Interestingly, for as non-Oscary as this list is, the Best
Supporting Actor nominations here are very likely to be the exact same five that end up nominated on Oscar morning.
Not exact matches
If Robert Downey Jr. (the Steve Martin to Galifianakis» John Candy in Phillips» upcoming Due Date) could garner a
supporting actor Academy Award
nomination for Tropic Thunder, there's no good reason Galifianakis couldn't have done so
here, had Warner Bros. campaigned for it.
I would be more surprised if Dafoe does not pick up his third Academy Award
nomination for his turn
here than if he wins the Best
Supporting Actor award last claimed by Moonlight's Mahershala Ali.
Two other big surprises were found in Female
Actor in a Leading Role where Sarah Silverman found a
nomination for her indie drama I Smile Back and in Male
Actor in a
Supporting Role, Michael Shannon in 99 Homes follows up his LA critics win with a mention
here.
The most inspired move
here would be a
Supporting Actor nomination for Rhys Ifans, whose Earl of Oxford and supposed true Shakespeare, Edward de Vere, is less the lead character than the vivid standout of an ensemble.
Like all of Tarantino's best characters, this one owes much to the performance, and Robert Downey Jr. was frankly robbed of a
supporting actor nomination for his work
here.
It's a shame that Dooley, who remains very active in television and film at age 86, didn't get a
Supporting Actor nomination for his fine work
here (which is echoed in his similarly likable role as Molly Ringwald's father in Sixteen Candles).
It's also notable that Christian Bale received a Lead
Actor nomination for The Big Short at the just - aired Golden Globes, but is in for
Supporting here.
Up in the Air, based on Walter Kirn's 2001 novel, led the pack with six
nominations: best picture (drama), best
actor in a drama, best director, best screenplay and best
supporting actress (two
nominations here, for Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick).