82nd Academy Awards Blogathon: Best Supporting Actor

Matt Damon – Invictus, Woody Harrelson – The Messenger, Christopher Plummer – The Last Station, Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones, Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds

I’m not sure there’s another category, (outside of Best Picture) that made me as giddy as this category. I’m so happy to see each and every one of these actors nominated. The Tuche has had this coming for a long time. How can one not smile at the thought of Mr. Zombieland nominated? And despite his slight prima donna persona, I think Damon is an incredible actor and I’m happy to finally see him recognized for the first time since Good Will Hunting. Christopher Plummer, (not to be confused with Max von Sydow,) has been providing an extraordinary strength to supporting roles for decades.

But is there really a slight doubt that Christoph Waltz won’t walk away with the honor of Best Supporting Actor? He has successfully landed on the same magic that Michael Emerson has for his role on LOST: creating such a loveable bad guy. There’s something maniacal when an actor allows himself to look like a fool without any hesitation. His excitement over such things as “rumors” or lies about skiing accidents makes him that much more terrifying.

A word of note about Stanley Tucci though: um, he’s Stanley Tucci. His range of acting is ridiculous, from him slapstick douchebag characters (Big Trouble,) to his tender supportive characters, (The Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia,) to his menacing creepiness (The Lovely Bones.) That range is only matched by someone like Ben Kingsley, who no doubt is as prestigious as they come. For most of his career he’s been in the supporting role, but he’s less of a film’s support than its foundation. A movie with Tucci in it is instantly stronger. If the award wasn’t going to go to Waltz, which it will, I’d be so happy to see Tucci take it home.

It’s kind of funny that the two strongest contenders for this category stick to the tradition of the Best Supporting Actor in the last few years: villains. Javier Bardem took home the gold for his uncomfortable performance as the juggernaut assassin in No Country for Old Men, and last year’s tour de force performance by Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight. I think Waltz would make a great addition to the trifecta of loveable scoundrels.

Prediction: Christoph Waltz
Personal Pick: Christoph Waltz

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