1.Juliette Binoche in The English Patient 2.Marcia Gay Harden in Pollock 3.Jessica Lange in Tootsie 4.Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener 5.Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost
1. Ingrid Bergman for Murder on the Orient Express 2. Meryl Streep for Kramer vs. Kramer 3. Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener 4. Cate Blanchette for The Avaitor 5. juliette Binoche for The English Patient
Cate Blanchett in The Aviator Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls Rita Moreno in West Side Story Renee Zelweger in Cold Mountain Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted
Steph I have to disagree with you and say Amy Adams was robbed of the Oscar in 2005 :(
1. Rachel Weisz as Tessa Quayle in "The Constant Gardener" (2005) 2. Marisa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito in "My Cousin Vinny" (1992) 3. Jennifer Connelly as Alicia Nash in "A Beautiful Mind" (2001)
I haven't seen enough of the older nominees to be an expert in this discussion, but some of the more recent winners (past two decades) were disappointing. Namely Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton," Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator" (the acting skill is apparent, but she came off way too annoying for my liking), and Kim Basinger in "L.A. Confidential" (though I loved the film).
However, looking back at some of the Best Supporting Actress nominees that DIDN'T win in the past couple decades, there are some really fantastic performances. These look like snubs to me:
Amy Adams as Sister James in "Doubt" (2008)
Amy Ryan as Helene McCready in "Gone Baby Gone" (2007) -- appallingly underrated. Her's was one of the best supporting performances I've seen in any film, from any year. Just outstanding. Totally immersed in the role.
Kate Hudson as Penny Lane in "Almost Famous" (2000) -- one of my favorite movies of all time, and she steals the show. In the past I've called her the "glistening gem" of the film. That she is.
Minnie Driver as Skylar in "Good Will Hunting" (1997)
Uma Thurman as Mia in "Pulp Fiction" (1994) -- very memorable.
Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill in "Goodfellas" (1990) -- C'mon, I love Whoopi Goldberg's personality, but there's no way in Hell that her performance in "Ghost" (no pun intended) was better than Bracco's in "Goodfellas." "Goodfellas" is one of the more strongly acted films in the history of the craft. Bracco's right up there with the titans of the movie: Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci.
OMG! I agree with a lot of yours (Amy Ryan being underrated. Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver, Amy Adams)
* = AMAZING PERFORMANCE
SNUBBED SUPPORTERS (ACTRESSES): Kate Winslet "Sense and Sensibility" *Joan Cusack "In & Out" Judi Dench "Chocolat" *Julianne Moore "The Hours" *Virginia Madsen "Sideways" *Catherine Keener "Capote" Abigail Breslin "Little Miss Sunshine" *Amy Adams "Doubt" Anna Kendrick "Up in the Air"
SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND WON BUT WERENT NOMINATED: *Robin Wright Penn "Forrest Gump" Annette Bening "Mars Attacks!" *Joan Allen "Pleasantville" *Cameron Diaz "Being John Malkovich" Chiaki Kuriyama "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" Meryl Streep "Rendition"
1. Meryl Streep - Kramer vs. Kramer 2. Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener 3. Brenda Fricker - My Left Foot 4. Hattie McDaniel - Gone with the Wind 5. Beatrice Straight - Network
Claire Trevor - Key Largo Shelley Winters - A Patch of Blue Ruth Gordon - Rosemary's Baby Tatum O'Neal - Paper Moon Dianne Wiest - Bullets Over Broadway