Supporting Actresses

Gwyneth Paltrow got her most substantial role—and her first taste of awards buzz—in the 1993 thriller Flesh and Bone, where she plays a petty criminal named Ginnie. We're joined by Gwyneth: The Biography author Amy Odell to talk about Gwyneth having her hair thinned with a razor to look poor, and why this movie feels like Sam Shepard for dummies. Plus: the Best Supporting Actress kiss of death, lo...

In today's special July 4th bonus episode, we're covering the 1972 historical musical 1776, which features Blythe Danner—pregnant with Gwyneth Paltrow—as Martha Jefferson. We talk about the striking resemblance between Blythe and her now much more famous daughter, and how this movie subverts popular perception of the Founding Fathers. Plus: spoiling Hadestown, relitigating Hamilton, and being rais...

Gwyneth Paltrow has a brief part in the 1993 thriller Malice, where she plays doomed college student Paula. We're joined by Screen Drafts host Clay Keller to talk about Gwyneth's first experience as a cadaver, and why this movie makes us deeply nostalgic for an era of high-quality trash. Plus: Bartlett pear Easter eggs, meeting the real Fockers, and being horny for Billy Zane. Join the Patreon: pa...

Gwyneth Paltrow's godfather Steven Spielberg helped her earn her SAG card by casting her in his 1991 fantasy Hook, where she plays the younger version of Maggie Smith's Wendy Darling. We're joined by Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi to talk about Gwyneth's early accent work, and why this movie is divisive even among the millennials who grew up with it. Plus: daddy issues, cozying up to the Saudis, and...

Gwyneth Paltrow made her feature film debut in the 1991 drama Shout, where she plays Rebecca, who gets a single one-word line ("Rebecca"). We talk about Gwyneth pulling focus from Heather Graham in her brief appearances, and why this movie fails as a musical and a romance. Plus: resting your head on pancakes, finding Linda Fiorentino, and a defense of arugula in meatballs. Join the Patreon: patreo...

In today's special Patreon preview, we're recapping the first two episodes of Apple TV's Cape Fear, where Amy Adams plays Anna Bowden, a defense attorney with secrets. Plus: deadnaming streaming services, Chekhov's home renovation, and why we're pro-Ted Levine. Join the Patreon: patreon.com/supportingactresses Follow Supporting Actresses on social: @actressespod Follow Dane on social: @thedanemcdo...

It's the season finale of Chasing Amy Adams, and we're ranking our favorite Amy Adams film performances from the 46 movies we've covered. But before that, Dane and Louis ask each other questions about Amy's filmography, and what we've learned over the course of the last year. Plus: Frances McDormand dodging Oscars, Diane Warren's relentlessness, and the Hellraiser sequel we need. Join the Patreon:...

Our journey through Amy Adams' filmography comes to an end (for now) with the 2024 dramedy Nightbitch, where she plays a mom who might be transforming into a dog. We're joined by TV critic Sonia Saraiya to talk about the way Amy's performance reflects the incredible arc of her career, and how this movie's restraint keeps it from greatness. Plus: Mister Rogers' nipples, hiring Etsy witches, and Mer...

In today's special bonus episode, we're making big announcements about a podcast rebrand and what actress we'll be covering next season. Plus: the Thunderbolts* asterisk, fixing non-gendered acting awards, and loving Mickey Rourke. Join the Patreon: patreon.com/supportingactresses Follow Supporting Actresses on social: @actressespod Follow Dane on social: @thedanemcdonald Follow Louis on social: @...

Amy Adams returned to Disney Princess mode for the 2022 musical fantasy sequel Disenchanted, where she reprises her role as Giselle. We're joined by filmmaker and critic Jorge Molina to talk about Amy going full wicked stepmother, and why this movie arrived a decade too late. Plus: Charmed gays vs. Buffy gays, debating legacy sequels, and apologizing to Kenny Ortega. Join the Patreon: patreon.com/...

Amy Adams returned to her musical theater background with the 2021 musical Dear Evan Hansen, where she plays grieving mom Cynthia Murphy. We're joined by Good Christian Fun co-host Kevin T. Porter to talk about the culmination of Amy's regrettable year, and how this movie asks its audience to suspend way too much disbelief. Plus: gay ghosts, Hillsongcore, and putting James Corden's agent on trial....

After a two-year delay, audiences finally got to see Amy Adams play agoraphobic child psychologist Dr. Anna Fox in the 2021 psychological thriller The Woman in the Window—but was the film's COVID-era release a blessing or a curse? We're joined by The Maris Review's Maris Kreizman to talk about Amy's first Razzie nomination, and the literary world grifter at the center of this story. Plus: twink Gr...

Amy Adams made her last appearance as Lois Lane in the 2021 director's cut Zack Snyder's Justice League AKA the Snyder Cut. We're joined by Screen Drafts co-host Ryan Marker to talk about Amy getting sidelined in a four-hour film, and whether or not this movie earns its self-importance. Plus: censoring duck boobs, the plague of superfluous chapter titles, and Lydia Tár's Oscars cheer moment. Join...

Amy Adams completed her accidental vice president duology with the 2020 biopic Hillbilly Elegy, where she plays Bev, mother to future veep JD Vance. We're joined by This Had Oscar Buzz co-host Joe Reid to talk about the most cursed moment in Amy's filmography, and what we really mean when we call this movie Oscar bait. Plus: an all-Muppet Cabinet, Valerie Cherish's good wigs, and spoiling the Dive...

Amy Adams got her sixth and (to date) last Oscar nomination for her role as second lady Lynne Cheney, wife to Christian Bale's Dick Cheney in the 2018 biopic Vice. We're joined by writer and Podcast Like It's the 2000s co-host Emily St. James to talk about Amy doing Shakespeare by way of Adam McKay, and how this movie's smug condescension turned off audiences. Plus: fascists who love the musical C...

Director's cut aside, Amy Adams completed her DCEU trilogy with the 2017 superhero movie Justice League, where she plays Lois Lane to Henry Cavill's (spoiler alert) resurrected Superman. We're joined by Talking Simpsons and What a Cartoon! co-host Henry Gilbert to talk about Amy phoning it in during reshoots, and Joss Whedon's disastrous attempt to brighten up Zack Snyder's vision. Plus: justice f...

Amy Adams' action-packed 2016 culminated with the release of Tom Ford's psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals, where she plays emotionally detached art gallery owner Susan. We're joined by podcast host DeVaughn Taylor to talk about Amy finding humanity in an empty shell, and why this movie is cologne commercial cinema. Plus: predicting the Oscar winners after the fact, juggling multiple nemeses...

Amid a very busy year, Amy Adams delivered one of her most celebrated performances as linguist Louise Banks in the 2016 sci-fi drama Arrival. We're joined by Financial Feminist host and author Tori Dunlap to talk about how Amy's deliberate restraint might have cost her an Oscar nomination, and what this movie has to say about the meaning of life. Plus: spoiling the ending of Pay It Forward, Lisa R...

Whether by choice or contractual obligation, Amy Adams returned to the DCEU in the 2016 superhero movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where she once again plays Lois Lane to Henry Cavill's Superman. We're joined by actor, writer, and Not Aspirational host Hannah Aaron Brown to talk about Amy's impressively committed press tour performance, and how this movie led directly to the infamous "Ima...

In today's special bonus episode, we're breaking down our reactions to the 98th Academy Awards—the winners, the losers, and the sound quality issues. Plus: doing Kirsten Dunst proud, Fred Savage jump scares, and being cool enough to go to a K-pop concert. Join the Patreon: patreon.com/supportingactresses Follow Supporting Actresses on social: @actressespod Follow Dane on social: @thedanemcdonald F...

Amy Adams won her second consecutive Golden Globe for playing real-life painter Margaret Keane in Tim Burton's 2014 biopic Big Eyes. We're joined by writer and actor Mara Wilson to talk about Amy acting opposite a larger-than-life Christoph Waltz, and how this movie could benefit from a little more magical realism. Plus: Danny DeVito's cottagecore streak, doing yoga with Laura Dern, and the slutti...

For reasons known only to her, Amy Adams appeared in the forgotten 2014 drama Lullaby, where she plays Emily, the one that got away from Garrett Hedlund's Jonathan. We're joined by film writer and Letterboxd head of editorial Mitchell Beaupre to talk about Amy wearing pajamas on a New York City street, and why this movie might be a spiritual sequel to American Hustle. Plus: the importance of nebbi...

Amy Adams nabbed her fifth Academy Award nomination (and first Golden Globe win) for the 2013 crime movie American Hustle, where she plays con artist Sydney Prosser AKA Lady Edith Greensly. We're joined by Variety senior entertainment writer Angelique Jackson to talk about Amy's egregious experience behind the scenes, and why we will never forgive David O. Russell. Plus: the long shadow of Fast &...

Amy Adams' very busy 2013 continued with Spike Jonze's sci-fi romance Her, where she plays Theodore Twombly's video game designer friend, Amy. We're joined by Podcast Like It's… co-host Phil Iscove to talk about Amy killing Joaquin Phoenix with kindness, and the way this movie's AI love story has aged well and poorly. Plus: crushing on Joan Cusack, embracing Tumblrcore, and Sean Young's public aud...

Amy Adams was there at the beginning of the DC Extended Universe, becoming Lois Lane to Henry Cavill's Superman in 2013's Man of Steel. We're joined by Screen Drafts co-host Ryan Marker to talk about where Amy ranks in the pantheon of Loises, and why Man of Steel is secretly a faith-based film. Plus: Navy SEAL torture endurance training, Sandra Bullock hogging awards, and the cultural impact of Dr...