Academy Awards - Best Supporting Actress

Actress in a Supporting Role

* Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
* Helena Bonham Carter in “The King's Speech”
* Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
* Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
* Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

I have not seen Animal Kingdom, so I will reserve judgment on Jacki Weaver. Hopefully, I will get to see the movie before the awards are given out. I thought both Amy Adams and Helena Bonham Carter gave good performances. I don't think either stood out, but good competent jobs.

Melissa Leo was great as the mother in The Fighter. The only time I had seen her before was in Frozen River. I did not recognize her in this movie, she plays a significantly different character. Not only does her performance stand out, it is also very memorable. I will bet that months from now, I can still see her clearly in my mind.

Hailee Steinfeld was equally memorable in True Grit. She does an amazing job. I had heard that the Cohen brothers had a really hard time finding someone for this role. Someone who has the presence to handle the role and to handle the language. The dialog demands that she speak in an assertive formal manner. Very Impressive!

In the end, I would probably give the nod to Hailee Steinfeld. Steinfeld could easily be nominated for Lead Actress, I felt her role was just as big as Jeff Bridges' role. On the other hand, Leo's role was clearly secondary to Mark Wahlberg's and Christian Bale's. But it is really close between her and Melissa Leo and I would not feel bad at all if Leo won the Oscar.

This afternoon, Ben wants to see True Grit, so I will be seeing Steinfeld again, my mind may change. But I doubt it.