“Go behind the scenes with the nominees for Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Academy Awards ceremony.”
Watch scenes from the performances nominated in the category of best supporting actor at the 96th annual Academy Awards, as well as interviews with the Oscar nominees below. The 2024 Oscars
This information will be shared on the 10th of March, which falls on a Sunday.
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Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”
Sterling K. Brown, famous for his role in the popular show “This Is Us,” received his initial Oscar nod for his performance as Cliff, a plastic surgeon who recently revealed his homosexuality. He struggles with intricate connections to his brother Monk (portrayed by Jeffrey Wright) and sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross).
Cord Jefferson’s satirical work, directed and written based on Percival Everett’s novel “Erasure,” explores the challenges that protagonist Monk faces in his career and personal relationships. In particular, Monk’s brother Cliff tests their bond as siblings, using playful teasing to mask their strained communication.
The video “American Fiction” features Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander, and Jeffrey Wright. CBS Sunday Morning on
YouTube
Brown, who has won three Emmy Awards
“The Hollywood Reporter” interviewed Sterling K. Brown, who has received multiple accolades for his roles in “American Crime Story,” “This Is Us,” and “Lincoln: Divided We Stand.” Brown stated that the screenplay for “American Fiction” was one of the best he had ever read. After spending six years on “This Is Us,” Brown was looking for a change of pace and was happy to find a role that was not similar to his character, Randall Pearson. Brown explained that his character, Cliff, provided a comedic aspect and was a person who needed to be dealt with rather than the one dealing with everything. He also expressed that it was refreshing to play a character who was not in control.
While discussing Cliff’s character, Brown explained to Deadline the challenges he encountered as a student at Stanford, where he initially pursued a business degree before ultimately deciding to pursue acting instead. This choice was met with confusion from most of his family, and while it may not be a perfect comparison, Brown personally relates to Cliff’s experience as a gay man who may not have been able to openly express his identity due to societal pressures. Brown believes that everyone can relate to the feeling of being on the outside looking in, of not fully understanding the “club” that everyone else seems to be a part of. Both Brown and his character Cliff share this feeling, with Brown experiencing it as an actor and Cliff facing it as a gay man searching for acceptance and a sense of belonging within his community.
He stated that it is not important whether others approve of your choices or way of life. Your contentment enables you to be whoever you wish to be and navigate through life without hindrance.
The film “American Fiction” can now be streamed on demand.
Further information about “American Fiction”:
The flower killers in “Killers of the Flower Moon” by Robert De Niro.
Collaborator Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have created 10 movies together that delve into the consequences of both physical and emotional acts of violence. These films include their first major success, “Mean Streets,” and their most recent collaboration, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which depicts the true story of the brutal murders of Osage Native Americans in the early 1900s. These victims were targeted due to their ownership of valuable oil reserves on their Oklahoma territory.
De Niro portrays William Hale, a rancher and entrepreneur hailed as the “King of the Osage Hills.” He initially appears to be a ally to the Native Americans, being a kind member of the community and even speaking their language. However, when oil is discovered on Osage land, Hale plots a series of killings in order for White men who marry Osage women to receive their wealth.
In this particular moment, Hale berates his relative, Ernest (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio), for his unsuccessful attempt at a murder disguised as a suicide.
Hale’s attempts to convince his nephew Ernest that he is not in danger of facing the law are less than reassuring. Alternatively, Hale’s request for Ernest to relinquish his rights to a potential fortune could be viewed as him trying to protect Ernest’s best interests. [Do you really believe him?]
During a press conference at the previous year’s Cannes Film Festival, De Niro confessed that he struggled to comprehend the conflicting qualities of his character. He stated, “I am not fully aware of him. He must have an alluring and persuasive demeanor… but why does he ultimately betray those who trust him?”
“I believe that some of his actions are genuine, but the other part where he is betraying others stems from a sense of entitlement. The recent events, particularly after George Floyd’s death, have heightened our awareness of systemic racism. That is the underlying issue here… the everyday, seemingly ordinary acts of evil.”
This marks the first collaboration between DiCaprio, De Niro, and Scorsese on a full-length film, as they had previously only worked together on a short film titled “The Audition” in 2015. DiCaprio and De Niro had previously starred together in the 1993 film “This Boy’s Life.”
Their chemistry together is remarkable.
“Sunday Morning,” said DiCaprio.
“Their method of communication is almost like sign language. It mainly consists of nods and acknowledgments like ‘I understand, I understand.’ It’s truly amazing to witness!” [Scorsese joked that while he and De Niro have a shorthand, his communication with DiCaprio is more elaborate.]
De Niro has been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in this film, making it his eighth nomination. He has previously won two Oscars for “The Godfather Part II” and “Raging Bull.”
The movie “Killers of the Flower Moon” can be watched on Apple TV+ and is also accessible for on-demand viewing.
Additional details about the book “Killers of the Flower Moon”:
The actor known as Robert Downey Jr. will be portraying the character Oppenheimer.
In the film “Oppenheimer,” Robert Downey Jr. portrays Lewis Strauss, a board member at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Strauss initially brings J. Robert Oppenheimer onto the board after his triumph at Los Alamos, but becomes his adversary as the head of the Atomic Energy Commission due to Oppenheimer’s outspoken stance against nuclear weapons.
Strauss is called into an urgent meeting upon discovering the detection of radiation over the North Pacific, which is believed to be a sign of a nuclear test conducted by the Soviet Union.
Strauss is horrified by the advancements of the Soviet Union in nuclear technology and is determined to create even more powerful bombs than the Russians. He sees Oppenheimer, a vocal opponent of nuclear proliferation, as an obstacle in his quest. To discredit Oppenheimer, Strauss spreads rumors that he may have been a spy. A secret meeting of the Atomic Energy Commission security panel results in a vote to revoke Oppenheimer’s security clearance, effectively halting his research.
During this particular moment, Strauss is expressing his frustration with a member of the Senate staff (portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich) regarding the accusations made against him in a Cabinet confirmation hearing regarding the Oppenheimer attacks.
The son of filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., Downey Jr. came to shoulder the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe in his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man, leader of the Avengers. But his resume had shown a wide range of characters in nearly 100 films, from “Chaplin,” “Good Night, and Good Luck,” and “Zodiac,” to “Tropic Thunder,” “Sherlock Holmes” and “The Judge.” With “Oppenheimer,” he plays effectively off his personal charm to hide the unscrupulous tactics of Strauss and the anger when his plans blow up in his face.
Actor Downey, who was awarded both the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Awards for his role, shared with W Magazine that he eagerly accepted the opportunity to be a part of Christopher Nolan’s movie. He stated, “Taking on the role of Lewis Strauss was an interesting challenge for me. It went against my natural instincts.” He acknowledged the complexity of human nature and how the director’s vision allowed him to explore a different side of himself through the character. He also contemplated on past experiences of feeling overshadowed by others and pondered on how he may have unintentionally caused that feeling in others. It made him question how he would react in their shoes and if he would seek revenge.
One of the major difficulties was portraying a character who required stillness, as it is not always natural for me,” he stated. “Additionally, being in the middle-aged stage of my life, it can be challenging to remain motionless and honestly convey the message. If I am unable to remain composed and speak truthfully at this point, then I must have been making mistakes for a significant amount of time.”
“During a conversation with The Associated Press, Downey shared his thoughts on being part of the hit movie. He praised Nolan’s ability to create grand and engaging cinema, while also delving into the complexities of human nature and our weaknesses. He described the film as a unique blend of personal and shocking elements, executed in a masterful and enticing manner.”
The film “Oppenheimer” can be watched on Peacock or through Video on Demand.
Additional information about the creation of “Oppenheimer”:
Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
Greta Gerwig told “60 Minutes”
She specifically crafted the character of Ken with Ryan Gosling in mind, despite not having met him before. This even led her to include his name in the screenplay that she wrote with Noah Baumbach: “Ken Ryan Gosling,” as stated by her.
Warner Brothers
It would be difficult to find an actor more perfect for the role, even with the abundance of “Kens” in the movie. Gosling has excelled in both dreamy romantic performances (“The Notebook,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “Blue Valentine,” “Drive,” “La La Land”) and in portraying characters struggling with grief or loneliness (“Blade Runner 2049,” “First Man”).
In the world of “Barbie,” in the vibrant Barbie Land where everything is pink and dreamy, Ken represents the ultimate complement to Barbie – the charming and good-looking partner who always seems to enhance Barbie’s appearance, whether they’re at the beach or cruising around in the Barbie car.
In this particular situation, Ken becomes very enthusiastic about impressing Barbie (played by Margot Robbie), and decides to challenge Ken (played by Simu Liu) to a “beach-off,” which may sound aggressive:
However, Ken’s perception of his role shifts when he accompanies Barbie to the Real World (located in Santa Monica, California). There, he observes a society in which men hold positions of power, wealth, and engage in horseback riding. This prompts Ken to reassess his place in Barbie Land and strive to establish a patriarchy upon their return, with men in charge and engaging in typical male activities.
Ken, wearing a mink coat, takes center stage in a lively dance number with all of the other versions of himself in Barbie Land. The song they dance to is “I’m Just Ken,” written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, which has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song this year.
Gosling informed Variety that he had almost declined the opportunity to portray Ken, a performance that resulted in his third Oscar nomination. He stated, “It was the most challenging role I’ve ever taken on. It felt like a risky balancing act – in minuscule shorts and shirtless – without any safety measures in place.”
“Throughout my journey, I ended up at [Ken],” Gosling added. “It’s hard to believe I’m admitting to this. There were times when I questioned my efforts, reminiscent of those on the film “Blue Valentine.” Some moments on that set left me emotionally drained, to the point of laying on the floor of the car on my way home, completely spent and empty. However, portraying Ken was even more challenging. I couldn’t understand how I was experiencing those same emotions on this new film.”
Gosling dedicated four hours every day to exercise and took dance classes to achieve his defined abs. Additionally, he followed a strict diet primarily consisting of coffee.
The movie “Barbie” is currently streaming on the platform Max, and can be watched on demand.
More on “Barbie”:
The star of “Poor Things”, Mark Ruffalo.
The lineup of best supporting actor nominees for the Oscars matches up with the Screen Actors Guild’s nominees, except for one: From “Poor Things,” instead of Willem Dafoe, the Academy chose Mark Ruffalo, who’d previously been nominated for three Oscars (for “The Kids Are All Right,” “Foxcatcher,” and “Spotlight”).
Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” is a “Frankenstein” story with a steam punk twist. Emma Stone plays the lead character, Bella, who is created by a deranged scientist’s unorthodox experiment of placing a fetus’s brain into the body of a woman who committed suicide.
Upon Bella’s first appearance, she is either a young child or an adult with limited language skills, just starting to understand her physical abilities. This intrigues Duncan, a Casanova-like figure portrayed by Ruffalo, who assumes the role of “educator” for Bella, focusing mainly on her physical development.
During this scene, Bella is exhilarated by her newfound love for dance, and he attempts to keep up with her, following her rhythm closely.
Duncan can be characterized by his jealousy and possessiveness, which come to the fore as the cad takes Bella around the world, only to find that the young woman learning how to become an independent thinker is, in the process, excluding him from her life.
During this moment, Duncan realizes that Bella is developing more quickly than his envy can handle.
During an interview with Associated Press, Ruffalo discussed his latest film “Poor Things” and how it compares to other movies he’s worked on. Whether they were low-budget indie projects or big-budget superhero blockbusters, Ruffalo expressed his love for acting and pushing his creative limits. He acknowledged that “Poor Things” has a different energy due to its comedic nature, making it more accessible for audiences. However, he emphasized that he puts the same amount of dedication and passion into all of his roles, even if it may not always be evident on screen.
“I find it tedious how others perceive me and how I may begin to perceive myself based on those perceptions. Fortunately, Yorgos and Emma were perceptive enough to see something in me that I didn’t even see in myself.”
“It reminded me of my early days in theater,” he told Deadline, “when I was fearless and somewhat edgy. For some reason, I’ve been holding back in recent years, and all the roles I’ve been offered have required that restrained approach. This is a role that no one would have thought to cast me in.”
During production, Ruffalo mentioned that he did not receive any guidance from Lanthimos on how extreme he should be in his performance. However, if the director laughed, Ruffalo took it as a sign that he was on the right track. Otherwise, Lanthimos would simply say, “That’s sufficient.”
Duncan is left shattered and emotionally damaged due to Bella’s rejection. Ruffalo shared with Deadline, “I have female friends who have expressed their support for Duncan. They were really rooting for him and felt sorry for him. Some guys were confused by him, but in the end they were like, ‘Oh man, that poor guy.’ I felt a lot of empathy for him.”
The movie “Poor Things” can be watched on Hulu and is also accessible through video on demand.
Additional information about “Poor Things”:
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Source: cbsnews.com