Completed Category: Actor in a Supporting Role

 The other category that I had completed already when the Nominations were announced was Actor in a Supporting Role. 

Yes, having as my completed categories on Nomination Day both Lead Actress and Supporting Actor, I definitely had an informed reaction to the many people on the interwebs who had a lot to say about Barbie. But no need to get into that again here. Let's just examine the two important questions of: 1)Were these all in fact Supporting performances?  and  2)Who deserves to win? 

STERLING K. BROWN, American Fiction:  This was the most out-of-nowhere of the twenty Acting nominations, for me. I liked American Fiction! (I read Percival Everett's book it was based on.) I expected it to get several nominations. I did not expect this. Listening to people talk this week, I have decided that I don't have the same viewer relationship to Sterling K. Brown that a whole lot of y'all seem to have as I have never watched an episode of This Is Us. That alone can't explain it, though, can it?  The brother that he plays in American Fiction is kind of - a jerk. Then again, I am more like the main character in so many ways, and maybe that's why I dislike the brother's antics?  At any rate, I don't think Sterling K. Brown is going to win this. But what do I know, clearly.  Definitely a supporting role. 

ROBERT DE NIRO, Killers of the Flower Moon: Now, he might win.  He has seven previous nominations and two previous wins. We all know him. Sometimes he's serious as all get out, sometimes he's funny, sometimes his movies are meh. In this role he's basically the devil. A greedy, manipulative, ingratiating son-of-a, who hurts people in about forty-three different ways.  It's a great film and his presence on screen is a big part of the nasty happenings.  He has a good chance, I think.  Also it is in fact a supporting role. 

ROBERT DOWNEY JR., Oppenheimer:  But I think this Robert has way more of a chance. First of all, I think Oppenheimer is going to take home a bunch of awards, if no scandal happens between now and March 10th. And I'm fine with that, as it was a great film and an indictment of humanity. Robert D Jr. is a beast with about 17 different layers to his character. Totally transformed as an actor into this antagonist character, and in cast of what feels like thousands he stands out sharply.  Is it a Supporting role? Yes - and it almost doesn't feel like it. I read that he has 24 minutes of screen time. It feels like he has an hour and 24. 

RYAN GOSLING, Barbie: Can this feel-good performance steal enough votes from the serious stuff? I don't think so. Yes, everyone loves him, and yes it was indelible and now "I'm Just Ken" and the mojo dojo casa house etc. will be with us all forever, but I think - I think - it was all just for funsies. Plus now some people might feel guilty voting for him since they didn't nominate Margot, whoops!  Oh, humans. Definitely a supporting role, though he feels like a co-lead probably because he shows up constantly, and the Kens part goes on and on interminably.  Side note: We might get a live song performance from Ken(s) at the ceremony. 

MARK RUFFALO, Poor Things:  Ugh. I like Mark Ruffalo; I dislike Poor Things; I wish the other Supporting contender Willem Dafoe was nominated here for Poor Things instead.  I'd have nominated Dafoe over either Sterling K. Brown or Mark Ruffalo.  Yes, Mark was very good in this psychotic film. He's always very good in everything though. He's steady, solid. I put him in the middle of the pack here. Is it a Supporting performance?  Yes, all the men who variously control and use Bella (Emma Stone's) body are "Supporting" in orbit around her. 

And so, this is the order I want them to win, my preference: 
Robert Downey Jr. 
(tie) Ryan Gosling / Robert De Niro
Mark Ruffalo 
Sterling K. Brown

And that is essentially the order of likelihood of actual winning, I think, too.  It may be that my "preference" is more about me not caring too terribly much.  Fine category overall with one obvious oversight, and no super-duper other strong opinions from me. 

Which Supporting guy did you like best this year?