The Best Supporting Actor Oscar race could be one for the ages. Timothee Chalamet (“Beautiful Boy”) could become the second youngest winner in the category, but on the other end of the spectrum, Sam Elliott (“A Star Is Born“) could become one of the oldest.
Elliott, who will be 74 years and 199 days old on the Feb. 24 ceremony, would become the sixth oldest Best Supporting Actor champ, dethroning Jack Palance (“City Slickers,” 1991) who was 73 years and 41 days old when he did those one-handed push-ups. He’d be a few years off of the fifth spot, held by “Cocoon” (1981) Don Ameche, who was 77 years and 297 days old, and eight years shy of the record set by Christopher Plummer, who became the oldest acting winner in any category at 82 years and 75 days old when he prevailed for “Beginners” (2011).
Best Supporting Actor is the kindest category to veterans, which bodes well for Elliott, who is awaiting his first nomination after a 50-year career in the biz. The category has the oldest average age of winners, which is easy to accomplish when the top 10 oldest winners are at least 70 years old.
The category favors older actors so much that Elliott wouldn’t even be one of the 10 oldest nominees if he makes the cut. The eight oldest were all in their 80s when they got their respective nominations, led again by Plummer, who set the record last season with his third supporting bid at 88 years and 41 days old for “All the Money in the World.” Then-78-olds Melvyn Douglas (“Being There,” 1979) and Alan Arkin (“Argo,” 2012) round out the top 10; Douglas ended up winning, 9 days after his 79th birthday, and is the third oldest champ.
Elliott has risen from third place to second in our combined odds in the past week, sitting behind only Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”), for his brief but moving turn as Jackson Maine’s (Bradley Cooper) brother/manager Bobby. “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” star Richard E. Grant, another older character actor (though at 61 he wouldn’t come close to the top 10), is in third, followed by Chalamet, who’s dropped two spots to fourth, and Sam Rockwell (“Vice”).
Here are the current top 10 oldest Best Supporting Actor winners:
1. Christopher Plummer, “Beginners” (2011): 82 years, 75 days
2. George Burns, “The Sunshine Boys” (1975): 80 years, 69 days
3. Melvyn Douglas, “Being There” (1979): 79 years, 9 days
4. John Gielgud, “Arthur” (1981): 77 years, 349 days
5. Don Ameche, “Cocoon” (1985): 77 years, 297 days
6. Jack Palance, “City Slickers” (1991): 73 years, 41 days
7. Alan Arkin, “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006): 72 years, 336 days
8. John Houseman, “The Paper Chase” (1973): 71 years, 192 days
9. James Coburn, “Affliction” (1998): 70 years, 202 days
10. Edmund Gwenn, “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947): 70 years, 176 days
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