Reel and Roll Awards: Best Supporting Actor/Actress 2018

Best Supporting Actor 2018 - Top 10

10. Daniel Kaluuya, Widows

Kaluuya's spine-chilling mob enforcer Jahtemme is the stuff of nightmares as he stalks across the screen. He absolutely delivers in every regard despite his limited screentime. Despite his short stature, he creates this uncomfortable, insidious energy that makes him so imposing, creating a real sense of dread every time he's on screen with his character's sociopathic, violent tendencies, but also a sort of boyish enthusiasm that comes through at times that grants him all the more complexity. I only wish he had more scenes with Brian Tyree Henry as they're also great in the scenes they share together.

9. Lily Franky, Shoplifters

As Osamu, 'father' of the Shibata household at the centre of Hirokazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, Franky gives a refreshing spin on a well-worn sort of role. That of the roguish Fagin-esque father figure, and Franky uses this unemployed labourer who teaches his children the 'art' of shoplifting to make a character who is at once problematic and likeable. He never shies away from the less than savoury nature of his character's moral philosophy, yet also creates such an endearing husband and father who shows nothing but love and compassion for his family, and even through the questionable third act creates such a powerful sense of poignancy to his character's self-reflection.

8. Linus Roache, Mandy

Roache is just for lack of a better word, utterly repulsive in the role of cult leader Jeremiah Sands, making for both a hideous nasty villain fitting for the utterly bonkers tone of the film, but also so enjoyably pathetic in ways that in no way diminishes his threat. He finds the danger within the character as not that of menace, but rather that of a pretty pathetic man who relies upon his followers and delusions of grandeur. Every time he breaks from his eery high and mighty routine to reveal the whiny brat within is absolute gold, and his final few scenes in particular are rather amazing.

7. Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite 

Hoult gives a deliciously snobbish portrayal of Robert Harley, Tory and Lord High Treasuerer in Queen Anne's (Olivia Colman) court. The main purpose of his character is to be comic relief, yes this is a comedy, but where the central trio of ladies have many more serious moral dilemmas and even Joe Alwyn's Samuel Masham has a bit of pathos in his eventual cuckoldry, Hoult's purpose is to just be an absolute hoot, which he fulfils at every point whether it's throwing a violent tantrum at not getting the property tax reductions he wants, snidely tossing tomatoes at a fellow MP, and perhaps my favourite scene where he pitifully tries to interrogate Emma Stone's Abigail.

6. Tim Blake Nelson - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 

Here we have Coen Brothers regular Tim Blake Nelson, playing both within and against his type as a the titular cheery Texan singing cowboy who's also deadly, misanthropic sharpshooter. I could easily see a zany feature-length dark comedy about Buster Scruggs' cheery yet violent exploits across the Wild West, with Nelson's dynamic comic energy and downright wonderful singing voice guiding us along the way. He manages to combine the hilarious concept behind the character with a surprising amount of genuine menace, and it's just a wonderfully fun performance to watch that makes for one of the Coen Brothers' finest comedies in his segment.

5. Brian Tyree Henry - If Beale Street Could Talk 

Henry's only onscreen for about 12 minutes or so max, but the impact he makes within this limited screentime is amazing. As a childhood friend, Daniel Carty, of one half of the central lovers, Fonny (Stephan James), Henry is simply amazing in how he so naturally segues from one point to the other with his character, and unpeeling the layers of his character to such haunting effect. He moves from the avuncular, warm and genuinely likeable friend, shooting the breeze with Fonny, to so affectingly discussing his recent incarceration in prison for a crime he didn't commit. It's an astonishing and haunting performance that is one of the best elements of the film.

4. Russell Crowe, Boy Erased 

As of late, Crowe's been transitioning into a character actor, his charming double-act with Ryan Gosling in The Nice Guys aside, with usually solid if not spectacular results. This is his best performance in quite some time, and he really delivers here as Marshall, the preacher father to Lucas Hedges' Jared. Crowe is great at showing a father's unconditional love with his son in the earliest scenes chronologically, as well as the man's sincere belief in his religious ideology, and convincingly shows how he struggles with this love against his son coming out, which he never deals with in a one-dimensional fashion. Even though it's not always the focus he creates a real power to his internal struggle even when doing and saying some fairly reprehensible things, leading to final scenes with Hedges which is absolutely incredible in its emotional power.

3. Tom Waits, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 

Here we have renowned musician and seasoned character actor Tom Waits playing what seems to be the role he was born to play, an old, grizzled yet adorable prospector with a strange affinity with the natural world. As the prospector digs away, Waits grants such a heartfelt sincerity to the prospector, creating such a natural affinity with a character we the audience grow to love and befriend, and his unique brand of personal philosophy with regards to his pursuit of gold, which he fondly names 'Mr Pocket'. There's even something more beyond the depth of that with Waits' depiction of the man's moral principles that ultimately lead to something quite heartrending and in its own understated way profound. Brilliant performance that couldn't have been given by anyone other than Mr Waits.

Runner-up: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

More than thirty years after his breakout turn in Withnail & I, the charismatic British thespian (and one of the most entertaining talk show guests) Grant finally gets another role worthy of his talents. Which is not to say he's gone entirely off the radar or anything, but this is his best character and thus performance in quite some time. Grant is simply put, a delight in the role first and foremost, playing up the gay, flamboyant and utterly endearing Jack Hock with such entrancing energy, and creating hilarious moments playing off Melissa McCarthy's more curmudgeonly and irritable Lee Israel. He's a great blast of comedic energy in the film, but manages to also create such a truly affecting, genuine friendship with McCarthy, and in their final scene such pathos, while along the way also depicting a rather tragic portrait of a man whose showy antics and nature is used to disguise a deeply lonely man within. Amazing performance and I really hope he'll win the Oscar.

WINNER: Steven Yeun, Burning

Yeun gives a portrayal of one of the most chilling and complex characters of the year. His performance is a fascinating enigma, as the way he plays it means one can see him as either the insidious sociopath from Jong-su's perspective, or the lascivious laddie's man also from his perspective, or even just an average joe. Yeun's performance is all about creating several layers to a seemingly vapid and indifferent man - one who can come across in so many different ways within the same scene, open to so many interpretations without being vague. He can suggest either a sincere fascination with Hae-mi (Jeong Jong-so) or a more patronising air of indifference within the same glance, a yawn, a simple switch of expression. In his interactions with Yoo Ah-in's Jong-soo he can suggest either the subtly patronising airs of a wealthy playboy, or something altogether more twisted; or he could just be a normal chap with arrogant airs on who Jong-soo projects his class divide resentments. Yeun makes all these elements of the character never seem like hanging strands but combines them into a daring characterisation with some masterful moments, above all stands his 'confession' scene which must be seen to be believed.

1. Steven Yeun, Burning
2. Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? 
3. Tom Waits, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
4. Russell Crowe, Boy Erased 
5. Brian Tyree Henry, If Beale Street Could Talk
6. Tim Blake Nelson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
7. Nicholas Hoult, The Favourite 
8. Linus Roache, Mandy 
9. Lily Franky, Shoplifters
10. Daniel Kaluuya, Widows 
11. Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther 
12. Bill Heck, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
13. Jeff Bridges, Bad Times at the El Royale
14. Chris Hemsworth, Avengers: Infinity War
15. Lewis Pullman, Bad Times at the El Royale 
16. Alessandro Nivola, Disobedience
17. Rafael Casal, Blindspotting
18. Riz Ahmed, The Sisters Brothers
19. Russell Hornsby, The Hate U Give 
20. Anton Yelchin, Thoroughbreds 
21. Jonjo O'Neill, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
22. Bryan Tyree Henry, Widows 
23. Sam Elliott, A Star is Born 
24. Josh Brolin, Avengers: Infinity War 
25. Jesse Plemons, Game Night
26. Dolph Lundgren, Creed II
27. Florian Munteanu, Creed II  
28. Josh Brolin, Deadpool 2
29. Topher Grace, BlacKkKlansman 
30. Grainger Hines, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
31. Armie Hammer, Sorry to Bother You 
32. Harry Melling, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
33. Sterling K. Brown, Black Panther
34. Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman 
35. Liev Schrieber, Isle of Dogs
36. Sylvester Stallone, Creed II 
37. Jim Cummings, Christopher Robin 
38. Richard Brake, Mandy 
39. Joe Alwyn, The Favourite 
40. Johan Olsen, The Guilty
41. Colman Domingo, If Beale Street Could Talk 
42. Jake Johnson, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
43. Peter Bogdonavich, The Other Side of the Wind 
44. Tom Waits, The Old Man & the Gun 
45. Philip Ettinger, First Reformed 
46. Edoardo Pesce, Dogman 
47. Matthias Schoenaerts, Red Sparrow
48. Kairi Jō, Shoplifters 
49. Ving Rhames, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
50. Jake Gyllenhaal, The Sisters Brothers 
51. Tom Holland, Avengers: Infinity War
52. Mark Rylance, Ready Player One
53. Robert Downey Jr., Avengers: Infinity War 
54. Jake Gyllenhaal, Wildlife
55. Julian Dennison, Deadpool 2
56. Benedict Cumberbatch, Avengers: Infinity War 
57. Ike Barinholtz, Blockers
58. Andrew Dice Clay, A Star is Born 
59. Gabriel Byrne, Hereditary   
60. Paul Bettany, Avengers: Infinity War 
61. Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased
62. Jermaine Fowler, Sorry to Bother You 
63. James Smith, The Favourite 
64. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns
65. Harry Belafonte, BlacKkKlansman 
66. James Franco, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
67. Colin Farrell, Widows 
68. Saul Rubinek, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
69. Chelcie Ross, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
70. Simon Pegg, Mission: Impossible- Fallout 
71. John Krasinski, A Quiet Place
72. Anthony Welsh, Journeyman
73. Bill Camp, Wildlife
74. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Outlaw King
75. Sebastian Stan, Destroyer 
76. John Malkovich, Bird Box 
77. Willie Watson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
78. Dave Bautista, Avengers: Infinity War
79. Jon Hamm, Bad Times at the El Royale 
80. Cedric Kyles, First Reformed 
81. Ben Whishaw, Mary Poppins Returns
82. Brendan Gleeson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
83. Brad Bird, Incredibles 2 
84. Michael Douglas, Ant-Man and the Wasp
85. Donald Glover, Solo: A Star Wars Story
86. Jason Clarke, First Man
87. Dick van Dyke, Mary Poppins Returns
88. Christian Slater, The Wife
89. Nicolas Cage, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
90. Jasper Pääkkönen, BlacKkKlansman 
91. Edward Norton, Isle of Dogs
92. Jeff Goldblum, Isle of Dogs
93. Bob Balaban, Isle of Dogs
94. Bill Murray, Isle of Dogs 
95. Mads Mikkelsen, At Eternity's Gate
96. Brian Tyree Henry, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 
97. Steven Yeun, Sorry to Bother You 
98. Will Poulter, The Little Stranger 
99. Ron Livingstone, Tully
100. John Mulaney, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
101. Rupert Friend, At Eternity's Gate 
102. Andy Serkis, Black Panther 
103. Huckleberry Milner, Incredibles 2 
104. Danny Glover, The Old Man & The Gun
105. Cameron Sear, Boy Erased
106. Noah Jupe, A Quiet Place 
107. Henry Cavill, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
108. Forest Whitaker, Black Panther
109. Ben Mendelsohn, Ready Player One
110. Michael Beach, If Beale Street Could Talk
111. Chris Hemsworth, Bad Times at the El Royale 
112. Mark Ruffalo, Avengers: Infinity War
113. Jimmy O. Yang, Crazy Rich Asians 
114. Flea, Boy Erased
115. Dave Chappelle, A Star is Born 
116. Billy Howle, Outlaw King
117. Sam Rockwell, Vice
118. John Cena, Bumblebee 
119. Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible - Fallout 
120. Omari Hardwick, Sorry to Bother You 
121. Jude Law, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
122. Lukas Haas, Widows 
123. Chris Evans, Avengers: Infinity War
124. Mathieu Amalric, At Eternity's Gate
125. Mahershala Ali, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
126. Russell Hornsby, Creed II 
127. Live Schreiber, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
128. Jack Lowden, Mary Queen of Scots 
129. Garret Dillahunt, Widows 
130. Bob Odenkirk, Incredibles 2 
131. Ben Hardy, Bohemian Rhapsody 
132. Gwylim Lee, Bohemian Rhapsody
133. Joe Mazzello, Bohemian Rhapsody 
134. Xavier Dolan, Boy Erased
135. Niels Arestrup, At Eternity's Gate
136. Wood Harris, Creed II   
137. Paul Walter Hauser, BlacKkKlansman 
138. Johnny Depp, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
139. Ryan Eggold, BlacKkKlansman 
140. Troye Sivan, Boy Erased
141. Oscar Isaac, At Eternity's Gate
142. Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again 
143. Martin Freeman, Black Panther
144. Tom Hollander, Bohemian Rhapsody 
145. Joe Alwyn, Boy Erased
146. Alec Baldwin, Mission: Impossible - Fallout
147. Samuel L. Jackson, Incredibles 2 
148. Kevin J. O'Connor, Widows 
149. Sterling K. Brown, The Predator 
150. Michael Peña, Ant-Man and the Wasp
151. Winston Duke, Black Panther
152. Randall Park, Ant-Man and the Wasp
153. Chris Pratt, Avengers: Infinity War
154. Kyle Chandler, Game Night 
155. Jeffrey Donovan, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
156. Nico Santos, Crazy Rich Asians 
157. Tom Hollander, Bird Box 
158. James McArdle, Mary Queen of Scots
159. Laurence Fishburne, Ant-Man and the Wasp
160. Jeremy Irvine, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
161. Walton Goggins, Ant-Man and the Wasp
162. Liam Neeson, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 
163. Mandy Patinkin, Life Itself 
164. Robert Duvall, Widows 
165. Trevante Rhodes, The Predator 
166. Burn Gorman, Pacific Rim Uprising 
167. Willem Dafoe, Aquaman 
168. Colin Firth, Mary Poppins Returns 
169. Thomas Jane, The Predator 
170. Dan Fogler, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 
171. Stephen Dillane, Outlaw King 
172. Blake Jenner, American Animals
173. Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy 
174. Keegan Michael-Key, The Predator 
175. Liam Neeson, Widows 
176. Augusto Aguilera, The Predator 
177. Jacob Tremblay, The Predator
178. Dave Franco, If Beale Street Could Talk 
179. Woody Harrelson, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
180. Daniel Bruhl, The Cloverfield Paradox 
181. Daniel Kaluuya, Black Panther 
182. Paul Bettany, Solo: A Star Wars Story 
183. Manuel Garcia Rulfo, Sicario: Day of the Soldado 
184. Joe Alwyn, Mary Queen of Scots 
185. Simon Pegg, Ready Player One 
186. David Oyelowo, The Cloverfield Paradox 
187. Antonio Banderas, Life Itself 
188. Jared Abrahamson, American Animals 
189. Guy Pearce, Mary Queen of Scots 
190. Alfie Allen, The Predator 
191. Rafi Gavron, A Star is Born 
192. Aiden Gillen, Bohemian Rhapsody 
193. Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Life Itself 
194. Ismael Cruz Córdova, Mary Queen of Scots 
195. Charlie Day, Pacific Rim Uprising 
196. Steve Carell, Vice
197. Billy Magnussen, Game Night
198. Jeremy Irons, Red Sparrow
199. Joel Edgerton, Red Sparrow
200. Patrick Wilson, Aquaman 
201. Justin Theroux, Mute 
202. Chris O'Dowd, The Cloverfield Paradox 
203. David Tennant, Mary Queen of Scots 
204. Allen Leech, Bohemian Rhapsody 
205. Max Irons, The Wife
206. Mike Myers, Bohemian Rhapsody
207. Alex Monner, Life Itself 
208. Jesse Plemons, Vice
209. Shea Wigham, Vice 
210. Oscar Isaac, Life Itself 
211. Scott Eastwood, Pacific Rim Uprising
212. Oscar Isaac, Annihilation 

Best Supporting Actress 2018 - Top 10 

10. Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place

Within the limits of the film, Blunt gives a great performance that's particularly attuned to her talents. In that it focuses on the physical, employing her great skill at showing so much just through the movements, facial reactions, and realistic grasp of the circumstances at hand. She was a surprise winner at SAG, and I'd say a deserving one.

9. Zazie Beetz, Deadpool

Deadpool may well argue that luck isn't a superpower, but Beetz ensures that Domino not only demonstrates that it's a force to be reckoned, but gives one of the standout turns in a superhero films this year. I loved her real carefree approach to essentially an invincible being, and embraces the lighthearted elements of the character to make for a superhero you could easily follow throughout a whole film if it weren't for the fact that she's so...invincible.

8. Marina de Tavira, Roma 

A wonderful performance that I'm really glad was nominated for the Oscar. De Tavira gives a performance that largely comes in short spurts, from the viewpoint of the maid Cleo, as the harried mother, Sofia, dealing with an absent husband. Her vivid depiction of the strains and stresses affecting her and causing outbursts and anger are so convincingly rendered, as are her moments of warmth, and I particularly love the scenes where she reveals the wholly good nature of Sofia when she comforts a terrified Cleo about her pregnancy.

7. Cynthia Erivo, Bad Times at the El Royale

This really was a great year for her to break out into film, as there's just a certain star charisma about her that makes me want to see her in a lot more, both in this and Widows. Her portrayal of soul singer Darlene Sweet is well, very sweet to begin with, and she just carries her character with such honesty and dignity as essentially the only stranger without a secret, that sets her apart from the rest of the more duplicitous cast. She has great chemistry with Jeff Bridges in particular, and also has some very strong individual moments, like her singing scenes, and I absolutely love her incisive verbal beatdown of Chris Hemsworth's character.

6. Andrea Riseborough, Mandy

A haunting performance that is essential to the film, as she honestly helps to amplify her co-stars performances, where Linus Roache and Nicolas Cage have their best scenes both directly, and indirectly, relate to her performance. She actually doesn't have a lot of screen time, but within that I thought she made a really strong impact as sort of a more worldly 'ethereal' love interest than you might expect from this kind of film. She suggests the character's troubled past but focuses more on her love for Cage's red, and is downright great in her final scenes with Roache, facing down an utter monster of a man with such defiance that makes what happens so heartbreaking.

5. Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians 

I really do like the film, but from an acting perspective I have to admit one performance stood above the rest, and that was Yeoh's turn as the Young family matriarch Eleanor, from her badass first scene onwards. Frankly I found the dynamics surrounding her character, both with her onscreen son Nick (Henry Golding) and his Asian-American fiancee Rachel (Constance Wu) the most fascinating element of the film. With her son she shows such a loving warmth tempered by the reserve and strictness of her position in the family, and is rather extraordinary in her scenes with Wu as she shows the disapproval but also an underlying concern that Rachel, like her, might not be cut out for the Young family, but through no fault of her own. She creates the right balance between the cold and warmer sides of the character and makes what happens at the end have a much bigger emotional impact than I'd expected.

4. Claire Foy, First Man 

One could perhaps nitpick her inconsistent accent, but Foy delivers another great performance here as Janet Armstrong, a change in pace after her recent string of phenomenal television turns in Wolf Hall and The Crown as British aristocracy. She finds a wonderful touch within the role of the concerned housewife by focusing less on the more overtly supportive qualities that usually define this roles, instead finding a real poignancy to her bond with her husband Neil (Ryan Gosling) both in joy but also in grief, and being great both in the scenes of creating this underlying connection, but also the scenes of distance and frustration at her husband's reserve and reluctance to open up. It's a really strong 'supportive' performance in the most traditional sense and I'm sad she missed out on an Oscar nomination at the very last minute. 

3. Jeon Jong-seo, Burning

Jeon gives one of the most heartbreaking performances of the year as essentially the manic pixie girl brought to life, and painfully shut down by reality. She creates such a wonderful yet in a way, pathetic, figure with her depiction of Hae-mi, showing both how Yoo Ah-in's Jong-su would be so entranced by her but also how many others would be most dismissive - with re-watch I found her performance in the scenes where she's describing her ideal paradise world and dreams particularly affecting as she shows such an 'untarnished' soul in her delivery, yet with just the right amount of ambiguity to question whether it's genuine or not. It's an enigmatic performance that embodies some of the film's greatest attributes. 

Runner-up: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

A spectacular performance that rightfully had a full head of steam going into awards season, and which will hopefully pick up again come Oscar time. King delivers for sure in the most showy moments of the devoted mother who will ensure her daughter (Kiki Layne) and son-in-law (Stephan James) will not go down without a fight, as she imbues Sharon Rivers with such a fierce willpower that manages to lift some of the lacklustre acting in certain scenes. She creates such a lovely chemistry with Layne in particular, and in her more tender quiet moments is just as excellent as in the big ones. In the narrative detour to Rio to find the woman who accused her son-in-law of rape she's similarly fantastic in showing that relentless drive but also the heartrending sympathy within this character who is in many ways, simple yet excellent in that purity of soul.

WINNER: Elizabeth Debicki, Widows

Debicki gives a true breakout turn here, she's been great in various roles in the past but this is her meatiest to date. She creates an astonishingly powerful portrayal of firstly, a victim of abuse by both her onscreen mother and husband, and subsequently the grieving housewife, breaking her down into a complete mess that is quite something to witness before the film takes her character in quite the unprecedented direction. She's not just some one-note caricature who switches from victim to badass in an instant, Debicki gives remarkable nuance to this transformation into a more assertive, confident character that's rather amazing to watch. Honestly pretty much every scene with her ranks among the best scenes of the film, in particular one sequence at a gun exhibition which is both hilarious and moving. She steals the film entirely with her depiction of her character arc, and creates both a real dramatic heft to the social thriller side, and fun to the heist movie side, with her terrific work here.