2010 Oscar Nominees

Best Supporting Actor

 

Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

One of the great things about Oscar season is getting to know actors who are unknown to us, but popular and respected in other countries. Such is the case with Christoph Waltz, longtime TV and stage actor in Germany who landed the role of a lifetime as Colonel Landa, the notorious “Jew hunter” in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino himself recently told the National Post, “If I couldn’t have found someone as good as Christoph, I might not have made Inglourious Basterds.” After taking Cannes by storm, Waltz has danced away with several awards, including the Golden Globe. He is the man to beat. In fact, Oscar night may be the last time people say “Christoph Waltz, who?”

 

Matt Damon (Invictus)

It’s been a dozen years since Matt Damon broke through with Good Will Hunting, which earned him (and buddy Ben Affleck) an Oscar for writing the screenplay and a nomination for his acting. Since that impressive start, Damon has quietly gone on to become one of Hollywood’s sturdiest leading men (and top philanthropists). In Invictus, Damon plays South African rugby legend Francois Pienaar, who is asked by Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) to somehow unite the racially divided people of South Africa during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Playing Pienaar, Damon had big shoes to fill—literally. The real-life captain is a good five inches taller than the actor, but Damon somehow manages to pull it off with a big performance. Still, his chances of winning are slim.

 

Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones)

Stanley Tucci is one of those character actors who does great work in countless films but, except to his most devoted fans, is not well known. Tucci’s versatility is apparent when you study his incredibly diverse roles in The Devil Wears Prada, Big Night and Julie & Julia. In The Lovely Bones, he plays serial killer George Harvey, a role he found very difficult to take on. Nevertheless, by making Harvey as normal as possible, Tucci created a terrifying and memorable character. It could be the surprise winning performance that rewards one of Hollywood’s most respected and gifted actors.

Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)

 

You would have thought that after 52 years on the screen, Christopher Plummer would take time to slow down a little. But the 80-year-old Toronto-born legend continues to craft memorable characters, including the lead role of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station. Plummer is superb as the crotchety Tolstoy (alongside Helen Mirren as his spirited wife). With another busy year ahead (including two movies and the demanding lead role in the Stratford production of The Tempest), Plummer continues to flaunt his incredible energy. Surprisingly, this is his first Oscar nomination. That fact alone could make Plummer a favorite.

 

Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)

For a guy who seems to flit in and out of Hollywood, Woody Harrelson is the kind of actor who, every few years, reminds us just how good he is. The L.A. Times calls him “one of the most underappreciated actors of his generation.” After starring in three wildly different movies in the last year—Zombieland, 2012 and The Messenger—Harrelson has finally been rewarded with a nomination for the latter. As Sgt. Tony Stone, Harrelson’s quiet intensity helps drive the film. This doesn’t seem to be Harrelson’s time just yet, but it eventually will come.

 

By Tom Jokic