As part of The LAMB's The LAMB Devours the Oscars series, I am going to be writing on the 5 absolutely amazing nominees for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I will be starting off with...
Mary J. Blige as Florence Jackson in Mudbound
Previous Nominations: 0
Previous Wins: 0
In a film filled with exemplary performances, Blige is the standout. Going from her noted career as an R&B icon with blonde highlights, acrylic nails & big eyelashes, Blige ditches all of these for a performance where she is absolutely unrecognizable. Her character wants a better life for her family, & is caring & devoted to that goal.
Allison Janney as LaVona Golden in I, Tonya
Previous Nominations: 0
Previous Wins: 0
Janney, most known for her TV work in series such as The West Wing & Mom, has jumped over to the silver screen in one of her few pivotal film roles. And what a performance it is. Janney is both gut-bustingly hilarious & terrifyingly evil. She is The Mother from Hell. Janney's performance is even more defined by her character's disastrous bowl cut (thanks to the amazing makeup & hairstyling team), & her constantly-interrupting pet bird, which her character deems to be the "best husband she's ever had."
Lesley Manville as Cyril Woodcock in Phantom Thread
Previous Nominations: 0
Previous Wins: 0
Manville is more than likely the least well-known name of the nominees, but that doesn't mean she isn't as great of an actress as the other nominees. Most known for her collaborations with director Mike Leigh on films such as Topsy-Turvy, All or Nothing, & Another Year, Manville gets the juiciest role she's ever had here. Manville plays Cyril as a sidekick to her brother, Reynolds, (played by Daniel Day-Lewis) at first, being the only one to keep him in check, but eventually lets him know that she is not to be messed with.
Laurie Metcalf as Marion McPherson in Lady Bird
Previous Nominations: 0
Previous Wins: 0
This is nothing short of a phenomenal performance. Metcalf, also an actress more well-known for her TV work, jumps over to the silver screen for her role as a mother struggling to connect with her daughter, Christine, AKA Lady Bird (played by Saoirse Ronan). Along with the chemistry she has with Ronan, Metcalf has such an enormous feeling of relatability, as most of us have had mothers like her: high-strung, but loving nonetheless.
Octavia Spencer as Zelda Fuller in The Shape of Water
Previous Nominations: 2 (The Help & Hidden Figures)
Previous Wins: 1 (The Help)
Spencer, the only previous Oscar nominee (& winner) of this year's nominees, is an absolute scene-stealer again. As the friend & interpreter of Elisa Esposito (played by Sally Hawkins), she gets more of the lines, which is exemplary considering the time frame of the film. She provides some of the film's comic relief, & she excels in that role, along with some of the more dramatic parts of her performance.
Who Will Win? - Allison Janney. After winning the Golden Globe, Critics' Choice & Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance, she is all but certain to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Who Should Win? - Laurie Metcalf. She was the early frontrunner, but has faltered recently. Her performance is the best of these nominees, as her performance is less showy & more subdued, but still powerful. There may be a chance that she pulls off the upset, as Lady Bird's Best Picture nomination might provide more momentum for Metcalf, as I, Tonya did not receive a Best Picture nomination, which might hurt Janney.
All of the performances here are exemplary, but there's one performance that is sorely missed & deserved a nomination: Holly Hunter in The Big Sick. She portrayed the catharsis, grief & trauma that was needed for the performance so excellently.
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