Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
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Name	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Awarded for	Best performance by an actress in a supporting role
Presenter	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Country	United States
Year	1936
Holder	Da'Vine Joy Randolph (2023)
Website	oscars.org

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This award honors an actress for an outstanding performance in a supporting role within a film. First presented at the 9th Academy Awards in 1937 for films released in 1936, it is one of the four original acting awards established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The award is presented annually, with winners selected by the Academy's voting membership.

History and background

The award was created alongside the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor to recognize the critical contributions of performers in non-lead roles. The first ceremony to feature the category was held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Gale Sondergaard was the inaugural winner for her role in Anthony Adverse, setting a precedent for recognizing nuanced performances. Over the decades, the award has reflected changing trends in Hollywood, from the studio system era to the rise of independent cinema. The presentation of the award is a central moment during the annual Academy Awards ceremony, broadcast globally from venues like the Dolby Theatre.

Selection process and eligibility

Nominees are selected through a preferential voting system by members of the Academy's Actors Branch. To be eligible, a performance must be in a feature-length film released in Los Angeles County during the previous calendar year, with the actress receiving screen credit. The final winner is chosen by a plurality vote of the entire Academy membership. Rules are periodically reviewed by the Board of Governors, with guidelines covering aspects from campaign regulations to the definition of a supporting role. Notable changes have occurred over the years, influenced by events like the expansion of the Best Picture field and reforms following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

Winners and nominees

Winners have come from a wide array of film genres and historical periods. Early winners like Fay Bainter in Jezebel and Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind established the award's prestige. The postwar era saw victories for performers such as Eva Marie Saint for On the Waterfront and Rita Moreno for West Side Story. More recent winners include Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago, Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave, and Ariana DeBose for West Side Story. The list of nominees often includes performances that have also won accolades at ceremonies like the BAFTA Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Multiple wins and nominations

Only a few actresses have won the award more than once. Shelley Winters and Dianne Wiest each have two wins, for films like The Diary of Anne Frank and Hannah and Her Sisters, respectively. Thelma Ritter holds the record for most nominations without a win, with six. Other actresses with multiple nominations include Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, and Glenn Close, the latter holding the record for most nominations in the category without a victory. These patterns are often discussed in media coverage by outlets like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Notable records and statistics

Tatum O'Neal remains the youngest winner, at age 10 for Paper Moon, while Jessica Tandy is the oldest winner, at age 80 for Fried Green Tomatoes. Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win any Academy Award. In 2022, Ariana DeBose became the first openly LGBT woman of color to win. The category has seen several years with multiple nominees from the same film, such as from The Godfather Part II and The Help. Statistical analysis of winners is often conducted by film scholars and journalists at The New York Times.

Impact and cultural significance

Winning the award often significantly boosts an actress's career, leading to higher-profile roles and increased industry recognition. The speeches delivered by winners, such as Patricia Arquette's call for wage equality or Kim Basinger's commentary on Native American representation, can spark national conversations. The category's history is intertwined with broader social movements, including civil rights and feminist advocacy. It is frequently analyzed in film studies curricula at institutions like the University of Southern California and serves as a key metric in discussions of artistic achievement in American cinema.

Category:Academy Awards Category:Film awards for best supporting actress Category:1936 establishments in the United States