Best Supporting Actor 2000: Results

5. Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator- Phoenix takes most of his ideas for his portrayal of an evil emperor from those who have played similar parts before him. He is very over the top, and rather obvious in his performance, which would be fine if he was entertaining but he is not.

4. Jeff Bridges in The Contender- Bridges is fine in this film but he really is never anything special or memorable. He has his nice charisma but  besides that his performance really brings nothing that any competent actor could have done.

3. Albert Finney in Erin Brockovich- Finney is better than the main star Julia Roberts in both being more likable, less annoying, and far more believable in his role. In fact if the film had to have the same roles I would have preferred Finney in the lead. Having said all that though his role is still very limited, and unfortunately his character takes a backseat to Roberts' limiting his performance potential.

2. Benicio Del Toro in Traffic- Del Toro gives a subtle but very effective performance as the lone man trying to do something right. He finds a way to get empathy without ever pleading for it, and finds some emotional powerful moments through some very quiet scenes.

1. Willem Dafoe in Shadow of the Vampire- Dafoe stands head and shoulders above the rest here in my book. His imitation of the original Max Schreck is uncanny. Dafoe though utilizes his incredible imitation though also to create an odd, and original villain with the right amount of evil delight, but also oddly some sorrow. Simply a terrific performance.

Deserving Performances:
Takeshi Kitano in Battle Royale

Best Supporting Actor 2000: Willem Dafoe in Shadow of the Vampire

Willem Dafoe received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire.

Shadow of the Vampire is a movie with a interesting premise, but it also has many pointless and uninteresting scenes. It feels oddly slow despite being a fairly short film, but the last scene of the film is terrific.

Max Schreck portrayed a vampire Count Orlock incredibly well in the original silent film Nosferatu, and this film tells the story that the reason Schreck was so good in the role was because he really was a vampire. Willem Dafoe has a rather incredible an odd challenge in portraying Schreck because Schreck's original performance was so strange, and almost other worldly that it would be difficult for any actor to even attempt to imitate it. Dafoe performance is not a spitting image of Schreck's original performance that would be impossible but his imitation is still uncanny.

Dafoe utilizes his whole body to create Schreck once again, which he uses to make all of Schreck's mannerisms. Every part of his body from his bizarre odd posture that is just as Schreck's original posture, and the way Schrek would move his neck and head in its odd way, and that perfect way in which he would moves his fingers. All of these movements and motions are very odd, but they seem completely natural due to Dafoe. This is astonishing because it makes his performance all the creepier since he really seems like a vampire.

Now Dafoe's performance is not only an expert imitation though. He also develops this odd vampire quite well. He makes Schreck actually an odd somber and sad vampire in one incredible scene. Dafoe is simply magnificent in showing the age of Schreck, and the actual almost sadness he has for being a relic. He also makes Schreck want to be known through film rather interesting, with making an actual need of Schreck, an incredible desire which is almost above everything else.

Dafoe makes Schreck an entertaining villain, showing his evil happiness exceptionally well, and in a very entertaining fashion. Dafoe's performance as Schreck simply is brilliant creating a complex character out of what could be a simple monster, and somehow naturally imitating the bizarre manner of the original performance of Schreck's. I wish the film was as good as this terrific performance.

Best Supporting Actor 2000

And the Nominees Were:

Willem Dafoe in Shadow of the Vampire

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator

Benicio Del Toro in Traffic

Jeff Bridges in The Contender

Albert Finney in Erin Brockovich

After finally getting over the trauma of watching Star! I feeling I can finally return to supporting.