Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Knightley’s performance might be the best way for the motion-picture academy to honor Imitation – it only helps that she’s stretched her limits this year alone between contemporary comedy Laggies and music-driven drama Begin Again. But watch out for Stone, who picked up raves at Venice for her work in Birdman. Still, nobody quite has that “She’s taking this, and everyone else will just have to deal with it” spark that recent winners have had; perhaps Chastain, Carmen Ejogo, or Jones can change that?
Also, Open Road Films re-released Jon Favreau’s indie comedy Chef over the weekend, in part to push the film for awards consideration. Can Scarlett Johansson benefit from her career resurgence and finally land her first nomination?
1. Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game
2. Emma Stone for Birdman
3. Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year
4. Patricia Arquette for Boyhood
5. Carmen Ejogo for Selma
6. Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything
7. Carrie Coon for Gone Girl
8. Naomi Watts for St. Vincent
9. Julianne Moore for Maps to the Stars
10. Laura Dern for Wild
Other Possibilities: Rooney Mara for Trash, Naomi Watts for Birdman, Anna Kendrick for Into the Woods, Emily Blunt for Into the Woods, Oprah Winfrey for Selma, Krysten Ritter for Big Eyes, Jessica Lange for The Gambler, Niecy Nash for SelmaPride, Katherine Waterston for Inherent Vice, Marisa Tomei for Love is Strange, Reese Witherspoon for Inherent Vice, Scarlett Johansson for Chef, Shohreh Aghdashloo for Rosewater, Laura Dern for 99 Homes
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Ruffalo feels like the best bet at the moment, but it’s only September; Norton picked up some steam at Telluride and Venice, so it’s not over yet.
1. Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher
2. Edward Norton for Birdman
3. Takamasa Ishihara, a.k.a. Miyavi, for Unbroken
4. Neil Patrick Harris for Gone Girl
5. Ethan Hawke for Boyhood
6. Tom Wilkinson for Selma
7. Tim Roth for Selma
8. Tyler Perry for Gone Girl
9. Martin Short for Inherent Vice
10. Domnhall Gleeson for Unbroken
Other Possibilities: Garrett Hedlund for Unbroken, Josh Brolin for Inherent Vice, Logan Lerman for Fury, Paul Jesson for Mr. Turner, Robert Duvall for The Judge, Jaeden Lieberher for St. Vincent, Robert Pattinson for Queen of the Desert, Matthew Goode for The Imitation Game, James Corden for Into the Woods, Martin Sheen for Trash, Albert Brooks for A Most Violent Year, David Oyelowo for A Most Violent Year, Michael Peña for Fury, Chris Pine for Into the Woods, Michael Shannon for 99 Homes