This list changed and evolved and twisted around a couple dozen times, but I'm fully satisfied I landed on the best five performances by actresses in supporting roles. 2008 was a fairly decent year in films and although women still have a long way to go to share the same amount of screen time with men, there were a batch of films out there that gave actresses a real opportunity to shine.
1. Taraji P Henson - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
© Paramount Pictures
Talk about scene-stealing performances... Taraji P Henson is simply phenomenal as Brad Pitt's mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In a film packed with terrific performances, Henson's a real stand-out. Variety recognized her this year as one of the '10 Actors to Watch' and Henson definitely lives up to that honor.
2. Freida Pinto - 'Slumdog Millionaire'
© Fox Searchlight
Newcomer Freida Pinto shows she's going to be a force to be reckoned with in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. Pinto's a gorgeous lady with an incredibly expressive face, and she's absolutely terrific as the grown-up childhood love of the film's lead character. I can't wait to see what she does in the coming years.
3. Amy Adams - 'Doubt'
© Miramax Films
Amy Adams charmed audiences of all ages in the Disney romantic comedy Enchanted. She'll always be a princess to a generation of little girls who watched her sing and dance and charm a single dad in that adorable musical. But Adams isn't a one-trick pony and Doubt lets her give as good as she gets opposite an imposing Meryl Streep.
4. Kelly Macdonald - 'Choke'
© Fox Searchlight
I have to admit that I'm one of Kelly Macdonald's biggest fans. She's such a chameleon and I just love watching her disappear into characters. In Choke, Macdonald plays a psychiatric patient who masquerades as a doctor. Macdonald steals the film from Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston, playing a quirky, confused woman with a big heart and a wild imagination.
5. Rosario Dawson - 'Seven Pounds'
© Columbia Pictures
Screened (at least in my area) really, really late in the awards season, Seven Pounds features Rosario Dawson's best performance to date. Yes, it is a Will Smith movie and, yes, Smith's going to be the thing that draws audiences to this drama. But it's Rosario Dawson who makes this one worth checking out (but only if you're looking for a very somber movie experience).
