Some might say it’s harder to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor than for Best Actor because you compete with more actors, because films have more supporting actors than leading actors. Therefore, if you’re wondering about where/whether to get your acting education, you might be interested in this article about the education of Oscar-winning Best Supporting Actors and Actresses.
Winners of Oscars for Best Supporting Actor or Actress often got formal training from places such as New York University, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Los Angeles City College, or from acting coaches, and/or got informal training via child acting, actor relatives, and starting in theatre.
Details, with links and videos, about the education of actors who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor or Actress in the past two decades are given below. Note: actors often train at many places; therefore, it is likely that some of the actors listed below have had additional training.
1. Yuh-Jung Youn
Yuh-Jung Youn initially enrolled at Hanyang University, where she was beginning to study Korean Language and Literature (source). At that time, she was also working part-time at a TV station, doing things such as passing out gifts to the audience (source). It was there that she was noticed by a director and was suggested to try out for a talent audition, leading to the start of her acting career (source). She seems not to have had any formal acting training (source); however, she studied extensively. For example, when a fellow actor commented that she was eating rice incorrectly for a scene, Yuh-Jung Youn stayed up all night working on her acting for that scene (source). According to a Google-translated version of an article about her, she said, “I had to practice because I knew I wasn’t good at my job. I practiced a thousand times to the point where the lines came out just by hitting me. That’s how I got here.” (source).
Yuh-Jung Youn won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Soonja in Minari (2020).
2. Daniel Kaluuya
As you can see in the video above, Daniel Kaluuya mentions multiple people who helped him learn to act. Daniel Kaluuya studied at Wac Arts (source) and Anna Scher Theatre, as well as other places such as Hampstead Theatre, Heat and Light Theatre Company, Round House, and Sylvia Young Saturday School; Daniel Kaluuya also got into the dramatic arts from a young age and wrote his first play at the age of nine (source).
Daniel Kaluuya won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).
3. Laura Dern
Laura Dern has had a lot of acting training. Laura Dern’s parents were Oscar-nominated actors (source) and she took acting classes at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute when she was nine years old. Sandra Seacat has been her acting coach for over 30 years, as shown in the video above. Laura Dern also studied with Peggy Feury (source) and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (source).
Laura Dern won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Nora Fanshaw in Marriage Story (2019).
4. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt initially attended the University of Missouri, studying journalism, but left in his final semester (source). Brad Pitt studied acting with acting coach Roy London for about three years (source).
Brad Pitt won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019).
5. Regina King
Regina King began as a child actress. She did her first commercial at the age of 10 (source) and got cast in a sitcom when she was 13. Regina King spent a decade studying acting with acting coach Betty A. Bridges around that time (source). She didn’t know she wanted to be an actress until adulthood, when she decided to drop out of college (source); she had been studying communications at the University of Southern California at that time (source).
Regina King won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sharon Rivers in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).
6. Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali initially graduated from St. Mary’s College of California, where he majored in mass communication (source). He then began studying acting, getting a master’s degree at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts (source).
Mahershala Ali won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor: one for his role as Dr. Donald Shirley in Green Book (2018) and one for his role as Juan in Moonlight (2016).
7. Allison Janney
Allison Janney studied drama at Kenyon College (source). She also attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre (source). Also, as she states in the video above, she did a two-week summer program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Allison Janney won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actors for her role as LaVona Golden in I, Tonya (2017).
8. Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell considers his formal acting training to be very influential. As the video above shows, Sam Rockwell talks about how, even though he came from an acting background (his parents were actors) and thought he knew a lot about acting when he was growing up, it was only after he studied with acting teacher William Esper, initially for a 6-week summer session and then for a two-year program, that he became a serious actor.
Sam Rockwell won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dixon in Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
9. Viola Davis
Viola Davis got a degree in theatre from Rhode Island College and then studied at the Juilliard School of Performing Arts (source). As you can see in the video above, Viola Davis put a lot of effort into her studies, and she also talks about the importance of having the courage to take ownership over your acting and doing what you feel good about.
Viola Davis won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Rose Maxson in Fences (2016).
10. Alicia Vikander
Alicia Vikander’s mother was a stage actress (source), and also Alicia had some time on screen in childhood when she won in a famous talent show (that involved lip-syncing) at age eight (source). Alicia Vikander studied dance at the Royal Swedish Ballet School (source). Alicia Vikander applied to theatre programs five times and was rejected, so she and her friends created short films together to help her start her career, and she ultimately broke through into professional acting (source).
Alicia Vikander won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gerda in The Swedish Girl (2015).
11. Mark Rylance
As he describes in the video above, Mark Rylance did a lot of acting in school as a teenager. Mark Rylance then studied for two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (source). He also studied at the Chrysalis Theatre School with a vocal coach (source).
Mark Rylance won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies (2015).
12. Patricia Arquette
Patricia Arquette came from a family of many actors. At age 14, she followed her sister to Los Angeles and studied acting with Milton Katselas (source).
Patricia Arquette won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the mom in Boyhood (2014).
13. J.K. Simmons
J.K. Simmons initially got a degree in music from the University of Montana (source). J.K. Simmons does not have formal acting training (source), but he spent about 18-20 years acting on stage, in musical theatre and plays, before getting in front of a camera (source). He struggled in his early career (source) and was nearly 40 years old when he got his first movie role (source).
J.K. Simmons won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Fletcher in Whiplash (2014).
14. Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong’o wanted to be an actor from around the age of five, as she states in the video above. She acted in theatre as a teenager (source). She studied film studies and African studies at Hampshire College (source) and then got a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama (source).
Lupita Nyong’o won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave (2013).
15. Jared Leto
Jared Leto studied painting at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts and studied filmmaking at New York’s School of Visual Arts (source). He is also listed as a former student of acting coaches Ivana Chubbuck (source) and Howard Fine (source).
Jared Leto won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club (2013).
16. Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway, whose mother was a former actress, studied acting at the Barrow Group as a teenager (source) and also received specialized training from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (source). Anne Hathaway also studied English at Vassar College for three semesters and studied at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study for a while (source).
Anne Hathaway won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Fantine in Les Misérables (2012).
17. Christoph Waltz
Christoph Waltz attended the Max Reinhardt Seminar (source) and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York (source). He studied with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler (source).
Christoph Waltz won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as Dr. King Schultz in Django Unchained (2012) and for his role as Col. Hans Landa and Inglourious Basterds (2009).
18. Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer studied English and theatre arts at Auburn University (source). Octavia Spencer also studied with multiple acting coaches, including Anita Jesse for three years (often four days a week), Richard Brander, and Jamal McNeil (source).
Octavia Spencer won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Minny Jackson in The Help (2011).
19. Christopher Plummer
Christopher Plummer initially studied to become a concert pianist; he said his formal acting training is limited to a single extra course in acting that he took in university. He began acting as a stage actor and got a lot of theatre training that way (source).
Christopher Plummer won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Hal in Beginners (2010).
20. Melissa Leo
Melissa Leo studied acting at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and at State University of New York at Purchase (source). As she says in the video above, she was 15 years old when she began her acting training, and her acting training took multiple years. After she completed her training, within a year, she found a job as a regular on the soap opera All My Children as well as in a public theatre.
Melissa Leo won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Alice Ward in The Fighter (2010).
21. Christian Bale
Although Christian Bale has had practically no formal acting training (source), he has a lot of acting experience because he started acting professionally as a child. One of his first jobs was in the play The Nerd, with Rowan Atkinson; Christian Bale said that he learned by watching Rowan Atkinson (source).
Christian Bale won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dicky Eklund in The Fighter (2010).
22. Mo'Nique
Mo’Nique attended Morgan State University for a while and then got a degree from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland (source). She initially worked as a professional stand-up comedian, following which she made guest appearances on a TV show, leading to more acting roles (source).
Mo’Nique won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary in Precious (2009).
23. Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz got her start in performance arts through dance (she studied ballet for 17 years), and she began acting at a young age, getting her acting agent at age 14 (source). She also studied theatre in New York City (source). Penélope Cruz is listed as a former student of acting teacher Michelle Danner (source). As shown in the video above, Penélope Cruz has been working with an acting teacher for many years.
Penélope Cruz won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Maria Elena in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008).
24. Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger began acting in school productions (source). Heath Ledger does not appear to have had any formal acting training, at least at the point in his career when the above interview was taken. As he says in the video above, there may have been a need for acting school but there was no want for it because he was impatient and wanted to do acting jobs right away; he saw that he was bad at acting in the beginning but he also saw that he noticed what his mistakes were and, therefore, felt that he could fix them. Heath Ledger got his first agent at age 15 when his sister, who was an actress, brought him into the agent’s office (source).
Heath Ledger won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008).
25. Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton got bachelor’s degree in social and political sciences and English literature from the University of Cambridge; she performed on stage for a few years, including with the Royal Shakespeare Company, before getting into cinema (source).
Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Karen Crowder in Michael Clayton (2007).
26. Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem came from a family of actors and filmmakers, and he got his first professional role when he was five years old (source). You can see, in the video above, how he was really exposed to the acting world in his childhood. Javier Bardem originally wanted to be a painter, and he studied painting at Escuela de Artes y Officios in Madrid; he began his acting career in the theatre (source). Also, since the beginning of Javier Bardem’s career, for over 20 years now, he has been working with an acting coach, Juan Carlos Corazza, getting consultation for roles as well as attending workshops and classes (source).
Javier Bardem won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (2007).
27. Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson studied music at Kennedy-King College; she started as a singer and also did musical theatre, which gave her acting credentials (source). Regarding acting training, Jennifer Hudson has worked with acting coach Leland Thompson (source).
Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006).
28. Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin began studying acting as a child; he took acting classes at the Academy of Music (source). After high school, Alan Arkin studied drama at Los Angeles City College and also attended Bennington College for a while (source). Alan Arkin studied with acting teacher Benjamin Zemack, who had studied with Stanislavsky (source).
Alan Arkin won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
29. Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz began as a model; she won in a modeling competition at age 14 (source). She studied English at Cambridge University and began acting during that time, forming her own award-winning theatre company (source). Rache Weisz studied acting with acting teacher Harold Guskin, whom Rachel Weisz credits with teaching her everything she has learned (source).
Rachel Weisz won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardner (2005).
30. George Clooney
George Clooney initially studied broadcast journalism at Northern Kentucky University (his father had been a news anchor) and then dropped out; he began acting when his cousin Miguel Ferrer offered him acting work (source). George Clooney studied acting at The Beverly Hills Playhouse for five years; his acting teacher was Milton Katselas (source).
George Clooney won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Bob Barnes in Syriana (2005).
31. Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (source).
Cate Blanchett won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004).
32. Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman studied acting at Los Angeles City College, where he found his speech class to be especially useful (source); in the video above, he talks about how that class helped improve the way he speaks.
Morgan Freeman won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris in Million Dollar Baby (2004).
33. Renée Zellweger
Renée Zellweger took an acting class at the University of Texas at Austin while doing a major in English (source).
Renée Zellweger won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Ruby Thewes in Cold Mountain (2003).
34. Tim Robbins
Tim Robbins studied drama at the University of California, Los Angeles (source).
Tim Robbins won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dave Boyle in Mystic River (2003).
35. Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones began as a child actor after starting in dance at the age of five, at the Hazel Johnson School of Dancing; at the age of nine, she won a nationwide audition (source) and landed the lead role in a musical (source).
Catherine Zeta-Jones won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Velma Kelly in Chicago (2002).
36. Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper studied agriculture and theatre at the University of Missouri. He also took acting classes with Wynn Handman and Stella Adler (source).
Chris Cooper won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as John Laroche in Adaptation (2002).
37. Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly studied English at Yale University and later studied drama at Stanford University (source).
Jennifer Connelly won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind (2001).
38. Jim Broadbent
Jim Broadbent studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and he began his career as a stage actor (source). His parents were amateur actors who formed their own amateur theatre company (source).
Jim Broadbent won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as John Bayley in Iris (2001).
39. Marcia Gay Harden
Marcia Gay Harden studied drama at the University of Texas, getting a bachelors degree; she also studied drama at New York University and got a Master of Fine Arts degree (source).
Marcia Gay Harden won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Lee Krasner in Pollock (2000).
40. Benicio Del Toro
Benicio Del Toro studied at the University of California; his major was initially business, but then he took an acting class and changed his major to theatre (source). Benicio Del Toro also took acting classes, studying with Stella Adler and Arthur Mendoza (source). As shown in the video above, one of the things he learned in his acting classes is how to approach acting in a serious way.
Benicio Del Toro won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Javier Rodriguez in Traffic (2000).
Concluding Thoughts
Looking at the above list, generally speaking, most actors had formal acting training, and those who did not have formal acting training often started as child actors and/or had actor relatives, and the remaining exceptions often began their career as stage actors. You can also note that actors, including those with actor relatives, don’t just rely on talent – they hone and nurture it . . . because regardless of how much talent you have or don’t have, you can always improve your skills with training and experience.
Related article
If you found this article interesting, you might also be interested in the article about the education of actors who won multiple Oscars.
