Robert Downey Jr. Nabs Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for His Work in OPPENHEIMER

Robert Downey Jr. Pulls an Upset for Best Supporting Actor at Globes

Robert Downey Jr. has been named Best Supporting Actor by the Hollywood Foreign Press for his work in this past year’s Oppenheimer at the Golden Globes.

It was a fight between Charles Melton (May December) and Ryan Gosling (Barbie) for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. But, Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things) could have stolen the trophy out from under them. That was how the experts had it pegged but, arguably, the year’s best male supporting performance was triumphant. Robert Downey Jr. took the Golden Globe for his work in the three-hour Christopher Nolan gem, Oppenheimer.

It’s not just that Downey Jr. has more than paid his dues in Hollywood. He gave the fiercest, strongest turn in the Best Supporting Actor category. He has been nominated for Oscars for his performances in Chaplin and Tropic Thunder, but he is poised to finally take home the trophy for his work in Nolan’s recent blockbuster. There’s no guarantee of an Oscar win, though, despite this deserving Globes win. Melton, Gosling and Ruffalo are all poised to duke it out in a fight to the finish over the next month or two. Melton has garnered a lot of attention from other critics groups and a lot will depend on whether or not Downey Jr. takes home the Critics Choice award next weekend.

In the Best Supporting Actress category, Da’Vine Joy Randolph predictably won the Golden Globe for her performance opposite Paul Giamatti in the comic drama, The Holdovers. This could be the first in a long line of wins for the actress unless someone else wins the Critics Choice award in the category next weekend.

Back to Downey, Jr., though. His talents have been evident for many years. Less Than Zero was the first time he garnered awards buzz back in 1987, but that movie didn’t get the critical support it really needed. He also wowed audiences with wonderful comic timing in the little seen 1993 winner, Heart and Souls. Despite real-life difficulties, he triumphed in One Night Stand in 1997 and eventually went on to become the lead in Iron Man.

Keep a close eye on the category of Best Supporting Actor as the soon to be announced SAG nominations will also help determine who will ultimately get an Academy Award nomination and, at the end of the day, take home Oscar gold.

As the Globes continued past Downey Jr.’s win, the most recent movie that pulled an upset tonight was Anatomy of a Fall which scored the coveted Best Screenplay Golden Globe besting favorites Barbie and Poor Things.

Where does Robert Downey Jr. stand at this point? I’d say he stands a great chance at Oscar victory and the only one who really could sneak up behind him is Charles Melton unless the popularity of Ryan Gosling’s film helps him give Downey Jr. a fight to the finish. However, the smart money should be on Downey Jr. to ultimately score an Oscar victory.

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