Golden Globe Musings: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Golden Globe nominations for this year will be announced in just a few weeks, so here’s a survey of the contenders and the most likely predictions at this time. Weigh in with your thoughts, and let me know if I’ve left off anything important. A reminder that the Globes are wildly unpredictable and that it is still a bit early to gauge the reception or awards potential of a number of the so-called “contenders” at this point.

Last year’s nominees:
Berenice Bejo (The Artist)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Jane McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)

Two familiar young faces are likely to be back this year, and that would be Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) and Amy Adams (The Master). It’s been over two decades since their last film nominations, but Sally Field (Lincoln) and Pauline Collins (Quartet) may be back this year too. Last nominated fifteen years ago, Helen Hunt (The Sessions) should return as long as voters agree on whether she belongs in this category. Older actresses Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) and Ann Dowd (Compliance) are long shots, but I think the last slot will go Scarlett Johansson (Hitchcock), who has never been nominated for an Oscar but has four Golden Globe mentions to her name.

Current predictions:
Amy Adams (The Master)
Sally Field (Lincoln)
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
Helen Hunt (The Sessions)
Scarlett Johansson (Hitchcock)