Welcome to For Your Consideration, the Collider show that breaks down awards season with hosts Scott Mantz, Perri Nemiroff and Jeff Sneider, who offer their Best Supporting Actor predictions. This category feels like a two-man race this year, but could be poised for a surprise -- particularly from veteran actors like Sam Elliott and Richard E. Grant, both of whom will be vying for their first Oscar nominations. Here's how things played out...
At this point in the year, there seem to be two surefire locks in this category, each of whom could really contend as a co-lead this season. First up is Mahershala Ali for Green Book, which continues to impress industry audiences following its triumphant debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Ali just won this award a couple of years ago for Moonlight, but he's terrific in the film, and there's nothing in the Academy's bylaws that would prevent him from adding another gold statue to his mantle. Just look at Christoph Waltz's mantle for proof! Ali will face stiff competition from Timothée Chalamet, who is absolutely heartbreaking as a young drug addict in Beautiful Boy. Steve Carell is being positioned as the lead here, and while it's true that the story is told from his point of view, Chalamet certainly has plenty of screen time. He lost the Oscar last year to Gary Oldman, and the Academy may have a harder time ignoring his impressive work this time around. His performance is truly devastating.
Elliott and Grant are right behind them, and while more people will have seen Elliott's work in A Star Is Born, Grant may have the edge as Melissa McCarthy's co-lead in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Grant gives a delicious performance as a gay, street-smart hustler, and he and McCarthy have wonderful chemistry together onscreen. Elliott, for his part, steals several scenes from Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga with his watery eyes and the deep lines in his gorgeously expressive face. He doesn't have nearly the screen time that Grant does, but he makes his presence felt nonetheless.
That said, Scott isn't as high on Elliott's performance as Jeff and Perri are. Instead, he thinks Adam Driver (BlackKklansman) and Russell Crowe (Boy Erased) are more likely nominees. Jeff can see Crowe landing a nomination, as the Academy is clearly a fan of his work (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, The Insider), but he suspects that Michael B. Jordan may have a better chance this year. Jordan delivered a very memorable performance as the villain in Black Panther, and he represents that film's best shot at an acting nomination. If there's enough support for that Marvel movie within the Academy then Jordan could wind up its biggest beneficiary.
Elsewhere, Perri's instincts are telling her not to ignore the supporting stars of Adam McKay's Vice, particularly Sam Rockwell's turn as George W. Bush. Jeff always thought that Steve Carell's turn as Donald Rumsfeld would be the likeliest supporting performance to be nominated, but Perri brings up a good point about Rockwell riding high off last year's Oscar win for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. He's the reigning champion of this category, so perhaps he deserves the benefit of the doubt for now. Others meriting mention this episode include Hereditary star Alex Wolff and Gwilym Lee, who the panel agreed did a great job playing Queen guitarist Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody.
In the end, Scott, Perri and Jeff come to a compromise regarding their predictions, so tune in to see where they settled. To keep up with all things For Your Consideration, follow the gang on Twitter and Instagram at @MovieMantz, @PNemiroff and @TheInSneider. Stay tuned next week for more awards talk, and we'll FYC-ya later!
