Five lead acting Oscar nominees argued to have been better as supporting

Collider published an article 4 minutes ago arguing that five past Oscar lead acting nominees should have been entered in the supporting category instead.

The piece lists Anne Bancroft in The Graduate, saying Mrs. Robinson is seen mostly from Dustin Hoffman's character's point of view and her presence wanes in the film's second half; Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs, with the article noting Clarice Starling remains the story's protagonist and Lecter's involvement is tied to her trajectory; John Travolta in Pulp Fiction, where Vincent Vega is described as lacking a clear arc and functioning within other characters' stories; Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York, argued to be a scene-stealing antagonist while Amsterdam is presented as the film's driving protagonist; and Kate Winslet in The Reader, which the piece calls the most egregious example because Hanna is depicted entirely through Michael's perspective and has no independent arc.

The author frames these placements as examples of category fraud when measured by metrics such as distinct POV, an independent character arc, and being the driving force of the narrative, and acknowledges the judgments may be controversial while noting Oscar season is a time to reassess past nominations.

Key Topics

Culture, Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, John Travolta, Daniel Day-lewis, Kate Winslet