All Oscars 2026 Best Supporting Actress Performances, Ranked Worst To Best

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This year’s Best Supporting Actress category has been just as thrilling as the Best Supporting Actor race, and it’s been incredibly difficult to predict the winner. While it feels like any of the nominees could win the Best Supporting Actor award, that’s not quite the case here. Two strong performances from the film Sentimental Value have divided support, meaning neither actress has been a serious threat throughout the awards season. However, the remaining three nominees have all won significant awards leading up to the ceremony, making it impossible to say who will take home the prize.

Deciding who most deserves the award is a different question, and I’m excited to share my thoughts after ranking the Best Picture and other acting categories for SR. All five nominees are fantastic, and the Academy did a great job with the performance nominations this year. Here’s how I’d rank the Best Supporting Actress nominees, from the least strong performance to the best.

5. Elle Fanning, Sentimental Value

It’s great to see this nomination happen. I initially thought Elle Fanning’s performance might not appeal to awards voters, but I should have had more faith in the actors who actually make the nominations to recognize how good it is. Fanning’s character intentionally feels out of place in this story about a Norwegian family. She plays an American actress brought in to star in a very personal film by a director nearing the end of his career, after his own daughter wouldn’t even look at the script he wrote for her. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Fanning’s character is deliberately miscast.

Fanning excels at portraying a character who isn’t necessarily bad at acting, but rather, isn’t quite the right fit for the role. She brings a deliberately awkward energy to her performance, mirroring the way Renate Reinsve’s character feels perfectly natural – especially since almost everyone else in the film does feel perfectly natural. It’s a testament to Fanning’s skill that she pulls this off without seeming condescending towards her character, even if Sentimental Value doesn’t fully highlight her abilities.

4. Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners

Wunmi Mosaku delivers a standout performance thanks to director Ryan Coogler giving her a truly compelling role. Coogler’s films often create a beneficial exchange with actors: they support the film, and the film, in turn, showcases their talent. In the first part of this historical drama, Mosaku’s character, Annie, adds depth to the performances of Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld, helping us understand the complex relationship between the twin characters. Later, as the film shifts into an action-horror, Annie becomes essential as a supernatural investigator, uncovering the secrets of the vampires.

Ultimately, Sinners allows Mosaku to deliver a truly standout performance. She portrays Annie with remarkable depth and a natural confidence, making her complex personality feel completely authentic. Mosaku brilliantly conveys both intelligence and compassion, often with just a look. She’s perfectly cast as someone who could genuinely draw Smoke out of his shell, and feels like a real person, not just a character created to serve that purpose. While Steinfeld shines in the more showy role, Mosaku’s understated performance is equally impactful.

3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, similar to Fanning, plays a character who feels out of place in Sentimental Value. The other main characters are all involved in the arts, so a degree of drama and performance is natural for them. However, Lilleaas’ character, Agnes, isn’t like that – she’s remarkably down-to-earth, especially when compared to her dramatic sister. This normalcy is key to the story, and Lilleaas needs to portray someone who feels genuinely real amongst a cast of actors and performers.

Lilleaas delivers a remarkably natural performance, helped by the fact that she’s relatively new to international audiences – it’s easier to connect with the character without preconceived notions about the actor. However, her talent goes beyond that; Agnes feels genuinely warm and approachable in every scene. The emotional heart of Sentimental Value is a powerful conversation between the two sisters, and Lilleaas’s performance is key to its success.

2. Amy Madigan, Weapons

When people first started suggesting Amy Madigan for an Oscar nomination, many probably thought she’d be a long shot – a talented performer overlooked by the Academy, like Toni Collette in Hereditary or Lupita Nyong’o in Us. But now, there’s a real chance she could actually win. If she does, it would be a fantastic outcome, whether it’s due to her inspiring career comeback or simply recognizing her great performance.

Throughout much of Weapons, Gladys feels like a haunting, enigmatic figure, appearing to the main characters as they try to solve the mystery of the town’s missing children. When she finally becomes a fully realized character, she isn’t the monster viewers might anticipate. Instead, the film reveals her to be deeply wicked, and it’s Madigan’s performance that makes her truly terrifying. She portrays Gladys’ physical weakness alongside an unbreakable spirit, creating a chilling effect – a sense that Gladys clings to life with a tenacity that even death can’t overcome.

While it’s entertaining to see Gladys with a dramatic look, the most powerful scenes featuring Madigan are her raw, intense encounters with a frightened young boy. Though she easily resorts to physical violence, she chooses to torment this boy mentally, doing so with a chilling calmness. Her presence in those moments is unforgettable.

1. Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another

While I admire all the nominees, I’m a little surprised the Best Supporting Actress race has been so competitive. Teyana Taylor delivered one of the most memorable performances of the year. She absolutely shines in the first part of the film, creating a captivating presence that’s deeply felt even after her character is gone. It’s clear why everyone around her is forever impacted by what she does.

Taylor’s performance is award-worthy simply for how convincingly she portrays the flamboyant and powerful Perfidia Beverly Hills. But she does more than just embody a revolutionary figure. Beneath Perfidia’s bold exterior lies a more fragile person she tries to hide. While Perfidia masks both her strategic choices and emotional missteps with revolutionary rhetoric, she’s far from simply driven by ideology. The actor subtly reveals the truth of her character, and it’s often deeply moving.

Taylor’s rivals have compelling stories going into awards season, and they’ve all done excellent work. However, when it comes to the performances themselves, I think Taylor’s is the most impactful. She truly deserves to win the Oscar this Sunday.

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2026-03-13 21:02