Stellan Skarsgård May Secure First Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nomination for ‘Sentimental Value’
Stellan Skarsgård is on the brink of making Oscar history. His performance in the film Sentimental Value may position him as the first Best Supporting Actor nominee from an international film. The Academy Awards, in its 97-year history, has yet to recognize an actor in this category from an international production.
Significance of Stellan Skarsgård’s Nomination
Although numerous performers have received acclaim in other acting categories, the Best Supporting Actor field has remained unattainable for non-English language performances. Recent years have seen international actors recognized, including:
- Fernanda Torres – Best Actress for I’m Still Here
- Antonio Banderas – Best Actor for Pain and Glory
- Marina de Tavira – Best Supporting Actress for Roma
Historical Context
There have been non-English performances in American films nominated for Best Supporting Actor, with three winning:
- John Mills (1970) – Ryan’s Daughter (British Sign Language)
- Robert De Niro (1974) – The Godfather Part II (Italian/Sicilian dialect) – Winner
- Graham Greene (1990) – Dances With Wolves (Lakota)
- Benicio Del Toro (2000) – Traffic (Spanish) – Winner
- Troy Kotsur (2021) – CODA (American Sign Language) – Winner
Additionally, several nominees have included multilingual performances, such as Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips and Joel Grey in Cabaret. However, none were part of international films.
Skarsgård’s Role in Sentimental Value
In Sentimental Value, Skarsgård portrays Gustav Borg, an absentee father striving to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter. Despite conversing in English, he predominantly speaks Swedish, especially with his daughters played by Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. This family drama is directed by Joachim Trier, known for co-writing The Worst Person in the World, and it stands as Norway’s official submission for Best International Feature.
Oscar Predictions and Competition
Predictions suggest Skarsgård has a strong chance of receiving a nomination, currently leading with a 97% probability according to Gold Derby data. His main competitors include:
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another (95% chance)
- Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another (94% chance)
- Paul Mescal – Hamnet (92% chance)
- Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein (89% chance)
Despite recent setbacks, including a loss to Elordi at the Critics Choice Awards and missing nominations at the Actor Awards, Skarsgård regained momentum with a Golden Globe win. He is now positioned as a strong candidate for both the BAFTA Award and the Oscar. The upcoming Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday.
