The Best Supporting Actress category has not been completely defined but the contenders include a number of previous winners and nominees.
The actress most pundits are calling a lock and potentially the winner of the category is Oprah Winfrey. Her turn in "Lee Daniel's The Butler" is the central female performance that most critics have praised for her comic and dramatic range.
Behind Oprah is Meryl Streep for her performance in "August: Osage County." Streep is the most nominated actress ever at the Oscars and a favorite of the Academy. Her upcoming performance was once considered a lead role but Harvey Weinstein recently announced that he would campaign her performance in the Supporting category. However, if the role is too large, the Academy may nominate her in the lead category. Weinstein attempted the same strategy in 2008 with Kate Winslet's performance in "The Reader." The company campaigned for Winslet in the Supporting category but ultimately failed to convince the Oscars that the role was truly supporting. Instead she was nominated for Best Actress and won.
Another actress who has buzz building around her performance is Octavia Spencer in "Fruitvale Station." The actress received praise when the film premiered at Sundance and later scored rave reviews when the film opened in July. While "Fruitvale Station" is still a long shot for a Best Picture nomination, Spencer's performance is sure to resonate with many voters.
One of the newcomers in the category is Lupita Nyong'o. Her performance in "12 Years A Slave" received rave reviews at the Telluride Film Festival and had many Oscar prognosticators predicting she was a lock in the category.
Jennifer Lawrence's name is also being thrown around as a possible nominee contender. She may receive her third nomination for her role in "American Hustle" because the role is said to be challenging and one of her most difficult to date. Carey Mulligan may also be up for her role in "Inside Llweyn Davis"; she was praised in May at the Cannes Film Festival.
Other actresses who could have a chance at a Best Supporting Actress nomination include Cameron Diaz in "The Counselor," Margo Martindale in "August: Osage County," Sally Hawkins in "Blue Jasmine," Amy Adams in "Her" and Jennifer Garner in "Dallas Buyers Cowboy."
The category is very small at the moment, but once distributors announce their full slates and the festival circuit ends perhaps we'll have a better picture of what the category will offer.
First Predictions
1. Oprah Winfrey - "Lee Daniel's The Butler"
2. Meryl Streep - "August: Osage County"
3. Jennifer Lawrence - "American Hustle"
4. Octavia Spencer - "Fruitvale Station"
5. Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years a Slave"
Potential Nominees
6. Carey Mulligan - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
7. Cameron Diaz - "The Counselor"
8. Sally Hawkins - "Blue Jasmine"