2002 Best Supporting Actor/Actress Races
Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress races at this years Academy Awards are just loaded with talent. I think these are two of the toughest races to call this year so of course we will start there.
Let’s start with the Best Supporting Actor Category and take a look at each individual candidate.
Chris Cooper for Adaptation
Cooper does a great job as the eccentric John Laroche (the topic of Susan Orlean’s (Meryl Streep) book The Orchid Thief). He gives us a good look at this man who is maybe not the most desirable individual on the surface. Cooper is getting a number of individuals falling over in praise for his role, and while I think it is first rate and definitely deserves to be nominated, it wouldn’t be my choice to win. However, it wouldn’t at all surprise me if Cooper does win the award and I would not be disappointed by that result.
Ed Harris for The Hours
I will grant the following that as of this writing I have NOT yet seen The Hours, but will shortly. My gut is that The Hours is more about the strong female characters and their performances, so it would be a total shock to me if he won. (I may have even filled this slot with Dennis Quaid’s stunning performance in Far From Heaven).
Paul Newman for Road to Perdition
Newman is a fabulous actor. Hands down he has been one of the strongest actors of the last 30 years. Newman is fabulous in his role as mob boss John Rooney in this solid 2002 release. The one thing that is lacking is that his performance is limited and he really does not have a lot of screen time in the movie. I wouldn’t be disappointed if he wins, but I don’t see it happening.
John C. Reilly for Chicago
Reilly was actually in 3 of the 5 nominees for Best Picture this year, and he was fabulous in the films that I have seen him in. He has always been someone that even casual film fans know by face, but maybe not by name. Reilly goes to the mat in Chicago and provides an incredible voice to go with his acting talent. It was a toss up in determining my selection here and he did lose out. Could he win? If Chicago is sweeping the night, he very well could. Will he win? Probably not, but who knows. My take: If you were basing it on a body of work for the year he would be right up there, but despite an excellent performance he wouldn’t be my choice.
Christopher Walken for Catch Me If You Can
This was one of those films that I think was very underrated and even lost in the shuffle at the end of the year. I think many individuals missed one of the best performances of 2002. Walken plays Frank Abagnale Sr., the father of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Frank Abagnale Jr. character in this look at one of the most successful con men of modern times. Walken gives us all of the pain of a man in a troubled marriage and all of the anguish of a man trying to be a father to a kid who goes a bit too far. Walken’s performance shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, as he has always been delivering, even in the smallest of roles. He would be my choice if I had a ballot, and I think he has a good chance of taking home the statue at this year’s ceremony.
If you think the Supporting Actor category is loaded…wait until you look at the Supporting Actress category again. This is filled with actresses that are worthy of the award, but only one will win.
Kathy Bates for About Schmidt
Kathy Bates is just a fantastic actress. In About Schmidt she is Roberta, the mother-in-law to be for Jack Nicholson’s daughter. She is a character that adds to Jack Nicholson’s life in such a way as no one else could do. Bates is open enough to portray the range of her character in this one whether it is the sexual openness or the genuine concern. Anyone can win this category and I really think that she has a chance here, though she would not be my own choice.
Julianne Moore for The Hours
Again, I haven’t seen this film as of the writing of this piece, but I honestly think the others in the category are just so good that she probably won’t win here.
Queen Latifah for Chicago
This is one of the most unsung performances of 2002. Why? Because Latifah gets over shadowed by her co-stars in this very movie. All the talk is about Zellweger, Zeta-Jones, and even Richard Gere not getting nominated. Folks, Latifah’s performance is solid. She of course, comes to the table with a singing background to start with and she does NOT disappoint. One of the best performances that will have you bouncing in your seat comes from her and I am ecstatic to see her be nominated. I know she probably has very little chance of winning, but I would love to see the award be added to her mantle.
Meryl Streep for Adaptation
Streep is someone that every actor and actress looking to make it in Hollywood should look at for instruction. She is so solid and her performance in Adaptation is no exception. The thing that I think will keep her from an award for this role is that I feel her role was so secondary to that of Nicolas Cage that she almost doesn’t get noticed. I wouldn’t be upset if she won, but I don’t think it will be her.
Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago
The Chicago train rolls on in this category with both Latifah and Zeta-Jones nominated. Her performance is almost that of a co-lead with Zellweger and thus I see her winning this award. I feel that it would be a well-deserved award at that. Zeta-Jones delivers with a voice an screen presence that helps take Chicago to the top of its game. It could be argued that she should have been nominated in the Actress category was well, but she should rule the roost here. I think she will win the award, and I think she is very deserving of winning the category. She would be my choice, but only by an eyelash.
History tells us that Oscar may have a surprise or two in store for us. However, with the absolute loads of talent that is featured in these categories, I’ve got to believe that almost nothing would surprise me and almost everything would be a great way for the awards to come down.
© 2003 Paul Hall, All Rights Reserved