2015 Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor – Norton Soars, J.K. Simmons Conducts a Coup

Edward Norton (Birdman) holds court once again and by a healthy margin. He receives only 1st and 2nd place votes from the Gold Rush Gang, again, and keeps that healthy lead.

Another Foxcatcher casualty, Mark Ruffalo, falls a bit but stays in 2nd place. But, nipping at his heels is his Sony Pictures Classics competitor, Whiplash‘s J.K. Simmons. He moves up 10 points and is likely to keep rising. His performance is the stuff of Supporting Actor Oscar fodder and his veteran status all but assures him a nomination and possibly a win.

These top three contenders have votes from all ten Gold Rush Gang members.

Although Josh Brolin (Inherent Vice) retains the same vote total, he falls down the list and suffers the same fate as anything connected with the movie did this last month. We’ll see how the film’s debut at NYFF affects Brolin and the film in general in month’s results but we’re not holding our breath with plenty of contenders really and willing to take his place.

Selma supporting men Tim Roth and Tom Wilkinson switch spots with Roth in and Wilkinson out, for now. Playing the villain and hero roles of the white characters, respectively, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. 

The Boyhood love looks to be extending past Patricia Arquette as Ethan Hawke ends up just outside the top 5 this month. The supporting men from Unbroken find a small bit of support with Domhnall Gleeson debuting with a single vote from Jason and Miyavi still holding onto votes from Erik and David, but just barely.

Neil Patrick Harris and Philip Seymour Hoffman (A Most Wanted Man) lose votes entirely this month and fall off the chart but with the release of Gone Girl, look for Harris to possibly stage a major comeback. Even Tyler Perry might show up as the fourth and fifth spots in this category are really up for grabs.