Since it's Awards season and the Oscars are in just a weeks, I've decided to make a post exploring the history of Category Fraud. What is Category Fraud you ask? Over the years, many actors have won (or been nominated) for playing a leading role, but only getting nominated for Supporting, or vice/versa. Here is a lookback at some examples.
1. Anthony Hopkins, winner of Best Actor for "The Silence of the Lambs"
While there's no doubt Hannibal Lecter is an iconic character, with only around 20 minutes of screentime, it's hard to consider him a "lead". Sure, you could argue his presence is prominent throughout the movie, but he's not even really the lead villain of the movie (that being Ted Levine as "Buffalo Bill"), Hopkins is definitely a Supporting role in Silence.
2. Viola Davis, winner of Best Supporting Actress for "Fences"
Viola Davis is definitely an amazing actress, however, she shares just about equal screentime to Denzel Washington, and one could argue the two of them are co-leads in the movie. The fact that Viola previously won best Lead actress for this same role at the Tony Awards just years before helps bolster this.
3. Meryl Streep nominated as Best Actress for "The Devil Wears Prada"
Although she did not win, Meryl was nominated for Best Actress for her iconic turn as Miranda Priestley in "The Devil Wears Prada". While one could argue she is the lead, or a co-lead at the very least to Anne Hathaway's Andie Sachs as she is the title character and much of the story revolves around her, Andie is very obviously the main character, as the story is told from her point of view.
4. Marlon Brando winning Best Actor for "The Godfather", Al Pacino nominated for Supporting
Okay, so this was the best clip I could get of Brando winning (and then refusing) his Oscar for The Godfather, but this post is not about that. Brando played Vito Corleone, and although he was the veteran actor while this was Pacino's breakout role, if anybody watches The Godfather, it is clearly obvious that Pacino's Michael is the lead protagonist of all three movies. Pacino knew his role was a lead role, so when he was placed in Supporting (nominated against fellow co-stars Robert Duvall and James Caan who actually are supporting roles), he refused to attend the Oscars ceremony.
5. Louise Fletcher winning Best Actress for "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
Another iconic villain with very little screentime, Fletcher's take as the sadistic Nurse Ratched surprisingly has only 22 minutes of screentime
6. Timothy Hutton getting Supporting Actor for "Ordinary People"
Timothy Hutton was just 20 years old when he one for his lead role in Ordinary People, but Mary Tyler Moore (who played his mother) was nominated for Best Actress, despite Hutton having over 30 minutes more screentime than her.
7. Reese Witherspoon getting Best Actress for "Walk the Line"
I'm posting this one because although she might be the leading lady, often times the nominations/wins for "Best Leading Actress" are really just being "main character's wife/girlfriend". Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash is very clearly the lead, and one could easily argue Reese is a supporting character, because her role is supporting to his.
Sources: Screen time central1234567
1. Anthony Hopkins, winner of Best Actor for "The Silence of the Lambs"
While there's no doubt Hannibal Lecter is an iconic character, with only around 20 minutes of screentime, it's hard to consider him a "lead". Sure, you could argue his presence is prominent throughout the movie, but he's not even really the lead villain of the movie (that being Ted Levine as "Buffalo Bill"), Hopkins is definitely a Supporting role in Silence.
2. Viola Davis, winner of Best Supporting Actress for "Fences"
Viola Davis is definitely an amazing actress, however, she shares just about equal screentime to Denzel Washington, and one could argue the two of them are co-leads in the movie. The fact that Viola previously won best Lead actress for this same role at the Tony Awards just years before helps bolster this.
3. Meryl Streep nominated as Best Actress for "The Devil Wears Prada"
Although she did not win, Meryl was nominated for Best Actress for her iconic turn as Miranda Priestley in "The Devil Wears Prada". While one could argue she is the lead, or a co-lead at the very least to Anne Hathaway's Andie Sachs as she is the title character and much of the story revolves around her, Andie is very obviously the main character, as the story is told from her point of view.
4. Marlon Brando winning Best Actor for "The Godfather", Al Pacino nominated for Supporting
Okay, so this was the best clip I could get of Brando winning (and then refusing) his Oscar for The Godfather, but this post is not about that. Brando played Vito Corleone, and although he was the veteran actor while this was Pacino's breakout role, if anybody watches The Godfather, it is clearly obvious that Pacino's Michael is the lead protagonist of all three movies. Pacino knew his role was a lead role, so when he was placed in Supporting (nominated against fellow co-stars Robert Duvall and James Caan who actually are supporting roles), he refused to attend the Oscars ceremony.
5. Louise Fletcher winning Best Actress for "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
Another iconic villain with very little screentime, Fletcher's take as the sadistic Nurse Ratched surprisingly has only 22 minutes of screentime
6. Timothy Hutton getting Supporting Actor for "Ordinary People"
Timothy Hutton was just 20 years old when he one for his lead role in Ordinary People, but Mary Tyler Moore (who played his mother) was nominated for Best Actress, despite Hutton having over 30 minutes more screentime than her.
7. Reese Witherspoon getting Best Actress for "Walk the Line"
I'm posting this one because although she might be the leading lady, often times the nominations/wins for "Best Leading Actress" are really just being "main character's wife/girlfriend". Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash is very clearly the lead, and one could easily argue Reese is a supporting character, because her role is supporting to his.
Sources: Screen time central1234567