Best Film Supporting Actor Nominees (Screen Awards 2025)

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Let’s talk about the Supporting Actor category at the first-ever Screen Awards – it’s a really interesting mix this year. We’ve got one actor playing a truly menacing villain, chasing the heroes in One Battle After Another. Then there’s a fantastic performance as a monster in Frankenstein who’s really questioning its existence. And, as often happens, there’s a role that almost feels like a leading one, but Jessie Buckley in Hamnet is just so captivating, she completely dominates every scene she’s in – making it hard to look anywhere else.

Whoever wins the Best Supporting Actor award will have delivered a truly memorable performance, as judged by experts from ScreenRant, Collider, CBR, and MovieWeb.

CBR’s Deputy Editor, Sean O’Connell, and MovieWeb’s Film Critic, Mark Keizer, are announcing the nominees for Best Supporting Film Actor this year.

Benicio del Toro (One Battle After Another)

So, you’re looking for a big change? You’ll need allies. In Paul Thomas Anderson’s intense film, One Battle After Another, Benicio del Toro plays Sergio St. Carlos, who steps in to help Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) protect his daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), despite the complicated situation.

Benicio Del Toro is a master of supporting roles, earning Academy Award nominations for both Traffic and 21 Grams. He’s a thoughtful actor who always understands the nuances of a scene, and his unique personality often allows him to shine, even alongside leading actors. Let’s celebrate his work this year!

Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)

Guillermo del Toro’s film version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein stays very true to the original 1818 novel. Unlike the classic depiction popularized by Boris Karloff, the creature isn’t shown with bolts or stitches. Instead, thanks to a powerful performance by Jacob Elordi, we see a being filled with sadness, anger, and a profound sense of emptiness – trapped between life and death.

Jacob Elordi’s physical presence helps us see and feel the Creature’s transformation – from a naive, instinct-driven being to a deeply tormented one who understands his tragic fate. Even though he’s almost completely hidden under elaborate makeup that took ten hours each day to apply, Elordi (known for Saltburn) manages to make this famously monstrous character feel surprisingly human.

Paul Mescal (Hamnet)

Most stories focus on William Shakespeare himself, but Chloe Zhao’s moving film, Hamnet, based on Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel, shifts the focus. Paul Mescal delivers a strong performance, but the film truly centers on Jessie Buckley, who brilliantly portrays Shakespeare’s wife and her life managing their home while he gains fame in London’s theater world.

However, when the pivotal moment arrives in Shakespeare’s latest play, Mescal demonstrates why he’s considered one of the most compelling actors currently performing, fully deserving of the praise he receives.

Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)

Despite all the political discussion surrounding Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, One Battle After Another, at its core, the movie simply asks: Who is Willa’s (Chase Infiniti) father? Is it Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Bob Ferguson, a former radical, or his rival, Colonel Lockjaw? And it’s Sean Penn, in a brilliant performance as Lockjaw, who delivers the film’s sharpest critiques of America’s current political shift to the right.

Despite his stiff, funny walk, which seems like a way to hide his flaws and inner struggles, the actor doesn’t fully embrace the comedic potential of the character. Instead, he surprisingly and powerfully blends sadness, humor, and fear into a compelling performance. Hopefully, the actor will appear more relaxed on the Oscars red carpet than his character does.

Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value)

The idea of using art to mend family problems might seem overly simple or affected. However, Joachim Trier’s film, Sentimental Value, tackles this concept with genuine feeling and subtlety, largely thanks to the performances of Renate Reinsve and a powerfully understated Stellan Skarsgård. Skarsgård, playing an aging director hoping to reconnect with his daughter (Reinsve) by casting her in his new movie, conveys a wealth of emotion despite his imposing physical presence.

Gustov is a difficult and distant father, but Stellan Skarsgård delivers a performance that prevents us from simply disliking him. When the character confronts his painful history and the hurt he’s caused his family, Skarsgård reveals a touching vulnerability and humanity. Though burdened by the past, time, and regret, his performance remains surprisingly light and engaging. Hopefully, with Sentimental Value, we’ll all start truly appreciating the talent of Stellan Skarsgård.

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2025-12-18 21:01