OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Michele Austin as Chantelle in "HARD TRUTHS"

Joan Chen as Chungsing Wang in "DIDI"

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Joyce in "EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS"

Sophie Okonedo as Regina in "JANET PLANET"

Jurnee Smollett as Dolores in "WE GROWN NOW"

AND THE WINNER:

JOAN CHEN AS CHUNGSING WANG IN "DIDI"

This is the first win and nomination for Joan Chen. She wins for her performance as Chungsing Wang in Didi.

Honestly speaking making a list of five worthy supporting actress performances proved more difficult then usual this year (goes to show why this awards season so many Leading Actresses are frauding to supporting because of lack of competition) which is something I'm not accustomed to saying. While making a list of five might've proved difficult my winner I was very certain from the moment I saw her performance all the way back in July.

Joan Chen a divine actress of great potential has been a fascinating performer for decades with many standout parts yet something about the energy she portrays in Didi feels almost revolutionary. Chen managing to play this loveable mother part in a coming of age dramedy honestly is the type of performance I so gravitate towards yet Chen managed to perform at a level even I was unprepared for. Chen never makes her mother figure into what could be a one note sympathetic part playing both the deep sadness of the fractured mother/son relationship but also getting moments to play her mother as person all her own.

There are countless moments throughout the film where she quietly breaks your heart and honestly I look forward to future viewings as I will continue to grow more in love with this performance as if I haven't already fallen head over heels in love. I shall end this praise for Chen's performance by stating my sadness of the fact that Joan's performance was undeservedly overlooked this major awards season in favour of larger names and leading women frauding into supporting. Chen's is the type of supporting part which deserves to be atop the conversation of best supporting performances of the film year 2024.