Sam Rockwell won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for ‘Three Billboards’
March 5, 2018The Best Supporting Actor category has gone to Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Sam was a shoe-in, having won the Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA, SAG and even a Spirit Award in this category. I’m disappointed as I found Three Billboards over the top and problematic. Both Sam and Frances McDormand turned in excellent performances for a film that was so poorly written though. I was rooting for Willem Dafoe, his work in The Florida Project was nuanced and complex, but I can see why people voted for Rockwell, an accomplished character actor who turned in a powerful performance.
In his speech Rockwell thanked the other nominees and told a story about how his dad pulled him out of school at eight telling him that there was something going on with his grandma. His dad told him after they got in the car that they were going to the movies. “My mom and dad’s love of movies became my love of movies.” He also hilariously thanked “everyone who was involved in Three Billboards” and “anyone who’s ever looked at a billboard.” He told his wife, Leslie Bibb, “you light my fire baby” and then gave a shout out “for my old buddy Phil Hoffman.” That really touched me. Congratulations to Sam! Now let’s hope Three Billboards doesn’t win Best Picture.
