Every Best Supporting Actress Oscar: The Complete History of the Winners

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Dianne Wiest — 1995
Bullet On Broadway (1994)

“Don’t talk!” Dianne Wiest Unstoppable as actress Helen Sinclair, one of the greatest divas of all time in Woody Allen’s zany gang comedy Bullets On Broadway. (This is one of Allen’s few films for which he had a writer; in this case, it was humor columnist, playwright, director, and actor Doug McGrath.) With this win , Wiest became the second woman to win two best-supporting actress Oscars, giving Shelley Winters the honor.

Anna Paquin – 1994
Piano (1993)

She was only 11 years old when she won (but still not the youngest winner in this category!), Anna Paquin rushed out of his seat in a sexy purple hat when Gene Hackman read her name at the Oscars. Lovely! Then she stood behind the podium in a dazed state, half giggling, half hyperventilating. Its a great moment! Then a little bit of Hollywood comes in and she starts thanking everyone. If you can believe it, Jane Campion is the second woman ever nominated in the best director category.

Marisa Tomei — 1993
My cousin Vinny (1992)

A great performance, a great movie, a great and just victory. We say that because back in the day some people felt Marisa Tomeiadmittedly humorous twist of My cousin Vinny is something of a blight on the Oscars. It even became a conspiracy theory that the publication of her name was some kind of accident. Tomei was also a television and sitcom star who faced off against three British heavyweight boxers (Joan Ploughright, Vanessa Redgrave, And Miranda Richardson), as well as Australia Judy Davis at Woody Allen Husbands and wives. But time has washed all that away—and Tomei has had two more nominations since then.

Mercedes Ruehl-1992
Fishing king (1991)

Mercedes Ruehl is probably a bigger name for Broadway fans than movie buffs, but it’s her turn to be in Terry Gilliamexcellent fantasy film by Fishing king Absolutely the right choice for this year’s Best Supporting Actress award. She was wonderful as the hard-working video store owner who helped get it going Jeff Bridge gets back on his feet after abandoning his career as a radio talk show host who accidentally inspired a killing spree. (Today, such a person would just say: “Like and subscribe!”)

Whoopi Goldberg – 1991
Ghost (1990)

Second black woman to win in this category (in 51 years), Whoopi Goldberg, who later went on to host the Oscars four times, was hilarious and touching as Oda Mae Brown in the viral blockbuster Ghost. As it happened, she was presented with an Oscar by Denzel Washington, who had become the second black man to win best supporting actor the previous year. Whoopi’s win also put her name on the list list interstellar journey alumni who won an Oscar.

Brenda Fricker – 1990
My left leg (1989)

Somehow, Brenda Fricker is the only Irish woman to win an Academy Award for leading or supporting actress. This may seem counterintuitive considering Ireland’s contributions to the cinematic arts, but it is true. (There have been wins for Irish women in other Oscar categories, so that’s normal, until Saoirse Ronan finally won one for her acting—she’s received four nominations already.) Received an award for her performance My left leg (which also gave Daniel Day-Lewis the first of three trophies), she thanked “Mrs. Brown” and believes that “anyone who gives birth 22 times deserves one such birth.”

Geena Davis – 1989
Accidental tourist (1988)

Maybe a little sad Sigourney Weaver IN Working girl (third nominated and third lost), Geena Davis won best supporting actress for her role as the goofy dog ​​trainer who teaches William Hurt how to embrace life after tragedy in Lawrence KasdanGreat comic book movie. The Oscars producers probably also supported Weaver as her co-star. Melanie Griffith (and then husband Don Johnson) is the presenter for this category.

Olympia Dukakis – 1988
horrifying (1987)

This is one of three victories of terrified, also received the best actress trophy for Cher and best original screenplay John Patrick Shanley. (Alas, Vincent Gardenia had stiff competition for best supporting actor opposite Sean Connery in People who are untouchable. Olympia Dukakis is the clear winner for best supporting actress for her role as Rose, the head of the Castorini family in one of the best romantic comedies of all time. She ended her acceptance speech by adding, “Okay, Michael, let’s go!”—referring to her cousin Michael Dukakis, who was running for president at the time (and would lose by a significant margin).

Dianne Wiest — 1987
Hannah and her sisters (1986)

She may not be worthy of Cole Porter, but she deserves to win this Oscar. This was Dianne Wiest’s first of two best supporting actress Oscars, both of which came for appearing in Woody Allen films. Hannah and her sisters is such an expansive look at New York City characters that she barely shares any screen time with her co-stars Michael Caine, who also won the Best Supporting Actor award for this film. (Allen also won Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Director while the film was nominated for Best Picture.)

Angelica Huston – 1986
Honor of Prizzi (1985)

With this award, Angelica Huston becoming the only person to win an Oscar in a film directed by their parents, in this case John Huston. (Nearly 40 years ago, John Huston guided his father, Walter Huston, to the year’s Academy Award Treasures of the Sierra Madre. I wonder if this double record will be broken!) Honor of Prizzia mafia comedy ahead of its time, starring Jack Nicholson And Kathleen Turner and has one of the most shocking endings in cinema history.

Peggy Ashcroft – 1985
A journey to India (1984)

“Grandma. Mooooooooore!” Sir David Lean’s last film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including best picture, but won only two: best score for Maurice Jarre (third after the Oscar). Lawrence of Arabia And Doctor Zhivagoall Lean films) and best supporting actress to Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who was 77 at the time of her win, making her the oldest winner in the category. Based on the novel by E.M. Forster, starring Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, James Fox, Alec Guinness, Roshan Seth, and others, the film is either progressive for its time or a reactionary ode to the era of the British Raj, depending on your perspective. However, all can agree that Peggy Ashcroft’s performance as the well-traveled good-natured English lady is superb.

Linda Hunt – 1984
Years of living dangerously (1982)

An unusual award in that sense Linda Hunt (a white woman from New Jersey) plays Billy Kwan, a Chinese-Australian man. This might not happen today, but 40 years ago, it was considered a brave — and even noble — choice. The film was even cancelled, despite being a serious look at the military coup attempt and democracy struggles in Indonesia in the late 1960s.

Jessica Lange – 1983
Tootsie (1982)

This was a wild night for Jessica Lange at the Oscars. She won best supporting actress thanks to her co-star Terri Garr from Tootsie (tough choice!), but even more so than his Frances Farmer biopic co-star Kim Stanley Frances. For a brief moment, it looked like Lange might be a double winner as she was nominated for Best Actress for the film Frances anymore—but that award is already up for grabs Meryl Streep because Sophie’s choice. Anyway, regardless TootsieOf its 10 nominations (including best picture), this was its only win. That it lost its best original screenplay Gandhi (definitely a good movie) has a bit of a scandal.

Maureen Stapleton – 1982
Red (1981)

A three-hour-plus film about leftist class squabbles might sound more like forced chores than a fun time, but Warren BeattySo exciting and delicious Red is absolutely amazing. Part of that is due to Maureen Stapleton’s performance as the community’s lair mother (insofar as anarchists can have lair mothers) Emma Goldman. She had previously been nominated three times (first in 1958, for lonely heart), and upon accepting the award, she said she was “thrilled, happy, delighted,” paused to add “sober,” then said she wanted to thank “all the people she ever met in my whole life.”

Mary Steenburgen – 1981
Melvin and Howard (1980)

Jonathan Demme’s riveting story of Melvin Dummar, a gas station attendant, game show contestant and American dreamer who claimed that Howard Hughes had left him his fortune, is one of the series Good movies of this era but don’t get much attention. This rough-and-tumble indie film has a juicy part going for it Mary Steenburgen as a spoiled wife trying to preserve her family in the face of a stupid husband.