Best Supporting Actor 1996: Results

5. Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire- Gooding gives an obnoxious over the top performance that wants to be endearing but rather is annoying. He does put a lot of energy into the role though.

4. James Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi- Although given very little to do Woods does a good job of being an effective villain infusing a great deal of energy into his performance. 

3. Armin Mueller-Stahl in Shine- Stahl gives an effective performance as the domineering father of the film unfortuantely though because his character is repetitive his performance is almost the same way.

2. William H. Macy in Fargo- Macy gives a great pathetic portrayal. He gives a perfect portrait of a man who has no idea what he is doing and is unable to do anything about with making more and more bad decisions. It is a brilliant performance that gets everything right.

1. Edward Norton in Primal Fear- Good prediction Dinasztie This was an  exceedingly close decision to make but it is one I never should have made to begin with since Macy and Norton should not have been in the same category. Macy should have been placed in lead where he very very easily would have been my win that year. Both of the top two are both the best of their year really Macy in the leading category and Norton in the supporting. There is no real reason for their order here, except that Norton gives just as brilliant of a performance as Macy. Norton gives a perfectly conducted performance that reveals the mystery of his character in an incredibly chilling, and extremely effective fashion.

Deserving Performances:
Steve Buscemi in Fargo

Best Supporting Actor 1996: Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire

Cuba Gooding Jr. won his Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire.

Cuba Gooding Jr.'s win is quite an infamous one usually being stated the worst win in this category. Well why is that I am sure it is helped by the fact that his career went off to not so memorable performances in some rather awful films. Also it is the case that he defeated some far more deserving Oscar less actors like Edward Norton, but the really the real reason is that Gooding's performance is not a good performance.

He plays the one sports star that Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is able to stay the agent for after his falling out with the large agency he worked for. Gooding plays his part with a constant energy I will give him credit there as he technically is always into the part, and this is not one of those performances that the actor seems disinterested in, but that does not make it a good performance either.

Gooding behavior as the obnoxious Rod Tidwell is very obnoxious. Gooding yells almost all of his lines with a big smile on his face, and a wide eyed expression to go along with it. This is just overacting really by Gooding as he repeats this throughout his performance, which becomes tiresome from the first instance of it.Yes Tidwell is suppose to be fairly loud but he could have been endearing or funny instead of just mostly obnoxious. There is not anything special about this performance, and there is no reason it should have ever been nominated.The character perhaps could have worked with a better comedian behind it. Gooding does try, I'll give him that, but he never won me over.

Best Supporting Actor 1996

And the Nominees Were:

William H. Macy in Fargo

James Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi

Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire

Edward Norton in Primal Fear

Armin Mueller-Stahl in Shine