Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds (François Duhamel / The Weinstein Co.)
If US critics found only two lead actresses to vote for in 2009 (Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan), they had an even tougher time finding a supporting actor. Or perhaps it was just his own thespian brilliance that made Christoph Waltz walk away with nearly every critics' award out there. With more than 90 film and TV productions to his credit, Waltz, 53, has finally been discovered by international audiences and critics thanks to his evil Nazi in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. All that and the best actor prize at Cannes 2009, too.
Christian McKay, playing Orson Welles in Me and Orson Welles (the "Me" is Zac Efron), managed to top two lists: in San Francisco and Utah. Woody Harrelson was the choice of the National Board of Review voters. That's it.
Both Waltz and Harrelson are up for SAG Awards and Golden Globes. McKay was left out of both groups, though he is a nominee for the Critics Choice and Spirit awards.
The list below includes most US-based critics groups (it'll be updated as more results are announced early this year), in addition to the Gotham, Satellite, and National Board of Review awards; Golden Globe, Spirit Award, and SAG nominations; plus Waltz's Cannes win.
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds – Washington, National Society of Film Critics (tie), Toronto, St. Louis, Southeastern, Satellite, San Diego, Phoenix, Oklahoma, New York Online, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, Florida, Detroit, Indiana, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Chicago, Boston, Austin, in addition to Cannes, plus SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles – Utah, San Francisco, plus Critics Choice, Spirit nominations
Paul Schneider, Bright Star – National Society of Film Critics (tie)
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger – National Board of Review, plus SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globes, Spirit nominations
Matt Damon, Invictus – SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station – SAG, Golden Globe, Spirit nominations
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones – SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations