# An Academy Award for Best Character actor **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383 "2011-02-14T23:58:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383/21 "2011-02-19T12:58:34Z")
No Paul Giammati yet? He needs something to pick up his spirits after simultaneously getting booted of American Idol and loving his girlfriend forever. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383/22 "2011-02-19T14:56:39Z")
Christopher Lloyd is probably one of the richest and most honored character actors never to receive an Oscar nod, but he’s certainly got the talent for it. True, he sometimes just phones in a performance if that’s all that’s really required of him, but when it requires a serious acting challenge (on TV or on screen) he can bring it. Ditto Dan Hedaya- while he usually just plays really annoying losers, he has a lot more range than his pigeonholed (though I’m sure very lucrative) roles would imply. Three far more obscure ones who are easily capable if they get more visible film roles: [Sandy Martin](http://sandy-martin.com/bio.htm), perhaps best known in film as Napoleon Dynamite’s grandmother or on TV as “Brother Selma” in _Big Love_, will probably never have a role visible enough for an Oscar but she’s always great whether playing a butch lesbian (which she often does) or a society matriarch (which she does just as convincingly). Beth Grant is primarily a TV actress but has amazing range. Her next major film role will be in the low budget Del Shores’ movie _Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife_ (she won several awards for the stage show) and her best known film role may be as Sissy in his _Sordid Lives_, but whether she’s playing a centenarian country woman or “trailer trash housewife” or regal snob or sharp lawyer she always disappears into the performance. Grant’s _Trailer Trash_ co-star Octavia Spencer is one of the most gifted character actresses in film and on television. In the 90% dreadful _Dinner With Schmucks_ her “animal psychic” lady was one of the few bright spots. I predict she’ll be an Oscar nominee next year for her role in _The Help_ based on two things: 1- I listened to the audio book and she nailed her character 2- The character was in part specifically written for her (she’s a friend of the author, Kathryn Stockett) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383/23 "2011-02-25T21:32:14Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Wow, I could have sworn I read his obituary. But he is indeed still alive. I’m clearly thinking of some other character actor of his type. > > Ah, I just remembered: [J.T. Walsh](http://cinepad.com/jtwalsh.htm). Same last name, great character actor. Died in 1998. > Anyway, a few more candidates: > > Diane Wiest Dianne Weist has two Oscars for playing supporting characters as it is. She’s gotten her fair share. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383/24 "2011-02-25T21:59:40Z")
Stephen Root. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383/25 "2011-02-26T20:39:08Z")
Timothy Carey Walter Brennan has three oscars for supporting – I only knew about one, but anyway, he’s got his. Foreign actors, if eligible, would have to include Antoine Carette, although I don’t know if he’s a straight character actor so much as a comedian and somewhat plastic and mercurial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-academy-award-for-best-character-actor/571383.md?page=1)