Kieran Culkin Dominates the Race for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Oscars

Following the 2025 Golden Globes, Kieran Culkin has positioned himself as the leading candidate for Best Supporting Actor at the upcoming 2025 Oscars. The 82nd Golden Globes, conducted on January 6, 2025, at the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, featured comedian Nikki Glaser as the host, who recently gained acclaim for her appearance on Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady. Culkin’s victory is noted as one of the evening’s most unexpected results, contributing to the narrative of surprises and snubs that characterized the event.

Culkin’s win at the Golden Globes serves as a significant indicator of the competitive landscape for the Oscars. His triumph over Denzel Washington for Best Supporting Actor in Any Motion Picture is particularly noteworthy. Culkin, celebrated for his role in HBO’s acclaimed drama series Succession, has yet to receive an Academy Award nomination. Meanwhile, Washington, who was nominated for his performance as Macrinus in Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated Gladiator II, is vying for his eleventh nomination and a coveted third Oscar, which would elevate him to a rare echelon among acting greats.

Kieran Culkin Emerges as a Front-Runner for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar

Culkin’s Performance Receives Widespread Acclaim

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain

As the awards season progressed, Washington appeared to be the frontrunner for the Supporting Actor award. However, Culkin’s Golden Globe win is viewed more as a delightful surprise than a mere snub, catapulting him into contention for his inaugural Academy Award for his role in the film A Real Pain, directed by Jesse Eisenberg. This Golden Globe not only marks Culkin’s first significant award for a feature film role but also sets the stage for heightened anticipation as he aims for Oscar recognition. This unexpected win could be a pivotal moment in the overarching Oscars narrative.

Gladiator II, a box office success and the 12th highest-grossing film of 2024, garnered only two nominations at the 2025 Golden Globes, despite the excitement surrounding its release. Conversely, A Real Pain premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, remaining relatively low-profile until its wide release in early November. This film has generated growing buzz throughout fall 2024, with critics and audiences lauding Culkin’s portrayal of a spirited and rebellious character, further intensifying the competition with Washington.

Culkin’s Golden Globe Win and Its Implications for the Oscars

Historical Trends: Golden Globe to Oscar Transitions

Culkin’s Golden Globe win not only injects momentum into his Oscars campaign but also bolsters his odds historically; winners in the Best Supporting Actor category at the Golden Globes often mirror those at the Oscars. Specifically, 44 of the 81 total years reflect this alignment, with an even stronger correlation of 19 out of 24 in the 21st century. An impressive 7 out of the last 10 Globe winners have transitioned successfully to Oscar wins, indicating a robust trend in this category. This historical data positions Culkin favorably as he heads towards the Oscars.

Recent dual winners of both awards in the Supporting Actor category include prominent figures such as Ke Huy Quan for Everything Everywhere All At Once (2023) and Troy Kotsur for CODA (2022). While Washington still maintains a solid chance, the numbers reflect a strong possibility of another competitive face-off between these two actors as the final Oscar decisions approach.

The Road Ahead for Kieran Culkin

Culkin Emerges as the New Oscar Frontrunner

The recent months have shown that dynamics in awards season can rapidly shift, yet Culkin currently stands out as the frontrunner for the Oscar. The category remains competitive, with other strong contenders potentially shaping the narrative. Notably, the imminent release of The Brutalist, which claimed three prestigious Golden Globe awards (Best Director, Best Picture – Drama, Best Actor – Drama), could influence the Oscars landscape significantly.

Guy Pearce, nominated for his role in The Brutalist, and Edward Norton, celebrated for his transformation as the iconic Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown, are expected to gain traction in the coming months. Additionally, Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice and Yura Borisov in Anora, alongside unrecognized performances like Clarence Maclin in Sing Sing and Stanley Tucci in Conclave, could also shape the outcome. Regardless of these potential shifts, Culkin’s victory at the Golden Globes has undeniably set the stage for a gripping Oscar battle.

Source & Images