LITTLE MOVIE AWARDS 2021: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

It can be nerve-racking when the nominations are revealed during awards season. Who’s going to receive those coveted awards and be praised for their outstanding performances? At this point we know the nominations for both the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). The Best Supporting Actor category is the one that has me the most disappointed this year. You’ll easily be able to see why.

Here are the Little Movie Awards nominations for Best Supporting Actor:

Bill Murray (On the Rocks)

Bill Murray is known to play the goofball since his time on Saturday Night Live back in the 1970s. His talents have not gone unnoticed, especially by Sofia Coppola’s continued opportunities to provided Murray with characters that highlight both his funny and dramatic sides. He’s a bit odd as Felix, a man trying to reconnect with his adult daughter. It’s the best of both worlds when Murray gets involved.

Bo Burnham (Promising Young Woman)

Promising Young Woman is coming into awards season with guns blazing! The names that will be uttered on the tongues of critics and awards voters alike will be Carey Mulligan and Emerald Fennell. It’s more than well-deserved. In such a bleak film, Bo Burnham offers his wits and charm as he plays Ryan, Cassandra’s new boyfriend. The man should be given an award just for his ability to memorize Paris Hilton’s 2006 classic, “Stars Are Blind.” Well, that may be a different type of award. Here’s another actor that put his dramatic talents on display just as much as the comedy he’s known for.

Lucas Hedges (Let Them All Talk)

What can I say about Lucas Hedges besides his ability to win me over with every role. He’s a  great one, and an actor that I hope will stick around for years to come. In a group of talented and wise older women, Hedges (along with Gemma Chan) gives Let Them All Talk a burst of youth. But it’s Hedges lovable qualities, and his quirkiness, that brings this enduring character to life. There’s a scene between him and Meryl Streep when the group is having dinner. Hedges begins to laugh and rests his head on Streep’s shoulder. For a brief moment, it looks as though Streep is breaking character as a smile briefly flashes upon her face. The scene looks like they’re having so much fun, and that is something I just love to see.

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

I was able to see Judas and the Black Messiah during my days at Sundance. The film is incredibly impactful as it’s indicative of the moments that plague our country today. But throughout all of its greatness is Daniel Kaluuya’s performance as Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers. A man who was viciously killed in cold-blood as he slept. Kaluuya provides the audience with a towering performance of a great man. This is clearly the favorite to win come the numerous awards shows.

Paul Raci (Sound of Metal)

Wow… The lack of love that this man has received during the beginning of awards season is tragic. Where my list for Best Supporting Actress was interchangeable between my first and second picks, Paul Raci is, hands down, my favorite performance within this category. He doesn’t have a scene with a crazy outburst, or a death scene that makes his performance all the more gripping. No, his quiet demeanor and soft spoken words, in an effort to support Ruben (Riz Ahmed), hits even harder. He’s a father like figure — a beacon of light when Ruben only see darkness. Raci was born to deaf parents, so he uses many years of sign language throughout the film. This is not just a simple performance  of an actor reading the lines on the page. Raci brings his Joe to life with waves of passion and empathy for those characters around him. If there’s any question as to whether Raci deserves a nomination (AND WIN!), I tell you to look no further than his performance with Ahmed at the breakfast table. The scene gives me chills just thinking about it. What an amazing performance!