Best Supporting Actor has lots of interesting choices this season!

Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls) - I have a feeling that the rest of the selections are just going to be a product of the academy going through the motions, as this year will see Eddie Murphy rewarded for being one of the most amazingly talented people that the industry has ever known. In no way do I want to see Murphy start gravitating toward "serious" work, though. He's said to be a scene stealer in Dreamgirls, and honestly, there are very few people that Eddie Murphy couldn't steal a scene from if he tried, and Jamie Foxx is definitely not one of them. Wouldn't it be a kick to watch them do their Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder impersonations together?

Joe Pesci (The Good Shepherd) - Yes, after an 8 year golfing vacation, the little Italian with the helium voice is back, baby! I think that's all he had to do. He can even suck, and just being back would have been enough for a nom. I hardly expect him to suck, though, as The Good Shepherd has high caliber talent up and down the production.

Jack Nicholson (The Departed) - Although it hasn't been 8 years, it's been 3 years since the great Jack Nicholson has been on the silver screen. He's back to playing a villian, which I personally think nobody does better, in a very high profile Martin Scorcese picture with a star studded cast.

Tobey MaGuire (The Good German) - This pick is partly because of my Peter Parker love and partly because Maguire is one of the most talented actors working today, and he's in a very Oscar-baity film. I think this guy's got some Oscar wins in his future. Probably not this season, but definitely down the road, and he's bound to pick up some nominations along the way first.

William H. Macy (Bobby) - It's been 10 years since his Fargo nomination, and Bobby is going to need some acting support, so this seems like a logical pick here.

There are just so many to choose from in this category. I could pick 5 completely different actors and make a case for all of them as of now. Steve Carrell, Alan Arkin, Ben Affleck, somebody from Flags of Our Fathers/Letters From Imo Jima, somebody from All the King's Men, etc...

It's really an exciting year on paper!

Surprised you didn't even mention Affleck, heh.

I think Nicholson is the closest thing to a sure bet at this point, however in this category there are really no certainties whatsoever right now.

haha...I'm surprised I didn't mention him, too. I'm telling you, there are just so many possibilities. Affleck's chances are still as good as ever, and he might be in my top 5 when all is said and done.

I went ahead and added Ben to my alternates list.

If Greg Kennar could get a nod for As Good As It Gets, there's no reason to think Steve Carrell can't. I still put Carrell behind Arkin but who knows, maybe both of them will get nominated.

Michael Caine is in the race, I think. Early word seems to say that he's a shining light of the movie, and it wouldn't surprise me that the academy would throw Children a random nod like this.

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Brian Cox, Running With Scissors
Richard Griffiths, The History Boys
Tobey Maguire, The Good German
Jack Nicholson, The Departed

Next:

Ben Affleck, Hollywoodland
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls (I guess)

Good list on paper!

How about the rest of you?

I'll say
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Jack Nicholson, The Departed
Michael Caine, The Children of Men
Ben Affleck, Hollywoodland
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine

God, that's the dreamlist. Arkin could be switched for Kinnear I think, depends on who gets the buzz.

I'd love to see Nicholson taking it again.

Ain't nothin' wrong with that list. I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers.

afflec in hollywoodland is farrrrr better then macy in bobby. ithought.

Comon, how can you guys not mention Paul Dano for Little Miss Sunshine. He gave the best performance in the movie.

Arkin is a bigger name in Hollywood (And he hasn't been nominated in 38 years) and Carell is the It Comedian among critics and Hollywood. I'm currently predicting Arkin.

But I agree Dano gave the best performance. He's currently my Supporting Actor winner.

Pesci's role is supposedly very very small, but hey look at William Hurt in HOV, very small role i'd say but he got a nod. This years competition seems very tough though.

Hopefully the stuidos play up Bale's performance in Prestige more as a supporting role then leading ( since im hearing both Jackman and Bale could be considered leads ), he has a chance especially if the film becomes a success in more ways then one.

1. Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
2. Brian Cox - Running With Scissors
3. James McAvoy - The Last King Of Scotland
4. Barry Pepper - Flags Of Our Father (shot in the dark guess)
5. Jack Nicholson - The Departed

FOr an alternate I'd say Alec Baldwin. I think he's in The Good Shepherd and Running With Scissors. Maybe even The Departed?

im pretty sure afflecks gonna get a nomination.

just look at HOW MUCH praise hes getting as reeves

I don't think Hollywoodland will be nominated for anything, really. It hasn't had the type of raves needed for a movie with that release date. It's gonna be forgotten in the onslaught of contenders coming out in rapid succession.

Movies don't need raves to get acting nominations, regardless of their release date. For instance, Unfaithful (another movie starring Diane Lane) was released in August of 2002 and only has a 47% at RT, yet she was nominated for Best Actress. I Am Sam, though released in late December, was critically bashed at 33%, yet Sean Penn still got a Best Actor nom, despite there being several movies that were much MUCH better received.

I really meant to include Brad Pitt for Babel but I forgot about him. I'll include him as an alternate.

Affleck won Best Actor in Venice, if you haven't heard.

He would, no doubt, campaign for supporting actor.

i think hes a lock to be nominated. so much praise, best actor award, famous real life character, gained lot of weight for role, ect.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Jackie Earle Haley of Little Children, as a convicted child molester. All reviews have been praising his performance so far.

I read the book, and the part could be very Oscar-friendly, I think.

Thinking about it, I think Alec Baldwin will get a nomination somewhere this year. He's in 3 of these movies, amazingly. The Departed, The Good Shepard, and Running With Scissors. He's also been pretty ignored by the academy in the past, only 1 nomination in his long career, so he's due for more love. If he gives his standard great performances in all 3, it's hard to not see him picking up one.

This is actually Poland's Toronto summary, so he talks about a lot, including that he thinks Best Actress is Penelope Cruz's to lose, but he talks about Sandra Bullock in Infamous, so I figured I'd use it as an excuse to bump this thread.

http://moviecitynews.com/voices/2006/06 ... onto1.html