Welcome to the supporting actress race for 2025. With the fall film festival season now in the distance and a few potential contenders still to debut on the horizon, it’s time for our first look at the battle for Best Supporting Actress.
Many elements of One Battle After Another earned raves from critics, but the one-two punch of Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti was something that could lead to the situation where both earn Oscar nods in the same category. Both deserve to be here. And you could make an argument that one of them feels destined to win. However, that’s a matter for debate over the next few months.
Sentimental Value presents a similar proposition, with both Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas delivering memorable supporting turns that are equally deserving of love from the Academy. But could we really see four of the five nomination slots taken by two films? It hasn’t happened since 1949, so it would be one for the history books.
If you’ve seen Wicked on stage, you know Act Two gives Glinda far more to work with. It’s for this reason and this reason only I’m keeping Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good) in pole position for now. Grande likely came in second place last year, so she could go all the way this year. But we’ll have to wait until November to find out.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR PREDICTIONS:
1. Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures)
2. Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
3. Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value (NEON)
4. Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
5. Amy Madigan – Weapons (Warner Bros.)
IN CONTENTION
Emily Blunt – The Smashing Machine (A24)
Glenn Close – Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
Laura Dern – Jay Kelly (Netflix)
Ayo Edebiri – After the Hunt (Amazon MGM Studios)
Regina Hall – One Battle After Another (Warner Bros.)
Nina Hoss – Hedda (Amazon MGM Studios)
Felicity Jones – Train Dreams (Netflix)
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value (NEON)
Jennifer Lopez – Kiss of the Spider Woman (Lionsgate)
Thomasin McKenzie – The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
Gwyneth Paltrow – Marty Supreme (A24)
Hailee Steinfeld – Sinners (Warner Bros.)
