This category always seems to be full of great performances. I'm excited to go back and watch a few of these, since it's been years since I've seen them. I remember them all being worthy of being included here so let's see how they stand up 7 years later.
2006 Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
This is one of those wins where after you watch the performance you have to wonder why exactly it won over the others, which isn't to put down what Arkin did at all. Arkin is pretty funny in his role of the wild and crass grandfather but it's also pretty short. He cracks some jokes, encourages his granddaughter to be herself, and then goes away. His character is important for helping to foster Breslin's character's independence and joie de vivre and after he's gone we miss his sarcastic, biting, caustic wit which probably would have made the ending even better. It's a good performance and fits the tone of the movie perfectly but I almost feel like Steve Carell (a mostly unknown at the time the film was made) gave a more satisfying performance and showed great range. I love that a comedic performance won but it also seems like maybe the Academy wanted to reward and honor Arkin's career thinking they wouldn't get another chance. Little did they know he would be nominated again for a very similar role in Argo at the 2013 Oscars - one where he was considered a front runner at times in a wide open race. I know many people wanted Eddie Murphy to win here but I have no issue with this win. Arkin does a solid job - I only wish we could have seen more from his character.
Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children
Jackie Earle Haley is perfect for this role just by looks alone. He's gaunt, creepy, and weird looking which suits a man who has been convicted of exposing himself to a minor. He's a man fighting his demons and who let's them win every now and then. The ending of this film is similar to Blanchett's ending yet we fully believe in Haley's version. His anguish and heartache is real. The boiling over of emotions is natural given the circumstances and we are saddened by the ending because Haley has made his character human no matter the fact that he's a convicted sex offender. We understand that he's a man struggling within the world and we openly root for him and hope he finds peace just like his mother does. Sure the director molds our perception of Haley's character with the way he and his mother are treated by their neighborhood but Haley deftly portrays all the subtleties necessary of a man at odds with his self. He wants to do right by his mother and not give in to his urges and try to live a normal life, but people won't let him move on so he's constantly aware of his past troubles. That would be draining on anyone and Haley wears that on his face without being over the top. The director does nothing to try and convince us that Haley is anything but a creep, Haley's acting is what makes us equivocate. It's a powerful performance that almost endears a sexual deviant to the audience - which is no small feat.
Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond
Hounsou plays a stock role of the noble, yet suffering African caught up in a civil war where more stock roles of vicious and violent Africans rape and pillage the land under the guise of rebellion/revolution while stock roles of white men take advantage of these other two for profit and, here, diamonds. You can't really fault Hounsou here for trying his best given what he has to work with. He can't write the role for himself so we are stuck with an action/adventure story where Hounsou can show off his muscles as he tries to rescue his son while running all over Sierra Leone with DiCaprio in tow. There are some dramatic moments where we can see bits and pieces of just how good Hounsou can act if only he were given the chance but those are very few and far between. He's more than capable in an action role and approaches it with plenty of aplomb. Ultimately, he's underused here and comes off as the token African along for the ride as the stale white relationship tries to convince us it's something more. Hounsou deserves better from the script but I don't think we would have gotten much more out of it to be honest.
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Murphy was widely believed to be THE front runner in this category by many critics and Oscar pundits. A lot of people thought his win was merely a formality, as much for his amazing work in Dreamgirls as for his comedic past. That of course didn't happen. And looking back, that's kind of an unfortunate thing since Murphy owned this character. I couldn't get enough of his character and wanted more, more, more. I would have much preferred an entire film about his character's career, as it would have been way more interesting. His portrayal of fictional R&B star Jimmy Early is all at once sleazy, caustic, and raucous. Early is a true showman, to which Murphy brings tons of experience and it shows. When Murphy is on screen he just sizzles and feels real, bringing a much needed vitality to the film which can get bogged down in character tropes and cliches. Every time he's on screen you pay attention and don't want to look away - a true sign of a great performance.
Mark Walhberg - The Departed
This is just an enjoyable performance for me. I'm sure other people might wonder how Wahlberg was nominated here and I could understand their point that there's not a whole lot to his character, but I love it anyway. I think he represents the film well as all the acting was top notch, something that Scorsese is known for. Wahlberg was one of the funniest parts of this film and his jokes and putdowns were all fantastic. And that's about all he brought to the the film, but he didn't need to do anything more. His thick Boston accent with his devastating wit and comebacks were perfect for a police sergeant in an elite unit. It reminded me of some people I knew while in the Army, so it felt very true to life for me. I also liked Alec Baldwin's character and thought that you could almost switch the two for this nomination if you wanted. Wahlberg was just the flashier role and I fully support the Academy's choice.
This is by far my favorite category of the 5. It seems every year is just as strong as the one after it. I seem to have very few complaints about the 5 chosen, though I may differ in who the I think the winner should be. That stands true here. I don't dislike Arkin's role but I definitely prefer Murphy for the win. Walhberg and Arkin had very similar roles but for some reason I just loved Wahlberg's more. The two more serious roles are still pretty good and I'd give the edge to Haley over Arkin right now. Dropping Arkin to 4th might seem like I don't like him but I think this group was just that good. Can't wait to keep going back in time with this group to see if it stays my favorite.
Oscar Winner: Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
My Winner: Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Mark Walhberg
Jackie Earle Haley
Alan Arkin
Djimon Hounsou
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