Over the course of two decades, Alexander Payne has directed seven Oscar-nominated performances by as many actors, including first-time contenders Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”), Virginia Madsen (“Sideways”), and June Squibb (“Nebraska”). In 2024, his general total could reach 10 if the film academy decides to recognize the work of “The Holdovers” cast mates Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa. While the former two are by no means new to screen acting, the opposite is true of Sessa, whose potential Best Supporting Actor bid would make him the 21st man to receive one for a film debut. Scroll through our photo gallery to learn more about the actors who presently belong to this exclusive group.
This particular list has existed since 1939 when 25-year-old John Garfield landed in the third annual supporting lineup on the merit of his film debut in “Four Daughters.” In the years since, three of his 19 fellow club members have won on their debut bids, and two others have further emulated him by earning subsequent Oscar bids (one of which resulted in a Best Actor victory for “Cyrano de Bergerac” star José Ferrer).
To qualify for a spot on this chronological list, an actor must have been nominated for his first credited role in a theatrically released feature film. At this point, the average entry age is 30, with the youngest and oldest members being Justin Henry (eight, “Kramer vs. Kramer,” 1980) and Sydney Greenstreet (62, “The Maltese Falcon,” 1942). Henry is the only child on the roster, while Greenstreet stands as the only one over 45.
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