Worst2First: My Top Ten Best Supporting Actor Oscar Winners

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Best Supporting Actor 

Oscar Winners

As with the Best Supporting Actress Oscar winners, the Best Supporting Actors had to give a performance that is both memorable and unforgettable in a very limited amount of screen time.  These ten performances were extremely deserving of the Oscar, and all were memorable in their own right.

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

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Cuba Gooding Jr.

"Jerry Maguire"

Show him the Oscar!  Cuba Gooding Jr. played Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell, who works with Tom Cruise's character Jerry who manages him.  His performance is memorable for the line "Show me the money!" that is still repeated to this day.

#9

Kevin Spacey

"The Usual Suspects"

In one of his most memorable performances, Kevin Spacey wowed audiences as Roger Kint in "The Usual Suspects," a role that was specifically written for him.  His performance was unforgettable and captivating, deeply layered and stirring.

#8

Christoph Waltz

"Django Unchained"

As Dr. King Schultz, Christoph Waltz assisted Jamie Foxx's Django in getting revenge against those who wronged him, and this was the second Tarantino film Waltz earned an Oscar for.  He also scored wins at the Golden Globes and the BAFTA, once again solidifying him as an acting powerhouse.

#7

Robin Williams

"Good Will Hunting"

It's strange to think that such a legendary actor like Robin Williams would only have one Oscar, but his win is very well-deserved.  As Dr. Sean Maguire, Williams' character gives therapy to Matt Damon's title character and shows him a deeper meaning to life than just what's on the outside.

#6

Morgan Freeman

"Million Dollar Baby"

In Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby," Freeman plays Eddie Dupris, a former boxing champion who is now the assistant to Eastwood's Frankie Dunn, and as always Freeman gives a nuanced, scene-stealing performance well worthy of Oscar gold.

#5

J.K. Simmons

"Whiplash"

In an exceptional performance, J.K. Simmons plays Terence Fletcher, a ruthless jazz instructor at the prestigious Shaffer Conservatory, who relentlessly pushes Miles Teller's character Andrew Neiman to points of exhaustion.  It was Simmons' performance that elevated the smaller movie to national status, earning the film several Academy Award nominations and making Simmons more than just "that actor who was in the 'Spider-Man' movies."

#4

Robert De Niro

"The Godfather Part II"

There are few films in the history of cinema that are as prolific, powerful, and memorable than "The Godfather Part II," which in many ways exceeded even its untouchable predecessor.  Robert De Niro plays a young Vito Corleone, and proves in every sense of the word why he deserved the Oscar for his performance.

#3

Christoph Waltz

"Inglourious Basterds"

In his career-defining role, Christoph Waltz played Colonel Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino's violent fictional historical Word War II epic "Inglourious Basterds."  His character was equal parts ruthless, eccentric, and even endearing in a way that made it impossible to give the Oscar to anyone but him.

#2

Javier Bardem

"No Country for Old Men"

As the cold, calculating hitman Anton Chigurh, Javier Bardem is remembered for his odd haircut, his cold and unemotional demeanor, and his unique weapon of choice (a captive bolt pistol) to execute his targets.  Bardem's performance stole the scene from the lead actors Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones and made the film the powerhouse it was.

#1

Heath Ledger

"The Dark Knight"

It's basically unheard of for the Academy to recognize a superhero film, much less in a major category, but so great was Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker that the Academy couldn't look away.  His performance was more than memorable, more than unforgettable, more than mere acting: it was something revolutionary, untouchable, timeless.