Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025: Results

5. William H. Macy in Train Dreams - Macy delivers an impressive transformative turn that represents his film's time and place with such poignancy.

Best Scene: Reflection on the trees.

4. Tyler Okonma in Marty Supreme - Okonma delivers such a wonderfully charismatic performance that sings through his chemistry with Chalamet. 

Best Scene: The hustle.

3. Russell Crowe in Nuremberg - Crowe elevates every bit of his film he can in presenting the evil of a man who believes himself above traditional moralities. 

Best Scene: Tale of his uncle.

2. Jacobi Jupe in Hamnet - Jupe gives a heartbreaking and endearing performance as he manages to deliver a child's earnestness with an adult's emotional conviction. 

Best Scene: Cheating death.

1. Jack O'Connell in Sinners - O'Connell delivers a truly great villainous turn where he manages to be truly menacing, rather funny, quite charismatic, wonderfully musical and even finds a bit of pathos in his vampire. 

Best Scene: First attempt at entrance. 

Overall Ranking:

1. Sean Penn in One Battle After Another
2. Jack O'Connell in Sinners
3. Jacobi Jupe in Hamnet  - 5
4. Benicio del Toro in One Battle After Another
5. Russell Crowe in Nuremberg
6. Ralph Fiennes in 28 Years Later
7. Tyler Okonma in Marty Supreme
8. William H. Macy in Train Dreams
9. John Leguizamo in Bob Trevino Likes It
10. Delroy Lindo in Sinners
11. James Raterman in One Battle After Another 
12. Lee Sung-min in No Other Choice - 4.5
13. Danny Huston in The Naked Gun
14. Charlie Plummer in The Long Walk
15. David Bradley in Frankenstein
16. Lewis Pullman in The Testament of Ann Lee
17. Peter Mullan in I Swear
18. Kevin O'Leary in Marty Supreme
19. Kenny Rasmussen in The Plague
20. Abel Ferrara in Marty Supreme
21. Géza Röhrig in Marty Supreme
22. Aidan Delbis in Bugonia
23. Josh Brolin in Wake Up Dead Man
24. Joe Alwyn in Hamnet
25. Noah Jupe in Hamnet
26. Jeffrey Wright in Highest 2 Lowest
27. Tom Waits in Father Mother Sister Brother
28. Alexander Skarsgård in Pillion
29. Daniel Craig in Wake Up Dead Man
30. Andrew Scott in Blue Moon
31. Ryusei Yokohama in Kokuho
32. Conan O'Brien in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
33. Leo Woodall in Nuremberg
34. Will Patton in Train Dreams
35. Jay Lycurgo in Steve
36. Tom Burke in Black Bag
37. Pedro Pascal in Freaky Tales
38. Lewis Pullman in Thunderbolts
    
39. Nicholas Hoult in Superman
40. Tut Nyuot in The Long Walk
41. Christoph Waltz in Frankenstein
42. Carlos Francisco in The Secret Agent
43. Patrick Kennedy in Blue Moon
44. David Strathairn in The Luckiest Man in America
45. Alden Ehrenreich in Weapons
46. Nathaniel Arcand in Train Dreams
47. Tony Goldwyn in One Battle After Another 
48. Ratso Sloman in Marty Supreme
49. David Harbour in Thunderbolts
50. Josh Brolin in Weapons
51. John Hoogenakker in One Battle After Another 
52. Liev Schreiber in Caught Stealing
53. Bobby Cannavale in Blue Moon
    
54. Chris Evans in The Materialists
55. Ben Foster in Christy
56. Andrew Garfield in After The Hunt
57. Jonah Wren Phillips in Bring Her Back
58. Garrett Wareing in The Long Walk
59. Cha Seung-won in No Other Choice
60. Joseph Quinn in Fantastic Four: The First Steps - 4
61. Rupert Evans in Truth & Treason
62. Akira Emoto in Rental Family
63. Vincent D'Onofrio in Caught Stealing
64. Douglas Hodge in Pillion
65. Kaiony Venâncio in The Secret Agent
66. John Carroll Lynch in Sorry Baby
67. Joshua Odjick in The Long Walk
68. Cary Christopher in Weapons
69. Rolf Saxon in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
70. David Strathairn in Zootopia 2
71. Kevin Durand in The Naked Gun
72. Ben Mendelsohn in Freaky Tales
73. Edi Gathegi in Superman
74. Christian Slater in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
75. Peter Dinklage in Roofman
76. Luke Manley in Marty Supreme
77. Nick Nolte in Die My Love
78. Park Hee-soon in No Other Choice
79. Koto Kawaguchi in Marty Supreme
80. Tramell Tillman in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
81. Paul Walter Hauser in The Naked Gun
82. Robert Aramayo in Palestine 36
83. Skyler Gisondo in Superman
84. Chad L. Coleman in Christy
85. Tom Hanks in Freaky Tales
86. Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 28 Years Later
87. Luciano Chirolli in The Secret Agent
88. Jim Downey in One Battle After Another
89. Omar Benson Miller in Sinners
90. Paul Rudd in Friendship
91. Joel Edgerton in The Plague
92. Patrick Warburton in Zootopia 2
93. John Catsimadtidis in Marty Supreme
94. Christopher McDonald in Happy Gilmore 2
95. Paul Grimstad in One Battle After Another
    
96. Kayo Martin in The Plague
97. Benedict Wong in Weapons 
98. Ralph Colucci in Marty Supreme
99. Bill Kelly in Christy
100. ASAP Rocky in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
101. Michael Cera in The Phoenician Scheme
102. Eric Schweig in One Battle After Another
103. Ebon Moss-Bachrach in Fantastic Four: The First Steps
104. Andy Samberg in Zootopia 2
105. Ryan Bader in The Smashing Machine
106. Penn Jillette in Marty Supreme
107. Mark Hamill in The Life of Chuck
108. George Gervin in Marty Supreme
109. Gabriel Spahiu in Kontinental '25
110. Daryl McCormack in Wake Up Dead Man
111. Jon Bernthal in The Accountant 2
112. Paul Schneider in Train Dreams
113. Bas Rutten in The Smashing Machine
114. Robério Diógenes in The Secret Agent
115. Ahn Hyo-seop in KPop Demon Hunters
116. Luke Ayres in Steve
117. Joshua J Parker in Steve
118. Araloyin Oshunremi in Steve
119. Tut Nyuot in Steve
120. Richard E. Grant in Nuremberg 
121. Kevin Tighe in One Battle After Another
122. Jay Ellis in Freaky Tales
123. Yul Vazquez in The Lost Bus
124. Chris Cooper in The History of Sound
125. Lee Byung-hun in KPop Demon Hunters
126. Takehiro Hira in Rental Family
127. Pico Iyer in Marty Supreme
128. Roney Villela in The Secret Agent
129. Șerban Pavlu in Kontinental '25
130. John Diehl in Train Dreams
131. D.W. Moffett in One Battle After Another 
132. Edvin Ryding in 28 Years Later
133. Anthony Carrigan in Superman
134. Wyatt Russell in Thunderbolts 
135. Nathan Fillion in Superman
136. Tom Hiddleston in The Life of Chuck
137. Lukas Gage in Companion
138. Lars Mikkelsen in Frankenstein
139.  H. Jon Benjamin in Familiar Touch 
140. Timothy Olyphant in Havoc
141. Dennis Quaid in Sovereign 
142. Benjamin Pajak in The Life of Chuck
143. Christian Convery in The Monkey
144. Jeffrey Wright in The Phoenician Scheme
145. Steven Yeun in Mickey 17
146. Simon Delaney in Blue Moon
147. Soya Kurokawa in Kokuho
148. Fisher Stevens in Song Sung Blue
149. Cosmo Jarvis in Warfare
150. Joseph Quinn in Warfare
151. Jason Schwartzman in Mountainhead
152. Pruitt Taylor Vince in Superman
153. Min Tanaka in Kokuho
154. Ken Watanabe in Kokuho
155. Hudson Hensley in Song Sung Blue
156. Shamier Anderson in The Luckiest Man in America
157. Benedict Cumberbatch in The Phoenician Scheme
158. Carl Lumbly in The Life of Chuck
159. Bryan Hibbard in Christy
160. Adonis Tanța in Kontinental ’25
161. Harrison Ford in Captain America: Brave New World
162. Chiwetel Ejiofor in The Life of Chuck
163. Jesper Christensen in Sentimental Value
164. Pedro Pascal in The Materialists
165. Amr Waked in Urchin
166. Adam Driver in Father Mother Sister Brother
167. Harris Dickinson in Urchin
168. John Magaro in The Mastermind
169. Griffin Dunne in Caught Stealing
170. Aubry Dullin in Nouvelle Vague
171. Ralph Ineson in Fantastic Four: The First Steps
172. Laurence Fishburne in The Amateur
173. LaKeith Stanfield in Roofman
174. Udo Kier in The Secret Agent
175. Sam Worthington in Relay 
176. Bill Camp in The Mastermind
177. Bruno Dreyfürst  in Nouvelle Vague
178. Øyvind Hesjedal Loven in Sentimental Value
179. Daniel Dae Kim in KPop Demon Hunters
180. Bill Lee in Eephus
181. Akemnji Ndifornyen in The Ballad of Wallis Island
182. Jim Belushi in Song Sung Blue
183. Stephen Lang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
184. Stavros Halkias in Bugonia - 3.5
185. Tim Blake Nelson in The Testament of Ann Lee
186. Tom Hanks in The Phoenician Scheme
187. Bryan Cranston in The Phoenician Scheme
188. Emory Cohen in Roofman
189. Ted Williams in Marty Supreme
190. Charles Melton in Warfare
191. Louis Cancelmi in Sorry Baby
192. Riz Ahmed in The Phoenician Scheme
193. David Cale in The Testament of Ann Lee
194. Michael Gandolfini in Warfare
195. Will Poulter in Warfare
196. Pierce Brosnan in Black Bag
197. Jeremy Irons in Palestine 36
198. Christopher Abbott in The Testament of Ann Lee
199. Mathieur Almaric in The Phoenician Scheme
200. Saul Williams in Sinners
201. Daniel Zolghadri in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
202. Simon Pegg in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
203. Michael Stuhlbarg in The Amateur
204. Regé-Jean Page in Black Bag
205. Richard Ayoade in The Phoenician Scheme
206. Kamel El Basha in Palestine 36
207. Ving Rhames in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
208. Yao in Sinners
209. Harry Shearer in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
210. Pedro Pascal in Eddington
211. John Douglas Thompson in Highest 2 Lowest
212. Michael Shannon in Nuremberg
213. Walton Goggins in The Luckiest Man in America
214. Harvey Guillén in Companion
     
215. Rob Reiner in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
216. Javier Bardem in F1
217. Ke Huy Quan in Zootopia 2
218. Holt McCallany in The Amateur
219. Ben Mendelsohn in Roofman
220. Forest Whitaker in Havoc
221. Austin Butler in Eddington
222. Ethan Slater in Wicked For Good
223. Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts
224. Carl Lumbly in Captain America: Brave New World
225. Henry Czerny in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
226. Austin Abrams in Weapons
227. Paul Walter Hauser in Fantastic Four: The First Steps
228. John Slattery in Nuremberg
229. Liam Cunningham in Palestine 36
230. David Wilmot in Hamnet
231. Colman Domingo in The Running Man
232. Tracy Letts in House of Dynamite
233. Tobias Menzies in F1
234. Michael Imperioli in Song Sung Blue
235. Lucas Hedges in Sorry Baby
236. Anders Danielsen Lie in Sentimental Value
237. Ramy Youssef in Mountainhead 
238. Jonathan Bailey in Wicked For Good
239. Hadis Pakbaten in It Was Just An Accident
240. Matt Smith in Caught Stealing 
241. Mark Hamill in The Long Walk 
242. Keith William Richards in Eephus
243. Frederick Wiseman in Eephus
244. Russell J. Gannon in Eephus
245. Charles Dance in Frankenstein
246. Jason Clarke in House of Dynamite
247. Alex Jennings in Ballad of a Small Player
248. Josh Brolin in The Running Man
249. Chiwetel Ejiofor in Eleanor the Great
250. Matthew Maher in Relay 
251. Stephen Graham in Deliver Me From Nowhere
252. Thomas Haden Church in Wake Up Dead Man
253. Italo Martins in The Secret Agent
254. Igor de Araújo in The Secret Agent
255. Gabriel Leon in The Secret Agent 
256. Ken Jeong in KPop Demon Hunters
257. Ebrahim Azizi in It Was Just An Accident
258. Paul Walter Hauser in Deliver Me From Nowhere
259. Jeff Bridges in Tron Ares
260. Daniel Zolghadri in Lurker
261. Josh O'Connor in The History of Sound
262. Jeremy Renner in Wake Up Dead Man
263. David Dastmalchian in Dust Bunny
     
264. Stephen Lang in Sisu: Road to Revenge
265. Jeff Goldblum in Wicked For Good - 3
266. Tim Blake Nelson in Captain America: Brave New World
267. Buddy Guy in Sinners 
268. Billy Crudup in Jay Kelly
269. Jacob Batalon in Novocaine
270. Daniel Ezra in The Running Man
271. Manuel Gracia-Rulfo in Jurassic World Rebirth
272. Giancarlo Esposito in Captain America: Brave New World
273. Colin Hanks in Nuremberg
274. Andrew Scott in Wake Up Dead Man
275. Cosmo Jarvis in The Alto Knights
276. Esai Morales in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
277. Rupert Friend in Companion
278. Steve Carell in Mountainhead
279. Billy Howle in Palestine 36
280. Luka Sabbat in Father Mother Sister Brother
281. Benny Safdie in Happy Gilmore 2
282. Chris Addison in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
283. Mark O'Brien in Nuremberg 
284. Chris Evans in Honey Don't
285. Lee Pace in The Running Man
286. Jared Harris in House of Dynamite
     
287. Anthony Ramos in House of Dynamite
288. Idris Elba in House of Dynamite
289. Jim Broadbent in Jay Kelly
290. Cliff Curtis in Avatar: Fire and Ash
291. David Thewlis in Avatar: Fire and Ash
292. Cory Michael Smith in Mountainhead
293. Tom Bateman in Hedda  - 2.5
294. Ben Wang in The Long Walk
295. Adam Sandler in Jay Kelly
296. Bradley Cooper in Is This Thing On?
297. Dean Winters in Highest 2 Lowest
298. Michael Stuhlbarg in After The Hunt
299. Mark Ruffalo in Mickey 17
300. Rupert Friend in Jurassic World Rebirth
301. Holt McCallany in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
302. Danny Ramirez in Captain America: Brave New World
303. Colin O'Brien in The Monkey
304. Bad Bunny in Caught Stealing
305. Beck Bennett in Superman
306. Bad Bunny in Happy Gilmore 2
307. Jeremy Strong in Deliver Me From Nowhere
308. French Stewart in Bob Trevino Like It
309. Robert Morgan in The Accountant 2 
310. Nick Offerman in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
311. Nick Offerman in The Life of Chuck
312. Haley Joel Osment in Happy Gilmore 2
313. Andy Samberg in The Roses
314. Michael Cera in The Running Man
315. Brendan Cowell in Avatar: Fire and Ash
316. Will Pullen in A Little Prayer
317. Ray Nicholson in Novocaine - 2
     
318. Britain Dalton in Avatar: Fire and Ash
319. Bruno Bichir in Kiss of the Spider Woman
320. Gabriel Basso in House of Dynamite
321. Samuel Bottomley in Anemone
322. Jemaine Clement in Avatar: Fire And Ash
323. Evan Peters in Tron: Ares
324. Jack Champion in Avatar: Fire and Ash
325. Charlie Day in Honey Don't - 1.5
326. Asap Rocky in Highest 2 Lowest
327. The Golfers in Happy Gilmore 2 
328. Ben Stiller in Happy Gilmore 2 - 1

Next: 2025 Alternate Lead. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025: William H. Macy in Train Dreams

William H. Macy did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Arn Peeples in Train Dreams. 

William H. Macy plays one of the men on the logging jobs that our central character Robert Granier (Joel Edgerton) works with, an old timer, the oldest on the jobs, who we come across for a brief section within the film. Macy's performance for me is one where I find the extent of the work goes beyond the character beautifully so as his screentime is fairly limited overall. Macy though seeks to give as much life as he can for Arn in just a few scenes. First portraying the specific type of age of the character, which Macy himself is 75 but a modern 75 not the 75 of the far rougher living age of the men of the turn of the century of Train Dreams. Macy specific aged manner, his voice, his movements they are all reflective of the very specific period. His vocal work is quite impressive with making the specificity of the period dialogue particularly natural, but also natural within the idiosyncratic man that is Arn. Macy pulling off the trick marvelously in being of this period so distinctly, because he manages to be so of the period while also wholly tangible of that period. Macy fashioning such specificity in the way he sits, the way he smokes his pipe, the way even walks back and forth when checking his dynamite job, that appears to be Arn's main purpose as he seems to rarely do much actual logging. Macy walks right out of that past in such a wonderful way because none of it feels like a put on rather he captures the man as though we are just transported through time to meet Arn and get to know him just a bit. His rambling delivering in itself speaks so much to someone who frankly has gotten used to frequently speaking to himself even though he speaks it in a way as though he's offering the conversation for anyone who would like to hear it. To the point Macy's reaction is almost of a bit of surprise when Edgerton's Robert shows a bit of genuine interest in one of the man's random songs he' singing. Macy's delivery has this constant internalization of even when he starts speaking to Robert, he's always looking down, still expressing the words towards himself, though with this quiet hints of warmth and attempt at a shaky wisdom of the man wholly enjoying this connection for a moment. We see within Arn's reaction to the death of a few men, a history of experiencing deaths, Macy not projecting disconnect but rather a painful acceptance of the suffering with as much grace as he can. Something he explores a bit more in the philosophical discussion about tree cutting, Macy brings such a beautiful simple passion towards describing the history the trees represent, Macy speaks with a distinction and a connection to the trees. Selling the idea powerfully in his eyes of a man looking beyond his own life in a way and having this sense of a deeper reflection. A reflection not of a modern sensibility but Macy finding it so soulfully for a man of this period. The most revealing moment of Arn though as Robert asks about his family, and Macy's delivery of "Wherever there's a smiling face" has such an artful combination of warmth and pathos of a man who means yet does suffer from it in a way well. Bringing then a direct sincerity in his appreciation for getting to know Robert beyond temporary meeting. Macy finding the man of Robert's ilk before Robert and the end of such a man, when a random branch lands on Arn's head. I love his death scene because Macy doesn't make it this big drama, rather showing the man very much lost in his thoughts from the head injury to a degree, but just trying to appreciate what's around him one last time with his modest yet heartbreaking delivery of seeing the beauty one last time. This is an extremely brief performance, which should not be a criticism but rather a reason to praise Macy all the more. Macy transforms himself here, in a way that I have not seen before from him, so specifically to embody such a distinct sense of period and setting, but also so specifically this man and his unique philosophy. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025

And the Nominees Were Not:

Russell Crowe in Nuremberg

Jacobi Jupe in Hamnet

Jack O'Connell in Sinners

Tyler Okonma in Marty Supreme

William H. Macy in Train Dreams

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: William H. Macy in Fargo

William H. Macy received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Jerry Lundergaard in Fargo.

Fargo depicts a scheme of a used car salesman to have his own wife kidnapped to receive money from his father in law, but things get out of hand very quickly.

William H. Macy really is not at all supporting in this film and is indeed the lead of the film. After all it is Jerry's plan that sets everything in motion in the film. I imagine he was placed was Macy is a character actor not a leading man as well as the fact that he plays a real weasel of a character. Everything that Jerry really is doing in the film is completely for his own personal gain, and he does it all in a very modest and incredibly pathetic fashion.

Macy really is just perfect in the role of Jerry Lundergaard, and is great casting because Macy usually comes across as some sort of likable any man. There is nothing special about Lundergaard except for his ability to go ahead with is not so foolproof plan. Macy is great because he never tries to hide the modest and downright pathetic nature of his character, instead he flaunts it fully in his performance.

Macy completely makes the most out of the pathetic Jerry. He makes him into an actual person from this place, who really just has no idea what he is getting himself into. It is a very effective portrayal though because although Jerry really is the villain of the film Macy never plays him as such. He shows him just to really be a  man with a very very bad idea, not some sort of evil mastermind. Macy managed to handle this so well, I never really hated him in this, but more just felt sorry for him.

Macy though never for a moment though never brings to life the lowlife elements with just the normal man elements. He particularly does this well in his scene at the car dealership he works at where he is ripping a man off over a car. Macy shows that there is no regret for what he is doing, there is certainly a regret there but only for being caught in the act. Macy is just great in the way he tries to talk out of everything with just basically nonsensical back talk. He shows that this is just a normal routine that comes easy to Jerry, although that does not mean he really is good at it either.

What I love about this performance is Macy pitch perfect way he shows Jerry completely unable to handle the results of his own plan. The problems in the plan get to Jerry instantly so that he can barely even understand that his plan could have such negative effects. From the first problem Macy shows that Jerry is completely nervous and unable to deal with what has happened, because he is not only not a mastermind but completely not cut out for this sort of thing.

Macy's performance never falters once. He gets everything right about Jerry from his appropriately modest sounding Minnesota accent, to his awkward pauses in his speech, his increasingly nervous demeanor, and just his sheer inability to do really anything right. Macy manages to give an entertaining, enjoyable, and effective portrait of the very pathetic man. There is not a single missed opportunity in his terrific performance.

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