2024 Oscars Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Who Will Win Versus Who Should Win

The 2024 Oscars have some of the most interesting best supporting actor and best supporting actress nominees in recent memory. But the Academy is arguably going to pick the wrong winners. 

Typically, all eyes are on the best actor and best actress statues when Oscar season rolls along. This year, however, the supporting races have us genuinely excited. The supporting actor category consists of heavyweight performances from Sterling K. Brown ("American Fiction"), Robert De Niro ("Killers of the Flower Moon"), Robert Downey Jr. ("Oppenheimer"), Ryan Gosling ("Barbie"), and Mark Ruffalo ("Poor Things"). Charles Melton, who delivered a career-best performance in "May December," is considered one of the bigger 2024 Oscar snubs, but this lineup features some of the best work the nominees have done.

Best supporting actress is equally stacked, with Emily Blunt nominated for "Oppenheimer," Danielle Brooks for "The Color Purple," America Ferrara for "Barbie," Jodie Foster for "Nyad," and Da'Vine Joy Randolph for "The Holdovers." It's a truly Herculean task to determine who gave the best performance. 

But this is the Oscars, where a good story and narrative matter the most, and it's almost certain leading up to the ceremony that the Academy has already has the winner — but that doesn't mean they should win. 

"Oppenheimer" leads this year's nominations with 13 nods and is considered a favorite to win best director, actor, and picture. And it's all but guaranteed that Robert Downey Jr. will walk away with the best supporting actor statue for his rousing and complicated turn as Lewis Strauss. The actor has already won a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. For Downey Jr., who spent the last decade in the shadow of Iron Man, this is a defining performance that will be loved for years. 

But, more importantly, it's a career comeback after years of working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a caricature of himself — Downey himself admitted that "Oppenheimer" reminded him how to act. This is the actor's third Oscar nom, and it's high time he gets to take the statue home ... but he's not the right Robert for the win — at least this year.

Robert De Niro morphed into a quiet, understated monster in "Killers of the Flower Moon," casually delivering a performance that stands toe to toe with the likes of Travis Bickle ("Taxi Driver) and Neil McCauley ("Heat"). As a wolf in sheep's clothing, he elicits a myriad of emotions that all lead to sheer terror, displaying the worst of what humanity can become if it's so compelled by greed and hatred. It's a terrifying (and far from flashy) performance that takes the epic to new heights. At the age of 80, De Niro is still killing it — confirming that he's one of the best actors American cinema has ever produced. 

Da'Vine Joy Randolph is a bonafide superstar who deserves all the good coming to her. From her performances in flicks like "Dolemite Is My Name" to being the only tolerable part of "The Idol," she stands out as a powerhouse in every project she's in, including "The Holdovers." While the film features a brilliant ensemble, Randolph's emotional performance is winning critics and juries over. She has been sweeping this awards season, bringing home awards like the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. It seems certain Randolph will deliver an impeccable speech on Oscars night.

And as exciting as it'll be to see Randolph win her first golden statue, America Ferrera deserves just as much love. Ferrera has been a consistent force in show business for over two decades, delivering a myriad of evocative, warm performances on the big and small screens. Her role in "Barbie" is a true supporting act, perfectly complementing star Margot Robbie's emotional performance as the titular character. Ferrera has the tall task of delivering the gut-punching and eye-punching monologue that defines "Barbie," which she does with absolute grace.

But even if we move past the monologue (which we really shouldn't), Ferrera's true strengths in "Barbie" lie in her ability to balance playfulness, anger, and joy and channel that complexity in what could have been a one-dimensional role. 

The 96th Academy Awards take place on March 10, 2024.