Catherine Zeta-Jones Defeats Meryl Streep | Best Supporting Actress Oscar 2003 

The best story I heard about that evening was shared by Kathy Bates, who said immediately after Catherine won the award, Meryl ran up the aisle and as she passed Kathy's seat, she said to her "We're going to the bar". Kathy of course joined her, and as they approached the bartender, Meryl slammed her purse down on the bar and ordered a drink. Kathy then slammed her purse down on the bar and said, "I'll have what she's having". Kathy went on to say it was like sharing a very "Bette Davis/Joan Crawford moment" with Meryl and they were both very much of the mind "Thank God, we lost", for it was more enjoyable to go to the bar and have a drink then endure the hours of press had they won.

Catherine Zeta Jones was undeniable for this win! Her performance is one of the best ever for a musical film. Such grit and glamour - absolutely electrifying

Can you please do an elusive Oscar video for Saoirse Ronan? I think it’s an incredible feat to be nominated so many times before she is 30.

You nailed it with this analysis; Zeta-Jones was just too spectacular in Chicago and rightfully won the Oscar. Streep was brilliant, but then again, when isn’t she?

Jessica Lange was unlucky to be nominated against Meryl for The Sophie's Choice. Everybody knew the latter would win. Had she been nominated in any other year, Jessica could have won for Frances. She was extraordinary in that movie. Her supporting win in the same year seemed like a "consolation".

As much as I like Meryl, Catherine deserved her Oscar for what she did in Chicago. There was acting, dancing, singing. There is just 1 person to win at a time. If Catherine hadn't won that would be unfair to her. And it's still her only Oscar (although I'd give her at least another one for Zorro). While Meryl has 3...

Denzel’s “By a nose” might refer to Kidman wearing nose prosthetics in her film.

Catherine in Chicago is one of my fave performances/wins ever

Meryl should have won for "The Devil Wears Prada"...she is the crux of that whole movie

Can we talk about how Moore (supporting nom) had more screen time than Kidman (lead)

Zeta was amazing but she also had a great story of being pregnant during filming making her fantastic physical performance all the more impressive.

Nice shoutout to Be Kind Rewind! Well done!

I would have loved seeing Julianne Moore winning that award. I love her in "The Hours" as much as Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep.

Really interesting point you make about Meryl Streep's win for Sophie's Choice - it's as if she'd been competing against herself ever since that iconic performance.

Seriously great category that year. All of them knocked it out of the park.

Also this year john c reily preformed in 3 of the best picture nominations.

Every time i get a notification that you made another video i get so excited!

Chicago was the first best picture winner I saw in theaters. I was only 4 years old at the time.

I just turned on Chicago again. Holy shit Cell Block Tango is Oscar worthy by itself

Streep didn’t deserve it for The Iron Lady imo. They gave it to her because the “lost” too many times. Catherine really deserved that Oscar , she was incredible

If ever there was a year deserving of ties... 2002 was the year! In was packed with brilliant performances in female-driven films (Chicago, The Hours, Far from Heaven... plus all the other great female performances). My overall favorite from that year was Moore in Far from Heaven (one of my all-time favorite films), but I can't complain about any of the winners because all of them were so fantastic and deserving!

Best female performance in the "Didn't win the Oscar" category: Jessica Lange for 'Frances'... she lost to Streep's Sophie performance. Alas... in any other year, Lange's deserving victory would have been unanimous.

Nice video! I’m probably the only person who advocates that Julianne Moore should’ve won here for The Hours. I think she’s exquisite And heartbreaking in it. In fact, I agreed with all five Oscar nominees in this case. Zeta-Jones was certainly never better. I love Chicago. I agree that Steep was the close second. Kathy Bates was excellent. Though she could’ve possibly won in 1999 for Primary Colors as she’d won Critics Choice and SAG. And felt she should’ve for that performance. Adaptation is an excellent film that should’ve been up for Picture and Director and Streep gives a brilliant and arguably underrated performance. Great year in this category.

Great video! I'd love if you do a video about the race between Meryl Streep in Doubt and Kate Winslet in The Reader. That was an exceptional year because of Kate's different category placements at different award shows and Meryl winning the Critics Choice and SAG yet losing the Oscar to Kate.

In my opinion, I would have given this to Julianne Moore for her performance in The Hours.

Julianne Moore as a depressed woman was PERFECTION in acting.

Meryl Streep is such a legend. She's always a contender. But, yes...they bypass her a lot. I'm happy with Zeta-Jones winning the Oscar. She does it all in Chicago.

Remembering that Nicole was the early frontrunner for BSA in The Hours and then it was announced she would go Lead and then it was speculated that her Oscar chances were dead 😅

I honestly think Meryl deserved her 3rd Oscar for August: Osage County, my personal favorite performance of hers!! That is an amazing play/film!❤️👏🏻 Awesome video as usual!

You have to love Steve Martin!💛 Zeta Jones actually gives one of my favorite supporting actress wins . I think she gives it her all . I love Meryl and Adaptation is probably the film we start to see her in a different way . She began a new phase of her career she not just playing tragic heroines or very dramatic parts. This is the start of seeing just how much range she has. I wasn’t a particularly big fan of Adaptation but the performances are stellar. For best actress I would have gone for Renee Zelleweger or Salma Hayek for Frida . By her own account Hayak has stated she had no chance in part due to Weinstein . My theory is that actresses like Streep and Glenn Close often give performances the Academy will recognize and as a result they award others who give that surprise performance or the previously not well known actress or actor . Streep has still won more than most will . Close is the one still waiting. In fact I think Close is sometimes nominated for less interesting movies or roles mainly because they have yet to reward her but also some are just overlooked. Looking forward to more on Streep . I have a long list of favorite performances by Meryl.

There's a video about this somewhere on RU-vid (can't find it at the moment) but Kathy Bates describes the moment her and Meryl Streep downed spirits at the bar after Catherine Zeta Jones won lol. I love little anecdotes like this; "It was just like out of a '50s movie," Bates says in a recent interview. "She said, 'I'll have a vodka' and I said, 'I'll have whatever she's having.' We toasted each other and I looked into her eyes, and I saw how badly she wanted to win and I'm sure she saw it in my eyes." Yet another superb video, Brian :) Thank you so much.

I don't think you can really call this a race though. Catherine not winning the Globe is a technicality, and it was probably a scenario where people saw Chicago and said "So Catherine's winning right?" (Granted I wouldn't know because I was only a year old when Chicago came out). The Best Actress race you briefly talked about was def more interesting, but you're right that Be Kind Rewind's breakdown of it is phenomenal already.

I also find this year very interesting because it was the most recent time a Best Picture winner didn´t win either Director or one of the Screenplay categories

Love this channel! Such fascinating, informative and fun content on one of my favorite subjects

So nice that you mentioned be kind rewind :)

Altho it was a long shot, i was really rooting for The Hours for best picture. It’s my favorite book and was pleasantly surprised the film adaptation was pitch perfect and a master class of acting 👌

Meryl Streep has always been appreciated by the critics, the Academy (3 times Oscar winning performances and she clearly gave the best performance ever in Sophie's choice).... Honestly I don't remember any spectacular moment from the Adaptation performance. Maybe I wasn't that huge fan of that movie so it did put leave any impact on me. CZJ on the other hand..... One of my favourite supporting performance ever! She stole the show in Chicago right from the start with All that jazz! Totally well deserved winning was hers.

During the Oscar race that year I thought Moore was up there as a contender for Best Actress, as she won quite a few critics awards, and was a double-nominee. It was great to see her finally win several years later, after it appeared she may had missed the boat with Oscar.

Thank you for mentioning About a Boy. Definitely one of my favourites of the year and performances from Grant, young Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette and Rachel Weisz were incredible. I know Grant got nominated for GG Comedy or Musical Actor, so what do you think of his chances of getting in at the Oscars that year? I think its his career best performance and therefore his best shot at getting his first nomination, although you could argue Four Weddings and a Funeral was a better chance. He couldve beaten Nicholson for a spot in About Schmidt, in lets not forget is also a comedy film. Also About a Boy got in for Screenplay but Schmidt didnt, but it got two acting nominations so Im not sure.

Catherine Zeta-Jones hands down. Although, she is a brilliant actress in everything she does. More Zeta-Jones please! (and thank you so much for your channel! It's like talking to a friend about acting. ❤️)

There have been plenty of years where Streep could have arguably won. I wonder if they will give her a 4th eventually to tie her with Katherine Hepburn for most Oscar wins. Feels like an honor they would want to bestow on arguably the greatest actress ever.

we were robbed of a timeline of czj winning best actress for chicago as she should've

This was probably my favorite year EVER!!! Great year in film and great video!!!

Love tour videos ! Im on a binge 😂😂😅

I’m thinking Kathy Bates would have won if Zeta-Jones didn’t. Streep had some buzz and a few few precursor awards. But by Oscar night, most people saw that award as Zeta-Jones vs Bates.

sigourney weaver was nominated twice in the same year for Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl

IMHO Nicole Kidman gave one of best performances of that time in "The Hours" and was definitely worthy of an Oscar.. The question is "was this a leading role?". If she were nominated in the supporting actress category this could have been a game changer - Kidman winning best supporting and maybe Julianne Moore winning best leading actress (Renée Zellweger would not have been my choice for best actress in "Chicago"). Also if Kidman had won the previous year for "Moulin Rouge" (personally I found her performance in "The Others" even better) she may not have won in 2003.

I feel bad for Latifah, because she was also in Chicago. Her role was superb. But obviously voters are going to choose one or the other unless they are so mixed they effectively cancel each other out. That race seemed so good. Also Brian. Speaking of Supporting Actress Races. You should really do a video on probably the most interesting Actress race. 2000 Supporting Actress Race. CC- Frances McDormand BAFTA- Julie Walters SAG- Dame Judi Dench GG- Kate Hudson Oscar- Marcia Gay Harden Thats the only time 5 different actresses won a different award throughout the race in an Oscar race. What also makes the race cool is that all the Oscar nominees for that category that year actually won a only exactly one precursor award except Harden who won the Academy Award. That year is way beyond my time, but to understand that race would seem to have been the most enticing race in Oscar's history. As I'm pretty sure this feat hasn't happened in either of the male categories. P.S. this years race had the potential to have done the same, if Stewart won the CCs(as she was expected to win, but then when she lost SAG nom, it felt like CCs were more trying to predict the oscar win) and Penelope Cruz had an upset win. So close to having such a nail-biting race. Instead Chastains win ended up being guaranteed. 😭😭😭

I'm glad Catherine won.

Meryl should have at least 4 Oscars by now, but I don't see that happening anymore. She's taken risks with movies like "Don't look up" and being completely ignored. Meryl can do any genre but for some stupid reason the Academy only liked her melodramatic roles. One of my favorite movies of Meryl is "Death becomes her" which she was ignored as always when she tries comedy roles. Despite awful pig Weinstein, I love "Chicago" can't say I wasn't happy when it won Best Picture. However; Catherine Zeta Jones is a better trained actress for musicals than Renee, and both actresses are leads in my opinion. I would have nominated Catherine as lead instead of Renee. About Nicole Kidman...mmmm her screen presence is minimum in "The Hours", she should have been in the supporting actress category . Her win was simply the Academy correcting their mistake of not giving her the award for Moulin Rouge the year prior. That's one of her best performances to date

I loved Streep in Adaptation - such a different, fun role for her. I'd of been very happy if she won for it. Looking forward to your video on Adrien Brody's win for The Pianist - now that was something. And what makes the Oscars fun to watch - not when you go in just knowing who all the winners are going to be.

I agree, Streep was phenomenal in Adaptation. I appreciate Zeta-Jone's win in Chicago and think it's a worthy win, however. There have many times throughout the years that Streep has been shoehorned into an acting race because she's Meryl freakin Streep, but this is not one of them. If she would have won, it would have been justified.

Catherine Zeta-Jones was the right winner, she was the best about Chicago. Second should have been Julianne Moore and third Meryl Streep.

Catherine definetly deserved it!

In my perfect world, Kidman wins for Moulin Rouge!, Streep for Adaptation and Zeta Jones for Chicago on a Lead Actress nomination 😊☝🏼

My favorite best actress nominee that year was Selma Hayek .

Great video

Adaptation is so good. I thought Meryl, Chris & Nick cage were fantastic! Zeta jones killed it in Chicago though.

I saw Chicago 9 times in theaters. 13 years old. Screamed when it won best picture. Still love it. Though Adaptation is brilliant, and in my top 3 Streep performances. Jones really stole the fucking show though. One of Cage's best as well.

Are you and BKR friends? I loved the shoutout! I've enjoyed both your channels.

Yet another great video!! Totally agree, EXCEPT that Streep took herself seriously for a period there, as I would say she took her characters seriously (as always)... this is a distinction that perhaps sometimes the Academy fails to make!! You mentioned one of the MANY Toni Collette snubs... well now there's a video in the making in itself!!!

A quality content.

I don't think Bates had much of a shot at all. She had no major precursors on her side, it was a small part, she has no big actor-y scene, and her film was not well-liked. Yes, it is critically acclaimed, but this film even missed a screenplay nomination (after winning the Globe and getting a WGA nod). On Streep vs. Zeta-Jones: Streep is a revelation in Adaptation. She's hypnotic. But I think voters didn't go with her for a single reason: they were not giving her the Oscar for a supporting performance. Streep is a leading lady, the most legendary leading lady of our time. She was bound to get her due in lead (and at the time she was in her early 50s). They knew she would be back in lead.

I almost feel sorry for Meryl Streep..With a whooping 21 nominations at least she should have won for 8 or 9 Oscars by now..Seems the Academy just make Streep a seat filler when they don't have any clear candidate for the fifth spot of the nominations..ohh just give Meryl another nomination while they already have someone reserved for winning...It is so unfair for someone as legend as Meryl to be treated like that...2003 was so exciting..Brody was a pleasant surprise..Cooper and Zeta Jones were very well deserved..and I remember I was sitting at the edge of my seat when Best Actress announced because it was really 3 way race between Moore , Renee and Nicole..and so glad that finally Nicole took home her well deserved Oscar..nowadays Oscar become boring and too predictable with exception of Olivia Colman upset Glenn Close and Hopkins won over Boseman...

I didn't keep up with awards races that year but I remember telling a few friends how much I loved Streep in Adaptation. She was amazing. They all said basically the same thing: "Meyrl Streep? So what? She's in everything." Yeah, but here along with "Devil Wears Prada," she shined exceptionally well, even for her.

I would have had it between Julianne Moore for The Hours versus Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago. Julianne brings a distinct nuance to all her performances that she gives more than what is to be expected and takes it to a level previously unexplored before. She did that with Laura Brown. Laura Brown could have been portrayed as tragic, and while there is tragedy, we are left with more. Julianne definitely was the best supporting dramatic performance by an actress for 2002. I saw Meryl in Adaption, and even though it's been a while, I was left with an attempt of iconoclasticity with her performance. The shock value of Meryl doing all the things Meryl previously didn't do on film before. Meryl was the dominant energy of The Hours too. Not that Nicole was supporting per se, the film is about Virginia Woolf writing Mrs. Dalloway as her own life inspires her writing and those reverberations pass throughout time in the 50s and 2001. Julianne Moore really dignifies the underpinings of post-war, white suburban housewifery and closeted lesbianism with her performance. It's one of my favorite performances she has done. I understand completely and do believe Zeta-Jones deserved her Oscar for her scene-stealing performance of Velma Kelly in Chicago, and she is one of the reasons why Chicago truly brought the movie musical back to form. But, to be honest, it wasn't Streep vs. Zeta-Jones for me- it was Moore versus Zeta-Jones.

Michelle Pfiefer was so incredible in White Oleander. Almost forgot about that film. What an incredible movie.

I would argue that ADAPTATION was the start of the reinvention of Meryl Streep. Actually I didn’t know who she was until adaptation and the 2000s and early 2010s was her best film work since the 80s. Roxie and Velma are leads but giving award show politics it was easy for CZJ to win supporting

I wonder what would’ve happened if both Zellweger and Zeta-Jones had both been in the lead category. Maybe Moore’s chances for The Hours would’ve been greater?

Yes

Catherine Zeta Jones owned the screen in “Chicago”. Absolutely deserved. Renee Zellweger was amazing too

Elusive Oscar for Richard gere. He was terrific in Chicago. It's crazy John c Reilly got the nomination over him, though John was sublime.

This is what happens sometimes a consistently good actor/ actress might lose to someone with a career best . Steep still has won three times while Glenn Close never has so far. Catherine absolutely deserved it it’s one of my favorite performances ever. I think minus that Streep would have it would be something if she could win for a more comedic role.

Richard Gere should’ve been nominated for Officer & A Gentleman. And American Gigalo. And Chicago

Ok.. Heres a little fact check.. Emma Thompson and Holly Hunter both double nominee in 1994 and Julianne Moore won in 2013 not in 2015. Other than that I am slowly loving your channel.. Thank you so much..

Jenifer Jason Leigh is long overdue much more acclaim than she gets

I think you spent too much time on Kidman's win. The title was Streep vs Zeta-Jones.

Soooo many things went wrong that year.... First of all, the Academy has nominated Meryl Streep for pretty much anything she's ever been in. Honestly, she could just burp at any given time and that'd be enough to earn her a Best Sound nod at the Oscars. And yet, the Academy's talent for ignoring excellence never ceases to amaze me. Not only did Meryl deserve a Best Lead Actress nomination for "The Hours", she should have won her third Oscar for it that night. I mean, just pick any line, any of her scenes in that movie in case you need any reasons why. Now don't get me wrong, Nicole Kidman is a goddess and, as such, she would have already won an Oscar the previous year for her iconic Satine in "Moulin Rouge!" Speaking of goddesses, Julianne Moore should've won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "The Hours". I know, I know... Zeta-Jones danced her ass off in "Chicago", good for her. But it's Laura Brown we're talking about here. Please, show some respect, members of the Academy. Last but not least, if Meryl had won her third Oscar for "The Hours", nowadays the 2011 Best Actress Oscar would be in the hands of its rightful owner: Viola Davis ("The Help"). Things would be so easy if the Academy just listened to me... 😌

And Glenn Close has not won. Will she ever win?

Do you have one with Nicole Kidmans history? I thinks she’s one of the best actors in history.

I think Julianne was runner up.

I loved Adaptation. I thought its was such a funny surreal movie, with a brilliant script (except for the ending). Chicago was alright... not sure if it deserved Best Picture though... but let's not forget that it was one of those Weinstein moments.

Justice for Glenn Close in 2010 :)

Yeah...you're definitely hyping a contest here where there wasn't one. Streep didn't get a SAG nomination this year, which immediately dashed any Oscar chance. Only 2 performers have ever taken the Oscar without a SAG nomination, and *none* had up to that point. Zeta-Jones had the SAG award, BAFTA, was Michael Douglas's wife, and starred in the Best Picture favorite. This was an easy category to predict. And while Zellwegger's SAG win made her a contender, Kidman had everything else in her favor including that "putting on an accent while playing a real person under heavy makeup" combo that voters cream themselves over. I didn't buy that as a serious nail-biter. The hype was real at the time but modest.

Streep should have won for Doubt Kate should have won for Sense and Sensiblity

I think Julianne Moore was actually in 2nd place for supporting.

I would have taken out Queen Latifha and replaced her in that lineup with Miranda Otto for Two Towers.

Rock of Ages should have been nominated!!

Thats an odd assessment of why Queen Latifah didnt have a chance due to a light filmography prior to Chicago

She should have won for her performance in doubt

Still thinks julianne moore shpuld had won that year

I really enjoyed this discussion, with lots of interesting points made and enjoyable reminders of past movies. However, please consider finding an alternative way to describe Harvey Weinstein's Oscar-related actions. Given what we know now, "working his magic", a phrase you use twice, feels both inappropriate and insensitive. Machinations or manoeuvring seem more apt.

Had Meryl won in 2003, she'd likely lose in 2012. The whole narrative for her latter win is she was long overdue (29 yrs) for her 3rd win. Beside Adaptation, Metink Meryl also came close to winning in 2009 for Doubt which she won the SAG n Critics Choice. Had Winslet been nom n won in Best Supp for The Reader as the studio had agressively campaigned. No doubt, Meryl wld hav won for Doubt. Trivia: the reason she wasn't nominated at SAG for best supporting actress, is bcos the studio had "wrongly" submitted her under lead actress, diluting her chance of a nom as she's spreading her votes thin in the Lead category w both Adaptation n The Hours in contention

Streep was genius in ADAPTATION. Zeta-Jones is a one hit wonder. Could Streep have played the role in Chicago, hell yes. Could Zeta-Jones done the role in ADAPTATION. hell no. She is limited, hence her career.

Cath n Dem heavies.

Kidman was no Virginia Wolf, so no accuracy there, but she did not even give us an interesting interpretation of what could have been Virginia Wolf, but there again, I never liked her acting, I find she lacks volume and dimension and fails to move (or fails to do disinterestedness and remoteness in a manner that would stay with you). Julianne Moore should have won. Now there is a truly great actress, almost as good as the greatest of them all, Isabelle Huppert.

I truly hated The Hours.

You ughed at Harvey, but not at the winner for best director?

Julian more must win supporting in oscar not cathren zita jone she doesnt deaserve it. Nicole kidman for the hours 👍👍👍 Must the hours take best supporting actor

To think how different the Oscars would have been in the '90s and 2000s if Harvey Weinstein hadn't been working his "magic" behind the scenes.