One Category at a Time: Supporting Actress

What is it with this category? For four consecutive years now it's housed two nominees from the same film. Is the actors branch really so stretched for options? This year it's two from The Help (accounting for 50% of the film's nomination tally), and they still couldn't include the best supporting female from the movie, Bryce Dallas Howard. At any rate, having costar nominees is always an interesting question mark as to how that will affect the overall outcome.

SAG nominees

So the first big guild to weigh in is the Screen Actors Guild, who have singled out what they deem the year's best performances. Following a busy four days of critics groups who have mostly been falling into their old 'group think' habits, it's encouraging to see the industry itself offer up some more original awards options (whether you agree with them or not).

Damien Bichir, whose critically acclaimed lead turn in A Better Life was thought to be largely forgotten, resurfaced with a Best Actor nomination. Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) rectified a weak precursor showing with a tip of the hat for Best Actress, along with costar Janet McTeer in Supporting.

Speaking of Supporting Actress, Melissa McCarthy, of Bridesmaids' allegedly hilarious cast, continues to have a surprisingly strong precursor season, finding room for a nomination here to compliment her three critics awards and BFCA nomination. More to come for the comedienne? The whole cast also got cited for Best Ensemble.

The real puzzling category is Supporting Actor. With only Albert Brooks of Drive and Christopher Plummer of Beginners winning critics awards so far (and both of them terrific performances, by the way), those other three slots have been ripe for the plucking. Nick Nolte of Warrior follows up his BFCA nod with one from SAG, and surprise nominations went to Jonah Hill for Moneyball and Armie Hammer for J. Edgar. Did not see either of those coming. Nor did I see coming the snub of Albert Brooks, although I remain optimistic of his Oscar chances.

See all the nominees after the cut