Oscars 2014 Predictions: Best Supporting Actress

Hello, Bloggers, here is my next post of Oscar predictions for next year and as I promised, I will rundown my predictions for Best Supporting Actress and the dark horses that could sneak their way onto the Final Five. Here we go:

Amy Adams, American Hustle: Honestly, I was unsure of whether or not she would be lobbied for  the Lead or Supporting Actress category but I feel that because of the heavy competition in the Lead category, she will be lobbied for the Supporting category and will try to score her 5th Oscar nomination. If she does get nominated, one could only cross their fingers that she actually wins this time. But if she doesn't, then I'm sure that she'll still win in the future.

Cameron Diaz, The Counselor: While their is plenty of awards buzz surrounding The Counselor, the one actress that is surely getting the most buzz compared to her co-stars is Cameron Diaz. I have read reactions of people that actually saw an early cut of the film and say that she is absolutely fantastic and nails her role. She's been in contention for an Oscar in the past when she did Being John Malkovich and Vanilla Sky, but if what they say about her performance in The Counselor is true, then her time to score an Oscar nod will come.

Margo Martindale, August: Osage County: Up until now with the awards buzz that August: Osage County is getting, odds are you haven't really heard of Margo Martindale, although she's been a lot of movies and shows you've probably seen her in. This veteran actress has appeared in many films that include Million Dollar Baby, The Firm, and Walk Hard, and TV shows like New Girl and Justified. While Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are getting plenty of Oscar buzz, Martindale seems to be going along for the ride as well.

Vanessa Redgrave, Foxcatcher: Speaking of veteran actresses, another vet that seems to be in strong awards contention is Vanessa Redgrave. She is said to have a small, but pivotal role as the wheelchair-bound mother of paranoid schizophrenic millionaire Jon Du Pont, played by Steve Carell. Apparently, she has only a couple of scenes, but as evidenced with Beatrice Straight, who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her five-minute role in Network back in 1977, Judi Dench who won the same award for her eight-minute role in Shakespeare In Love back in 1999, Viola Davis who was nominated in the same category for her short but brief role in Doubt back in 2009, and even Anthony Hopkins who won Best Actor for Silence of the Lambs even though he had about 20 minutes of screentime, length has nothing to do with performance. It all depends on how big of an impression you leave on the audience. So, if Redgrave nails her role, then I wouldn't be surprised to see her name announced on Nomination Day.

Oprah Winfrey, The Butler: Another performance that I'm unsure whether or not it will be lobbied for the Lead or Supporting category, but because many of us haven't seen The Butler yet, for now, I'm putting Oprah Winfrey's performance in the Supporting category. If the Weinstein Co. do lobby her for Best Supporting Actress, then it will be her second Oscar nomination and in that same category, as the last time she was nominated was back in 1986 for The Color Purple, so the "It's been a while" factor could benefit her, as the Academy loves to give veteran performers who haven't been nominated in a while another shot at the Oscar gold.

Now, onto the Dark Horse contenders who could "giddy up" their way into the Final Five:
Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
Cate Blanchett (The Monuments Men)
Julianne Moore (Carrie)
Eva Mendes (The Place Beyond The Pines)
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
Juliette Lewis (August: Osage County)
Abigail Breslin (August: Osage County)
Carey Mulligan (Inside Llewyn Davis)
Jodie Foster (Elysium)

So, those are my predictions on who I think will be nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and who could fight for a spot on the Final Five. Next, I will do the last acting category, which is of course, Best Supporting Actor. Until then, thanks for reading!