Our Young Actress Oscar Predicitons
71 Years of Precocious Supporting Actressness. Who's Next?
Three young actresses are already generating Oscar buzz for 2011's Best Supporting Actress race.
Here's our breakdown of which one is likely to get that coveted nomination.
Hailee Steinfeld, age 14, for True Grit
Well, there's really no question about who the frontrunner is here. True Grit is barely out, and Hailee has already earned two Critics' Choice nominations, for Best Supporting Actress and Best Young Actor/Actress. On top of that, Entertainment Weekly named her as a "sure thing" for an Oscar nod. Then there's the fact that True Grit is Hailee's feature film debut. Looking at Oscar history, this tips the odds even more in her favor. The ladies who hold the titles of youngest and second-youngest Oscar winners - Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin - both won Best Supporting Actress for their film debuts.
Elle Fanning, age 12, for Somewhere
With its "For Your Consideration" ads, Somewhere is obviously doing all it can to stoke its chances at Oscars, including Elle's odds for Best Supporting Actress. Elle has been making the award-show rounds this year, and like Hailee, she got a Critics' Choice nod for Best Young Actor/Actress (but unlike Hailee, she was left out of the adult category). Somewhere took home top honors at the Venice Film Festival, but with it still waiting on a wide release, audience support would have to be very strong to carry Elle along.
True Grit, meanwhile, is emerging as a higher-profile film, and when you factor in all the adults vying for Best Supporting Actress - Mila Kunis is a frontrunner for Black Swan - it's unlikely that the Academy will nominate two such young girls. In another year, Elle might have stood a good chance for an Oscar nod, and certainly all reviews indicate she gives an Oscar-worthy performance in Somwhere, but up against Hailee, her odds seem dim. Since Elle is much more of veteran than Hailee (and taller!), we wonder if this doesn't irk her just a little.
Saoirse Ronan, age 16, for The Way Back
Saoirse is generating some Oscar buzz for her just-released World War II drama The Way Back - "Just 16 and Tipped for Oscar Again," raves this article - but while we love Saoirse, we don't think she's a strong contender. Let's not forget all the buzz over her role as a rape and murder victim in last year's The Lovely Bones. Months before the film was even released, there was talk (including some by our blog) that she would earn an Oscar nod for it... but that talk died down fast as soon as people saw The Lovely Bones. While Saoirse gave a good performance - and won the Critics' Choice for Best Young Actor/Actress - the film itself didn't fare well with reviewers.
Another big obstacle for Saoirse also lies in her own resume: She's already been nominated for an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress for Atonement in 2008). Two Oscar nods before age 17 is unheard-of, and the Academy is more likely to recognize new talent than recycle the same nomination onto Saoirse.