Oscars 2017: Will Mahershala Ali win for Moonlight in Best Actor in Supporting Role category?

Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Mahershala Ali plays a drug-dealer in Moonlight who becomes a father-figure to Little — a black boy growing up in a poor neighbourhood of Miami. His presence in Moonlight is like a calm wave of the sea, lending a soothing effect to the movie. Mahershala is present on screen for short time yet he succeeds in creating an impression on you.

Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Jeff Bridges attends the Global Green USA 14th Annual Pre-Oscar Party at TAO Hollywood on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

What one observes in Hell or High Water is how easily Jeff Bridges can fit into a character and completely own it. Jeff has played a West Texas lawman with such accuracy and precision that one rarely gets to see such performances. His mannerisms, demeanour is as old and arrogant as rural outskirts of Texas. Hell or High Water provides one a window to the life of poor white Americans and helps to understand why Donald Trump won the election. Jeff’s character works as a link between the viewer and two brothers who rob several branches of a bank to salvage their farmland.

Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)

(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Lucas Hedges is a revelation in Manchester by the Sea. His portrayal of a fatherless teenager in the movie is refreshing. Instead of playing it safe, Lucas Hedges brings the right amount of humour, intelligence, maturity and grief to his character. He is just brilliant as a teenager who is grappling with the sudden demise of his father.

Dev Patel (Lion)

Dev Patel is seen during rehearsals for the 89th Academy Awards on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. The Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 26. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Lion rides on the arresting performance by child star Sunny Pawar. Yet, Dev Patel somehow becomes important to this gripping tale of longing and reunion. As a grown-up Saroo Brierley, Dev beautifully brings the emotional dilemma on screen. Dev Patel — in an interview with Entertainment Weekly — talks about his role, “Just as a person, this is probably the most nourishing experiences I had on a film set working with Nicole Kidman and Garth Davis. I love going to India, there are so many people on the sets and there’s so much energy. I loved that experience.”

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Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

This is Michael’s second Oscar nomination. He had got an Oscar nomination for playing a mentally ill man in The Revolutionary Road in 2009 co-starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. He plays a detective who is investigating a crime in a story-within-story in Nocturnal Animals.