joy Randolph owns the Best Supporting Actress party. She brought baked goods and "it".
Dearest readers, imagine my terror when I realized this morning that it was just one week until the Oscars. That's the deadline to finish the Film Bitch Awards (at least in the Oscar-parallel categories). So let's have our final pre-Oscar discussion about Best Supporting Actress, mine and theirs...
OSCAR'S LINEUP
The somewhat volatile precursor season (in this category) led to an underwhelming lineup. Years with indisputable frontrunners like Da'Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers sometimes create vacuums wherein strange shortlists materialize. Two common outcomes of a big sweeper effect is that passion votes can matter a lot which probably helped Jodie Foster in Nyad and Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple since they weren't in well-loved movies, and that the most-seen / most-discussed movies get a huge boost in all categories which helped America Ferrera in Barbie and Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer. Randolph will win the Oscar in a landslide, and given Oscar's preferred five, she deserves too! More about this race on that Oscar chart.
NATHANIEL'S TAKE
The Film Bitch Awards force me to narrow down favourites to 12 in each category from which 5 become nominees. I wrote the rules years and years ago and I still adhere to them! 5 is the perfect number for actual nominees so most every awards show is now doing it wrong as they expand and expand. Nevertheless there are always more than 5 that truly impress. In short, the following are not the only 12 performances that I have praise for (no offense to anyone who didn't place) but these are the dozen I loved most in this particular category...
SEMI-FINALISTS
aka excellent praiseworthy work
Stella Gonet as "Margaret" in EL CONDE
Stella Gonet as "Margaret" in El Conde. Dear reader, I was not prepared for the final plot twist but even before Gonet's iron, fanged arrival at the climax of Pablo Larrain's satiric vampire picture I had been prepared to hand her the gold medal in Best Vocal Performance. The last scenes in the picture ruled her ineligible there but what incredible narration throughout, so rich in black-as-night comedy and point of view characterization.
MASTER GARDENER
Sigourney Weaver as "Norma Haverhill" in Master Gardener. Perhaps we talk about Sigweavie too much here at TFE but we're still waiting for her to get the right role in the right picture that helps people to recognize her gifts again. She was maddening and impressive in this otherwise underwhelming drama as a racist classist wealthy widow. This honor is not because I literally stood next to her in Italy this past summer by utter chance; I'm still reeling from that unexpected encounter in the wild. xo
CASSANDRO
Perla De La Rose as "Yocasta" in Cassandro. Gael Garcia Bernal deserved more flowers for his wonderfully human star turn in this wrestling drama. When a lead is undervalued people people also tend to miss the greatness around him or her. De La Rose, who I'd never seen before, was heartbreaking and endearing as his single mother.
BLUE JEAN
Kerrie Hayes as "Viv" in Blue Jean. I hope more people discover this 80s set lesbian drama now that it's streaming. Hayes is pitch-perfect as the protagonist's tender but disappointed butch lover. May more casting directors notice her!
FINALISTS
aka I was sad I couldn't find room for them as nominees
THE COLOR PURPLE
Danielle Brooks as "Sofia" in The Color Purple. I held my breath waiting to see if the wonderful Broadway revival of this musical adaptation would transfer well to the big screen. The transfer (in general) was sadly middling but Brooks (who was incredible on stage) still had fire, humor, personality, and presence to spare.
NYAD
Jodie Foster as "Bonnie Stoll" in Nyad. It's so wonderful to have her back where she belongs (aka in front of the camera). While we needed more this time from our beloved Annette Bening as the titular swimming heroine, Foster stole the show as her loyal but understandably exasperated bestie.
SALTBURN
Rosamund Pike as "Elsbeth" in Saltburn. While I'm not a fan of the film, Pike rose above the overworked muddle, striking the perfect tone as the pampered, casually hilarious, and tragically oblivious matriarch.
AND THE NOMINEES ARE (ALPHA ORDER)
FERRARI
Penelope Cruz as "Linda Ferrari" in Ferrari. From her shocking merciless introduction through her cold desolate "wins" in a hellish marital battle but most of all for that inner volcano of grief that she never tries to conceal (comfort of others be damned), Cruz owns the screen.
ALL OF US STRANGERS
Claire Foy as "Mum" in All of Us Strangers. For her riveting and intricate duet with Andrew Scott as a mother trying to work through her own homophobia and make peace with her now-adult son. Bonus points for the hints of terror, psychic residue from her own death
ASTEROID CITY
Scarlett Johansson as "Midge Campbell" in Asteroid City. Is there anything this celebrated but under-admired movie star can't do? She proves, once again, a nimble master of serving both genre and auteur vision while still delivering MOVIE STAR every time. Her stylized work is expertly deadpan yet fully imagined.
ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET.
Rachel McAdams as "Barbara Simon" in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Family-friendly material and good hearted characters are rarely equated with "Great Acting" but McAdams is so warm, real, and lived-in that she elevates an already over-achieving picture.
and
THE HOLDOVERS
Da'Vine Joy Randolph as "Mary" in The Holdovers. Awards sweeps have a way of making wonderful performances feel insanely overpraised which can result in a backlash wherein the acting becomes crazily undervalued instead. Can we meet in the middle and accept that even if the awards sweep is overkill, this is well-judged touching work as a grieving tired mother. Bonus points for the way she keeps keying you back into Mary's inner life, with that friendly but half-hearted investment in more flamboyant people's dramas. She refuses to be a mere foil to the central duo.
Hope you enjoyed. Please share your own ballots in the comments!
Reader Comments (29)
The surprising absentee here is Patricia Clarkson in Monica as Eugenia, the intolerant mother who years ago rejected her transgender child and is now dying from terminal brain cancer. When Monica, now a sex worker, returns, she assumes the role of one of Eugenia’s hired caregivers. The film has no interest in emotional confrontations. Rather, Clarkson is masterful in displaying the ailing woman’s rigidity while exploring her growing vulnerability as her illness progresses. Clarkson is a marvelous actress, and Monica showcases her at the top of her game.
My preferred nominees would be Clarkson, Foster, Foy, McAdams and Randolph.
Even you ignore Patti LuPone??? MADNESS!
Thank you for shining some deserved light on Stella Gonet and Perla de la Rosa. Both of them (plus Catalina Saavedra in Rotting in the Sun) were definitely on my ballot this year.
From the discussed supp. actresses contenders this (boring) season I’ll definitely go with Rosamund and Penélope.
Any chance for a BSA Smackdown (2023) before next Sunday?
I would like to vouch for Hanna Schygulla in Poor Things even though it wasn't a big role but she was important to Bella's development in the film while it looked like she was having a ball in that movie. It was good to see her again.
I'm definitely rooting for Da'Vine Joy Randolph as I love her performance as did my mother. My favorite scene in the film is at this restaurant where the three main characters want this dessert but the waitress said no because the young man is underage. Randolph's character makes a suggestion and as the waitress walked off..., she said "bitch!" That got a big laugh from my mother while the scene that came afterward I thought was great as it was a moment of heart, humor, and everyone just relaxing and embracing themselves. I love this film and her performance.
While it’s heartbreaking to me for such a mediocre performance to win everything and deprive greatness of any chance to win, it’s damn near heart stopping to not see Julianne Moore’s name anywhere in this post!!! Not even a semi finalist, Nathaniel???
My own nominees are fairly similar
Pike,Foster,Cruz,Randolph,Weaver.
Sorry but I thought Brookes was awful in TCP.
Nat the lack of Moore is surprising or are you putting her in Lead.
NATHANIEL
How is Jodie a Supporting Actress???? 49% screentime???
charlea: I'm pretty sure Nathaniel is placing Julianne Moore in Lead for May December. Remember he takes his category placements very seriously.
Nathaniel: That's a solid list! I've yet to see Ferrari, but the rest of your nominees are on my own personal list (I recently re-watched Asteroid City another two times... I find it egregious that the Academy has never nominated a Wes Anderson performance, and this is among the best).
MY NOMINEES
* Cruz
* Foster
* McAdams
* Moore (clearly leading for me, but..)
* Randolph
Honorable mentions:
* Foy
* Pike
Da'Vine is perfect (she was also great in The Idol). This win will age like wine because that's what a supporting performance looks like. Funny how people who have her in their ballots also include Julianne Moore.
My top 5 (alphabetical order):
Claire Foy
Sandra Hüller (Zone of Interest)
Scarlett Johansson
Julianne Moore
Da'Vine Joy Randolph
I consider Jodi Foster a lead.
Okay, I love you mentioning Gonet. She's so good.
My honorable mentions: Cara Jade Myers and Hong Chau.
And I'm treating Moore as a lead so putting her to the side, my 5 are: Scarlett Johannson (Asteroid City), Kerry O'Malley (The Killer), Rosamnud Pike (Saltburn), Randolph (The Holdovers) - and Carey Mulligan (Saltburn). I suppose for Film Bitch Award consideration Mulligan's is a Cameo not Supporting performance, but her every look, movement, reaction, line delivery, she's giving a sublime combination of tragic and hilarious.
@TOM- if we are doing a smackdown this would be my ballot:
Foster- Looses points for being lead and while she physically looks like an athlete (Holy cow who knew Foster was so shredded) this is a sleepwalking performance that most accuse Maggie Smith of doing. Nothing overly profound or complex. 2 hearts
Brooks- The movies seems to go out of its way to ruin her performance. Her start of "Hell No" the only big solo number she has- the camera turns away from her face! I'm sure Brooks is giving a great performance but the movie doesn't seem all that interested in showing it. 2 hearts
Ferrera- Her monologue is great (I particularly like the ending when her voice drops and she is out of breath a little. Almost like she is frustrated/angry/sad that she had to do this speech in the first place and that she kept thinking of more things to add) but outside of this the movie is not interested in her. She doesn't even a a name!- it's Gloria but the movie refers to her as Sasha's Mom. 2.5 hearts
Blunt- Despite being the supporting wife, she never looses her prickly side even while being supporting. Bonus for not caring if the audience likes the character. Her testimony scene is great but again, the movie is not really interested in her. 3 hearts
Randolph- This will be seen like Patricia Arquette's win- not all that shiny when compared to other winners, but when compared to the nominees she was against, it's a sparkling gem. Randolf successfully sells her character's depressions and joys while underplaying against the louder personalities in the room. Also she is the only nominee that her film seems to be interested in her inner life. 3.5 hearts
Foster is terrific in NYAD, and I think it's the first time she plays an out woman being an out actress. She looks so relaxed! This made me feel good for her.
But best performance of the year is Scarjo, any category
Nyad is a two lead film.
Scott -- you read my mind on Mulligan and O'Malley who will both pop up in the Limited Role category ;)
Michael & Tom & Shmeebs -- It's always fascinating to me when people think a role is a leading role when I deem it supporting because 99.4 % of the time the opposite occurs. (For instance I definitely feel that May December is a three lead film and it's been weird to me that so many people feel it's a one lead film). I respect this opinion about NYAD ...it is a lot of screentime... but Bonnie just never feels centered to me. One of my tests if I'm on the fence is -- does this person exist outside of the protagonist and if the answer is no, it tips the scale a bit. But I totally get this argument nonetheless.
Wae Mest -- i did not see Beau is Afraid. I really do try to see all the major films but usually by February I have to cry uncle if I still haven't gotten around to a movie. Time was very tight and as per usual Hollywood saved most of the films until November/December. Had it been 90 minutes long I'm sure I would have found time for it given the actresses involved. But after Midsommar which I genuinely think is a full hour too long (usually I only want 20-30 minutes trimmed for the longish ones). I just couldn't do it with Aster. Whenever a filmmaker makes each subsequent movie longer than the last I know there's trouble in the ego self-indulgence department and his running times are going up by an additional 30 minutes with each film.
Nathaniel -- Very smart. You saved yourself with Beau Is Afraid. I just saw it a few weeks ago and it was the most overwrought, indulgent film I'd seen in a long, long time. I was just scoffing and sighing the whole time. Nothing made sense. I LOVED Hereditary and enjoyed Midsommar, but Beau Is Afraid was TERRIBLE. Had I not been watching with my friend, I would've turned it off after 30 minutes. It makes me very weary about his next movie, which sucks.
This is a really great list of nominees! I'll note that even though Da'Vine has won everything this year, the other ladies were all given nominations or critics wins at prominent shows.
I LOVED Perla De La Rose and I'm glad to see her mentioned here. That was a really beautiful performance that helped Gael Garcia Bernal's really soar.
I love that you called out Scarlett Johansson. She was great in that, and sadly forgotten.
Nah, if you miss BEAU IS AFRAID you're missing award-worthy production design, amazing performances (Parker Posey WOULD make your limited role category, I guarantee), and the most screamingly hilarious use of Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby" in any media. There's no accounting for taste I guess!
Randolph is fantastic in The Holdovers. If this year’s winners are Gladstone/Murphy/RDJ/Randolph then hers will easily be my favorite performance of the bunch.
People are turning their noses up at her in a way I find really unattractive.
^ I agree re: Randolph. A stream roll situation is definitely unwarranted, but that happens almost every season nowadays. She's really good and it's a true supporting performance. I think her win will age well.
I’m also fine with Randolph “steamrolling” because it’s not like she’s an overdue A-lister who’s getting a coronation. She was barely known a year ago. Nobody’s insisting it’s her “turn” to win an Oscar, which is how so many of these things go.
People just really like her film and her performance in it, and Supporting Actress passions are all over the place this year. So no matter how passionate Julianne Moore or Rosamund Pike's supporters are, they're in small clubs. It’s easy to see how Randolph could get a consistent plurality of votes in this field.
My outside the box pick this year for my personal ballot is Stephanie Hsu in Joy Ride. I don't think anyone has made me laugh that hard this year.
I love your five and we matched on 4 of them! I found it very difficult to narrow it down from an initial 10, but my 5 were:
Claire Foy - All of Us Strangers
Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers
Molly Gordon - Theatre Camp (such inspired and loose comic work!)
Penelope Cruz - Ferrari
Rachel McAdams - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (my personal winner - simply wonderful)
The five that didn't make the cut for me were ScarJo in Asteroid City, Julianne Moore in May December, Cara Jade Myers in Killers of the Flower Moon, Rosamund Pike in Saltburn, and Viola Davis in the Hunger Games. (I don't think I've ever seen Viola have that much fun lol)
Jodie Foster
Rosamund Pike
Sandra Hüller
Claire Foy
Sakura Ando
I want to think you consider Catalina Saavedra a lead (as I do) for Rotting in the Sun and that's why the omission.
She was phenomenal