Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2021: Andre Holland in Passing

Andre Holland did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Brian Redfield in Passing. 

Passing tells the story of two light skinned African American women reigniting their friendship over several years which creates complications as one of the women occasionally "passes" (pretends to be white) in public while the other does so all the time. The film works best as a mood piece with the aesthetic and tone well realized by Rebecca Hall's impressive directorial debut.

Andre Holland portrays the doctor husband of one of the two women Irene (Tessa Thompson). Holland's performance in a way is the opposite of so much of the film. This is befitting his character of Brian Redfield who isn't caught up in a grey area in race, as someone who would never "pass" however also as someone who would never have any intention to "pass". Holland is wonderful from the outset by being decidedly unfussy in his approach showing bluntly this ease of the man's manner as he talks to his wife, his expression of his love towards her just a truth about him. Holland's portrayal is of very much a practical man which seems to stand in contrast to his wife who seems mentally caught up on the world of her friend Clare (Ruth Negga), who pretends to be white all the time, to the point she's married to a rich racist (Alexander Skarsgård). Holland is good by being just so honestly this man who isn't hung up on the seeming grey areas in the same way. When asking even about her relationship with Clare, he asks with just a bemused interest as one would converse about a casual situation. His performance accentuates a practical man of the world to the point even when reading Clare's letter it is with a little bit of a joking tone as a man who is just rather confused by the the particular tone of it. Although also a fantastic bit of nuance in his work as a moment of a deeper curiosity glints upon Brian's face when he reads just how passionate Clare's request to see his wife is, perhaps even a bit of concern.  

Holland's performance though accentuates a man thinking very much to what is going on directly in his life and speaks to the surface. What works so well about his performance is it provides this contrast against Thompson's and Negga's performance that are almost entirely about in-between the lines. Holland has this great natural presence about himself here. Even in the scenes of dancing out in the town, Holland's performance thrives with the ease of his work, that feels appropriate to the film's period, which the periodness of this film is very thick, yet still feels entirely natural as the character. He provides a great balance between the two sides seeming someone from the 1920's but still wholly tangible as a person you could believe from any time. Where we see the real power of this comes in when the film covers the blunter realities of African Americans living in American during the period. Holland just in the way he delivers the news to his wife that their son was called the n-word it is with such power because Holland says it in such a straight forward way, almost reflecting the way their real life isn't in her high society friend and her life of a strange duplicity, but the reality of what they and their kids are actually living day to day. His delivery of the new of a lynching to his sons, Holland speaks of the severity without hesitation or softness, as a man who wants his sons to know the realities of their life. This isn't without caring though, his way of his face falling after letting his son run off reveals such a sensitivity to the plight of his boys and the very terrible concern he has for them. When this clash between innocence and reality, Holland is terrific in the confrontation scene with Thompson over the issue of telling their sons this reality. Holland's performance so clearly articulates the intensity of his belief as attached to the severity of the situation. Although all that contrasts against the disruption of their lives represented by Clare, to which Irene seems to believe her husband has some belief in, however I liked how Holland plays every scene with Negga as seemingly uncomplicated, rather just a man again very to the point and charmed by her graceful presence. His uncomplicated reaction in a way creating the complication as Irene begins to believe Brian is having an affair with Clare, by showing a man smitten with her, however leaving the question if truly smitten merely smitten as everyone seems to be with Clare to some degree or another. Holland plays the reactions to the accusations well by again playing right on the middle while being believable. Holland expressing either a man guilty because of true guilt, or guilty due to shame of the thought of the act that would be guilt. Although that is seemingly assuaged tragically by the ending, though again Holland's work is strong by in a way being straight forward in his reaction portraying the horror of the moment but also projecting the concern for his wife as well. Although Brian isn't exactly the focus of the film, Holland gives a very strong performance as he articulates effectively often the alternative perspective within the piece. He is never simply the "husband" character finding his own depth and most importantly providing that essential contrast within the narrative.