The 2003 Academy Award contest for Best Supporting Actress was the battle of the troubled moms. Rather, it was four troubled mom roles and Renée Zellweger’s comic relief turn in Cold Mountain. True, her performance as a backwoods handywoman was as corny as a season of Hee Haw, but it was also the liveliest thing in the movie. Plus, with Zellweger having failed two win for Oscar-worthy performances in each of the previous two years (in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Chicago), the Academy seemed to think she was due. Unfortunately, that meant no glory for Shohreh Aghdashloo, in her star-making performance as the fierce Iranian immigrant mom in House of Sand and Fog; Patricia Clarkson, unexpectedly funny as the cancer-stricken mom in the still-underrated Pieces of April; Marcia Gay Harden, as the mom who fears her husband may be a killer in Mystic River; and Holly Hunter, as the overwhelmed mom of a rebellious girl in Thirteen. These were all fine performances, and all appear less cringeworthy today than Zellweger’s. (Clarkson’s film was too little-seen. Harden had won this award just three years earlier for Pollock, andshe seemed to have taken the Mystic slot that should have gone to LauraLinney, so she also had little chance of victory. Hunter, too, already had a statuette, for The Piano.)
Looking back from today’s perspective, which of these performances doyou think is the best? Vote in our poll, and list your comments below.(For a refresher, watch the clips embedded after the jump, whichmay contain some NSFW language.) Remember, we’ll be running the Recall the Gold surveys every Tuesdayand Thursday until January, so you may go back at any time and vote inthe other polls (click hereto see them all), reexamining the Oscar races of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25years ago. On Tuesday, Oct. 28, we’ll look at the 1988 Best Directorcompetition. Watch also for commentary and context throughout EW.com,including on Dave Karger’s new Oscar Watch blog.
Shohreh Aghdashloo in House of Sand and Fog
Patricia Clarkson in Pieces of April
We Need To Discuss
Marcia Gay Harden in Mystic River
Holly Hunter in Thirteen
Renée Zellweger in Cold Mountain
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Comments (1-30) of 35 Add your comment
I’d say Oscar actually got this one right, I wouldn’t change it.
My vote would have been for Agdashloo. Zellweger’s role was a bit on the corny side, but the nomination was okay. I also liked Marcia Gay Hardin in Mystic River and her part was better than Linney’s brief role. She was dimwitted and mistakenly victimized her own husband. She was pathetic running down the street at the end of the movie, realizing that she was the one who sealed her husband’s fate and would now have to take care of her slumped-over, fatherless son. Still Agdashloo was best out of the nominees.
Oscar got it wrong wrong wrong. Anyone but Renee should’ve won. This was the performance that turned me off her forever. The charming girl from Jerry Maguire became the most annoying, mannered and affecting actress ever. TERRIBLE!
Oscar got it wrong wrong wrong. Anyone BUT Renee should’ve won. This is the performance that turned me off her forever. The charming girl from Jerry Maguire became the most annoying, mannered and affected actress ever. TERRIBLE.
Although Zellweger was good in Cold Mountain, I think one reason she got the Oscar because they wanted to give the movie something, since it didn’t get nominated for Best Pic, etc. I would have loved to have seen Aghdashloo win. She, along with everyone else in the film, were so powerful, so believable, that they all deserved to win.
I was not as impressed by Agdashloo as everyone else. To me she was outshined by Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connoly(who should have gotten a nomination). My pick would be Hunter. I loved her and Evan Rachel Wood in that movie. Zellweger is a close second but I am glad she won. Harden and Clarkson were also great in their performances as well.
I would rather recall Sean Penn’s win from that same year. Jude Law was phenomenal in Cold Mountain, and I suspect Renee’s win was really a consolation prize.
Another example of why this poll is choosing the wrong years! Renee deserved it, not only as a consolation prize and a mini-life achievement/actress-of-the-moment award, but because she stole the film from her costars and created a funny and touching character. And it was one of those times when the four other fine performances were certainly deserving of their nominations but not necessarily so great to merit a win.
I hate zellwegger in that movie, mannered and stupid performance terrible, I don’t understand how she won or even got a nomination even kidman was not up to par. it should have gone to clarkson or Agdashloo although that scene from house of sand and fog isn’t that impressive but she is great in the movie
I like Zellwegger, but Holly Hunter is an acting monster. She’s one of the best, and the very best of 2003.
I have to agree 110 percent with Zach: Rene stole the show, and it was a touching performance. It’s one of those performances where the second she came into the movie, she brought it to life. Awesome! I loved Agadashloo too, and I love Holly Hunter, but honeslty, a win? I liked Nikki Reid and Evan Rachel Wood in “Thirteen” more than her performance. But that year, for me, it was between Zellweger and Agadashloo, and Zellweger just edged her out. Great year btw…
Shohreh Aghdashloo.
I agree that Renee rocked in Cold Mountain — it was the kind of corny ballsy role women used to do in the 1940’s. But House of Sand and Fog was totally real, Shohreh was totally believable, and completely tragic. Plus, one of the best voices in the movies.
This was a tough one. I’m torn between Aghdashloo, Hunter, and Clarkson. I remember that they were all superb in their respective films and gave Academy-worthy performances, but in the end only one can win. So, I chose Aghdashloo. It was tough, but her work was haunting and heartbreaking, so I went with her.
This wasn’t the strongest year for this category and I’m glad Zellwegger won (I thought she’d deserved to win for “Chicago”), but I’d still give the award to Patricia Clarkson.
She’s incredible in “Pieces of April.” More people need to see that movie.
Recall, recall, BY GOD, recall! I understand the Academy’s decision to give her the award; her performance enlivens and invigorates an otherwise sullen film. However, it is also very distracting for its terribly out-of-context feel. It’s as if she wandered onto the set from an entirely different movie and the director decided to just let her stay. She performed the MOST acting in the category that year but definitely not the best.
For me it was Shorheh all the way — so effective and heart-breaking.
Recall, recall, BY GOD, recall! I can understand the Academy’s decision to give her the award, as she enlivens and invogorates an otherwise sullen film. However, her performance is very distracting due to its completely out-of-context feel. It’s as if she wandered onto the set from another movie altogether and the director just let her stay. Renee certainly gave us the MOST act but not the best.
For me it was Shorheh all the way — totally effective and heartbreaking.
I can’t vote for this one, because the only movies I saw out of these five were Mystic River and Cold Mountain (I know, I should have seen the others by now). And I can not vote for Marcia Gay Harden. One, I had read the book and I thought she didn’t bring as much to the character as she could have. Two, I’m from Boston and her accent was so horrible that I almost had to leave the theater just to get away from it. Laura Linney was good, but her accent was terrible too.
Zellweger too. Her performance, while comic and stereotyped, was filled with energy and yet spoke authentic. Hunter’s and Clarkson’s performances were undersold, Agdashloo’s nomination was her reward, and Garden was an embarrassment. Speaking of Clarkson, “Pieces of April” is our annual Thanksgiving movie–I honestly don’t know why this movie hasn’t broken thru to a larger audience.
Zellweger was awful in Cold Mountain. I agree it was the film that turned me against her. I loved her in Jerry Maguire, One True Thing, and Nurse Betty…but this was just such pure over-the-top Oscar bait. Hell, even Natalie Portman was better in the same movie.
I would have given the Oscar to Patricia Clarkson. What a great movie “Pieces Of April” was. Katie Holmes should have gotten a Best Actress nod for that film as well.
I watched less than an hour’s worth of “Cold Mountain.” Nicole Kidman was sooooo miscast. Renee Zellweger channeled Doris Day’s “Calamity Jane” just fine. Ms. Hunter, Ms. Gay Harden, Ms. Clarkson and Ms.Aghdashloo – all deserved the Supporting Actress Oscar easily. But my nod would go to Ms. Agdashloo who brought such passion to her role in “House Of Sand And Fog.” That’s the actress who deserved the Oscar!
Iwatched about an hour’s worth of “Cold Mountain.” Nicole Kidman was sooooo miscast.
Zellewger channeled Doris Day”s “Calamity Jane” just fine. Gay Harden, Agdashloo, Hunter and Clarkson were far more worthy of the Supporting Actress Oscar. But my nod would go to Ms. Agdashloo who brought such passion to her role in “House Of Sand And Fog.” She deserves the Oscar!
This was a great year for this category, all were worthy nominees, though I still haven’t seen “Pieces of April” (love Clarkson though). Zellweger brought so much life to that role and the movie, and was touching and powerful throughout. Agdashloo was wonderfully understated, but she didn’t steal the film away from the lead actors the way these other women did. And I actually thought it was a toss-up between Linney and Harden for who would get the nomination–I thought both were fantastic. Holly Hunter, however, still shines the brightest to me. Her role is devastating and she makes her scenes both hard to watch and impossible to look away from. My vote goes to her, but I wasn’t disappointed with Zellweger winning.
This was one year where I thought all the nominated performances were deserving, though I would probably have thrown in Mary Kay Place’s performance in the mostly unseen “Latter Days”. My top three came down to Clarkson, Aghdashloo, and Harden all with very moving screen performances. In the end, I go with Patricia Clarkson, one of my favorites, for her contribution to a totally overlooked and wonderfully moving film…it didn’t hurt that she was also fantastic in “The Station Agent” the same year. Talk about an actress that deserves recognition!
I have always wished there could have been a recount. Renee was okay in CM, but I agree with the person who said it had an out-of-context feel to it. She was obviously being rewarded for missing out on Chicago the year before. Hunter was amazing, as was Clarkson and Harden. But, to me, Aghdashloo was heartbreaking in House. The scene where she calls her husband a coward should have been enough to earn her the Oscar. I wish Hollywood would figure out how to use her because she was amazing. And that voice…..phenomenal!
Renee Zellweger is a good actress, but an Oscar for this movie? She should have won for Chicago, even though Nicole Kidman was stunning in The Hours. She was funny in this movie as Ruby, to be sure, but the movie itself was quite boring, and shouldn’t have been awarded anything. The best thing about that Oscar night, as far as Renee was concerned, was not that she won, but her stunningly gorgeous white Carolina Hererra “origami” gown. Yes, I remember the dress more than I remember the movie. Holly Hunter should have won on the merits of her performance in the final scene alone. And Thirteen was a MUCH better picture.
If I were an Academy voter – I’d probably end up voting for Renee, only by default. Marcia – she already won for “Pollock,” so, that’s it. Holly – I’m glad she got nominated for “Thirteen,” but, some of the subject matter wouldn’t turned me off some rewarding the movie. Patricia – sorry, you might’ve been great in “Pieces,” but I’m not sitting through a Katie Holmes movie. Shohreh – you might’ve been great in “House,” but, I’m not sitting through a Ben Kingsley movie after me robbed Dustin Hoffman for “Tootsid.” So, my vote for Renee seems more of a “good job in ‘Chicago’ vote too.” “Cold Mountain” was luckily blessed with the Miramax touch. It’s no “Gone With the Wind” but any stretch and Renee’s character seems ridiculous at times. But, no that she deserved accolades for “Chicago,” but after rewatching it, I’m still dazzled by Roxie Hart, so my vote is a two-fer vote.
A very tough race that year, but of all the performances, I would have rated Zellweger’s last. Watching the clips, I was reminded what powerful performances were turned in by Harden, Clarkson, Agadashloo and Hunter turned in. Renea was o.k., but her small dish of cornpone does not stack up against the wonderful, complex and layered performances of the other actresses in this category.
I know it is irrational to dislike someone without really knowing them, but Rene Zellweger just annoys the hell out of me. I just can’t watch her in anything. Why? I have no idea. Guess it is like when you meet someone in your ordinary life and for no reason you just can’t seem to get along. I feel the same way about Jude Law. And look, here they are both in Cold Mountain! I had no interest in watching this movie.
Laura Linney should have gotten the nom that Marcia Gay Harden received, and then should have won best supporting actress. Linney in my opinion, gave the best performance in Mystic River, next to Sean Penn.
A tough race, but I love Renee and I love ‘Cold Mountain’, it was a clear race for me!