Mo'Nique in Precious (Anne Marie Fox / Lionsgate)
Like Christoph Waltz in the best supporting actor category, Mo'Nique — who plays a nasty mother in Lee Daniels' Precious — is by far the North American critics' top choice for best supporting actress of 2009: 17 wins and counting, in addition to awards at both the Sundance and Stockholm film festivals. Mo'Nique has also nabbed SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and Spirit award nominations.
Anna Kendrick, as George Clooney's assistant of sorts in Up in the Air, has come out on top in Toronto, Houston, and Austin, in addition to a National Board of Review win, while two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton, playing a war widow in The Messenger, won in San Diego. That's it.
Although Mo'Nique has been considered a top awards season contender since her win at Sundance early in 2009, it's a little surprising that critics have focused on one single performance when the 2009 supporting actress field offered an array of worthy talent, from Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air and Julianne Moore in A Single Man to Kathy Bates in Chéri and Kerry Fox in Bright Star.
The list below includes North American critics groups (it'll be updated as more results are announced in the next several weeks), in addition to the Satellite and National Board of Review awards; Golden Globe, Spirit Award, and SAG nominations; plus a couple of festival awards.
Mo'Nique, Precious – Washington, Utah, National Society of Film Critics, St. Louis, Southeastern, Satellite, San Francisco, Phoenix, Oklahoma, New York Online, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Florida, Detroit, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Indiana, Chicago, Boston, in addition to Sundance and Stockholm, plus SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, Spirit award nominations
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air – National Board of Review, Toronto, Houston, Austin, plus SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Samantha Morton, The Messenger – San Diego, plus Critics Choice, Spirit nominations
Vera Farmiga, Up In The Air – SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Penelope Cruz, Nine – SAG, Golden Globe nominations
Julianne Moore, A Single Man – Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds – SAG nomination
Marion Cotillard, Nine – Critics Choice nomination