Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

The competition: Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes), Al Pacino (The Irishman), Joe Pesci (The Irishman), Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Previous winners: Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Mahershala Ali, Mark Rylance, J.K. Simmons, Jared Leto, Christoph Waltz
My winner: Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)
The facts: Every one of these men except for Pitt won an Oscar in the 1990s. Hanks triumphed in 1993 for “Philadelphia” and in 1994 for “Forrest Gump,” and has also been nominated for “Big” in 1998, “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998, and “Cast Away” in 2000. After being snubbed for headlining several Best Pictures nominees in the past decade, he’s now the lone nominee from his film. Hopkins, who won in 1991 for “The Silence of the Lambs” and was nominated again in 1993 for “The Remains of the Day,” in 1995 for “Nixon,” and in 1997 for “Amistad,” is joined by his costar and screenplay. Pacino won on his most recent try in 1992 for “Scent of a Woman” after career bids in 1972 for “The Godfather,” 1973 for “Serpico,” 1974 for “The Godfather Part III,” 1975 for “Dog Day Afternoon,” 1979 for “And Justice for All,” 1990 for “Dick Tracy,” and 1992 for “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Pesci won in 1990 for “Goodfellas” and was nominated in 1980 for “Raging Bull.” Pitt, who has won every precursors, was nominated in 1995 for “12 Monkeys,” in 2008 for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and in 2011 for “Moneyball.” Though he’s never won an acting Oscar, he was a producer on 2013 Best Picture winner “12 Years a Slave.” Multiple nominees from one film happen occasionally, and in the most recent case – 2017 – resulted in a win for one of them.
Who should win: Pesci
Who will win: It’s going to be a category made up entirely of winners thanks to the assured victory for Pitt.