With so many movies represented in any given year’s Academy Awards Ceremony, very few people have time to watch all the movies needed to be fully prepared for Hollywood’s biggest night. Sure, you can read predictions from experts that are well-trained in nit-picking and over-analyzing every move an actor makes, or every scene a director directs, but it’s likely that the majority of movie goers value their friend’s opinion of a movie or performance just as much as what the critics think.

While all five of the actors below gave memorable, praiseworthy performances, the following is a casual movie fan’s perspective of who is most deserving to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 2017 Academy Awards.

5. Dev Patel, Lion

 

Not since Bobby and Cindy Brady were lost in the Grand Canyon has a little Indian boy made such an impact on pop culture. Lion, the story of an Indian boy who gets permanently lost while chilling on a mission with his older brother, is full of memorable performances including Best Supporting Actress nominee, Nicole Kidman, and my own personal nominee for cutest kid of all time, 8 year old, Sunny Pawar. However, it is Dev Patel’s role of missing boy-turned soul searching adult, Saroo Brierley that is most impressive.

 

As an Indian-British actor, Patel had to speak in an Australian accent for the role, and  somehow it came off as believable as how easy it would be to get permanently lost on the streets of India.

Unfortunately while Patel certainly deserves the recognition of the nomination, he is up against some incredibly strong actors in some even more unforgettable roles.

4. Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

 

Along with stellar performances by co-stars Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon’s portrayal of “no f*cks given,” Detective Bobby Andes in the thriller, Nocturnal Animals made the film one of the must see movies of 2016.

Shannon’s nomination, while well-deserved, was one of the more surprising nominations of the year. Detective Andes was about as bad ass as you get, and not many actors can do bad ass the way Shannon can. He owned the role and seemed to do so effortlessly. Unfortunately for Shannon, the buzz surrounding many of his other competitors will make the odds of him taking home the Oscar rather unlikely.

 

3. Jeff Bridges, Hell Or High Water

 

The biggest strike against Jeff Bridges winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor isn’t the four other actors he is competing against, nor is it the voting Academy members. The biggest hurdle Bridges needs to overcome is himself and his own reputation.

Over the course of his extensive career, Bridges has delivered epic performances time and time again, one of which won him the Best Actor Oscar for the 2009 drama, Crazy Heart, and many of which has earned his nominations.

While his performance as Texas Ranger, Marcus Hamilton in last year’s Western crime thriller, Hell Or High Water is certainly worthy of an Academy Award, just about everything Bridges does* is worthy of an award, and thus, it may come across as less impressive than some of his lesser-known competitors.

* I was planning on making fun of Bridges’ attempt at a career in music, but after listening to his music on Spotify I have come to the realization that this “Dude” can do no wrong.

 

2. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

 

Mahershala Ali was brilliant in his role as Juan, the nicest, kindest, warm-hearted drug dealer of all time, in the critically acclaimed Moonlight. 

Ali was only in the film for the first third, and his absence from the remainder of the film was obvious. Despite the film being littered with memorable characters, Ali’s was the one that stood out from the rest.

Juan may have been a drug dealer and all, but if I ever was in a pinch and needed a babysitter at the last-minute, I know exactly which street corner I would be heading to.

Ali will very likely win the award, but in my opinion, there is one other actor that may deserve it a hair more…

1. Lucas Hedges, Manchester By The Sea

 

In my opinion, of all the nominees for Best Supporting Actor, Lucas Hedges’ portrayal of 16-year-old Patrick Chandler in Manchester By The Sea was the most

impressive.

As a relatively unknown teenager, Hedges not only held his own against insanely spectacular performances by Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, but he may have even stole the spotlight a bit from them.

Looking back on Manchester By The Sea, it is Hedges’ role as Patrick that stands out the most.

While the vast majority of teenagers are sarcastic, bratty, ungrateful and miserable in real life, Hedges nailed the role and his portrayal of an angst-ridden Boston teen was one of, if not the most accurate and memorable performances in any movie from 2016.

 

For a countdown of what I deem to be the most important category in this years Academy Awards, Best Documentary Short Subject, click here.