Worst2First: My Top Ten Best Supporting Actress Oscar Winners

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Best Supporting Actress 

Oscar Winners

To earn an Oscar for a Supporting Actress is no small feat, and requires an absurd amount of talent because you're not on the screen as much as a lead, but you must also leave a lasting impact.  These ten women were able to achieve this feat by sheer talent and ability, and clearly deserved to win the coveted Oscar.

Here are my personal top ten Best Supporting Actress Oscar winners, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Octavia Spencer

"The Help"

It's hard to believe that Octavia Spencer was a relative no-name for so long (I remember seeing her in a small role in Rob Zombie's "Halloween II" where she played a nurse) due to her outstanding natural talent.  In "The Help," she played Minny Jackson, a feisty African American maid during the Civil Rights Movement who formed a friendship with a journalist who wrote a book from the point of view of the maids who worked while facing segregation and racism.  She also won a Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA, and Critics' Choice Award for playing Minny, and became the first African American actress to receive two consecutive Oscar nods in back-to-back years, and most recently tied Viola Davis as being the most nominated African American woman to date with three.

#9

Lupita Nyong'o

"12 Years a Slave"

In the moving, stirring, powerful film "12 Years a Slave," Lupita Nyong'o played Patsey, a slave who was favored above the others due to her strong work ethic, but also received the most heinous treatment by her owner, played by Michael Fassbender.  Nyong'o gave a powerful, soulful, deep, resonating performance that was memorable and unforgettable, and obviously deserving of the Oscar.

#8

Whoopi Goldberg

"Ghost"

In "Ghost," Whoopi Goldberg plays Oda Mae Brown, a reluctant psychic who helps Sam Wheat - played by the late Patrick Swayze - protect his love Molly (Demi Moore) after he's murdered.  Goldberg gave a commanding performance that earned her not just the Oscar, but also the BAFTA and Golden Globe as well.

#7

Anne Hathaway

"Les Miserables"

"Les Miserables" has been performed countless times on stage and screen, and Anne Hathaway's performance as the reluctant prostitute Fantine captivated audiences and critics alike, earning her the Oscar as well as the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award.  Her haunting rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" still echoes today, and her performance is as powerful as can be.

#6

Jennifer Hudson

"Dreamgirls"

Jennifer Hudson's story is nothing short of amazing.  She was a contestant in the third season of "American Idol," finishing in seventh place, and went on to star as Effie White - inspired by the Supremes member Florence Ballard - in "Dreamgirls" opposite Eddie Murphy and Beyonce.  Hudson stole the show with her temperamental performance and powerful vocal chops, especially during the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."

#5

Monique

"Precious"

In "Precious," Mo'Nique starred as Mary Lee Johnston, the highly abusive mother to Gabourey Sidibe.  Her performance was powerful and memorable, and deserving of the Oscar (as well as the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG Awards she also received for the role).

#4

Angelina Jolie

"Girl, Interrupted"

Before she became a household name, Angelina Jolie's claim to fame was playing Lisa Rowe, a sociopath who was institutionalized in the same psychiatric hospital as Winona Ryder's character Susanna was placed in.  Her character was charismatic, manipulative, and rebellious, and Jolie performed it beautifully, also earning a BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe for her effort.

#3

Ruth Gordon

"Rosemary's Baby"

It's rare for the Academy to recognize a horror movie, but "Rosemary's Baby" transcended the typical horror genre and became a force of nature all its own.  Gordon played Minnie Castevet, the eccentric next-door-neighbor to Mia Farrow's Rosemary, who seems polite and innocent on the outside but inside harbors a dark, deadly secret.

#2

Catherine Zeta-Jones

"Chicago"

In "Chicago," Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Velma Kelly, a vaudeville murderess on death row in the 1920s.  Zeta-Jones gives a commanding, strong performance as the no-nonsense Velma, and exudes confidence and power in the several musical numbers, especially "All That Jazz."

#1

Viola Davis

"Fences"

It is almost criminal to list Viola Davis as the Best Supporting Actress winner, because her performance as Rose Lee Maxson in "Fences" is worthy of Best Actress, to which she also would've won hands down.  This category in 2017 belonged to Viola, who gave a performance that's beyond words, that transcends anything you've seen before due to her unflinching, fearless performance.