Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

The competition: Robert Duvall’s murder suspect (The Judge), Ethan Hawke’s frequent father (Boyhood), Edward Norton’s eccentric thespian (Birdman), Mark Ruffalo’s wrestling champion (Foxcatcher), and J.K. Simmons’ tyrannical teacher (Whiplash).

For your information: This is Duvall’s seventh Globe nomination, and he has won four times before, most recently in 1993. Norton has been nominated once before, for “Primal Fear,” and won this award for that film in 1996. Ruffalo is a first-time nominee this year, and is also a contender for his TV movie performance in “The Normal Heart.” This is the first nomination for both Hawke and Simmons. Hawke, Norton, and Ruffalo’s films are all nominated for Best Pictue.

Who should win? Duvall’s film is one of the few I have yet to see. I haven’t yet decided between Norton and Simmons, though Hawke was good too. Ruffalo was decent but the role isn’t substantial enough to merit a win.

Who will win? I think that Simmons is the frontrunner.