The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female was an award presented annually by Film Independent. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an absolutely outstanding performance in a supporting role while working in an independent film. It was first presented in 1985 with Anjelica Huston being the first recipient of the award for her role as Gretta Conroy in The Dead. It was last presented in 2022 with Ruth Negga being the final recipient of the award for her role in Passing.
In 2022, it was announced that the four acting categories would be retired and replaced with two gender neutral categories, with both Best Supporting Male and Best Supporting Female merging into the Best Supporting Performance category.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 33 actresses. With 3 nominations, Allison Janney is the most nominated female in this category (finally winning one for her performance in I, Tonya).
Winners and nominees
1980s YearActressFilmRole1987Anjelica HustonThe DeadGretta ConroyKaren Allen The Glass MenagerieLaura WingfieldKathy Baker Street SmartPunchyMartha Plimpton Shy PeopleGraceAnn Sothern The Whales of AugustTisha Doughty 1988Rosanna DeSotoStand and DeliverFabiola EscalanteBonnie Bedelia The Prince of PennsylvaniaPam MarshettaDebbie Harry HairsprayVelma Von TussleAmy Madigan The Prince of PennsylvaniaCarla HeadleePatti Yasutake The WashMarsha1989Laura San GiacomoSex, Lies, and VideotapeCynthia Patrice BishopBridget Fonda ShagMelaina BullerHeather Graham Drugstore CowboyNadineMare Winningham Miracle MileJulie PetersMary Woronov Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly HillsLisabeth Hepburn-Saravian
1990s YearActressFilmRole1990Sheryl Lee RalphTo Sleep with AngerLindaTracy Arnold Henry: Portrait of a Serial KillerBeckyEthel Ayler To Sleep with AngerHattieTisha Campbell-Martin House PartySidneyAdrienne-Joi Johnson Sharane1991Diane LaddRambling RoseMother Sheila McCarthy Bright AngelNinaDeirdre O'Connell PastimeInez BriceEmma Thompson ImpromptuDuchess D'AntanMary B. Ward Hangin' with the HomeboysLuna1992Alfre WoodardPassion FishChantelleBrooke Adams Gas Food LodgingNoraSara Gilbert Poison IvySylvie CooperKaren Sillas Simple MenKateDanitra Vance Jumpin' at the BoneyardJeanette1993Lili TaylorHousehold SaintsTeresa Carmela SantangeloLara Flynn Boyle EquinoxBeverly FranksGua Ah-leh The Wedding BanquetMrs. GaoLucinda Jenney American HeartCharlotteJulianne Moore Short CutsMarian Wyman1994Dianne WiestBullets over BroadwayHelen Sinclair V.S. Brodie Go FishElyCarla Gallo Spanking the MonkeyToni PeckKelly Lynch The Beans of Egypt, MaineRoberta BeanBrooke Smith Vanya on 42nd StreetSonya1995Mare WinninghamGeorgiaGeorgia Flood Jennifer Lopez My FamilyYoung MariaVanessa Redgrave Little OdessaIrina ShapiraChloë Sevigny KidsJennieCelia Weston Dead Man WalkingMary Beth Percy1996Elizabeth PeñaLone StarPilar Cruz Mary Kay Place Manny & LoElaineQueen Latifah Set It OffCleopatra 'Cleo' SimsLili Taylor Girls TownPatti LucciLily Tomlin Flirting with DisasterMary Schlichting1997Debbi MorganEve's BayouMozelle Batiste DelacroixFarrah Fawcett The ApostleJessie DeweyAmy Madigan LovedBrett AmersonMiranda Richardson The ApostleToosiePatricia Richardson Ulee's GoldConnie Hope1998Lynn RedgraveGods and MonstersHanna Stockard Channing The Baby DanceRachel LuckmanPatricia Clarkson High ArtGretaLisa Kudrow The Opposite of SexLucia DeLuryJoely Richardson Under HeavenEleanor Dunston1999Chloë SevignyBoys Don't CryLana Tisdel Barbara Barrie Judy BerlinSue BerlinVanessa Martinez LimboNoelle De AngeloSarah Polley GoRonna MartinJean Smart GuinevereDeborah Sloane
2000s YearActressFilmRole2000Zhang ZiyiCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonJen YuPat Carroll SongcatcherViney ButlerJennifer Connelly Requiem for a DreamMarion SilverMarcia Gay Harden PollockLee Krasner Lupe Ontiveros Chuck & BuckBeverly Franco2001Carrie-Anne MossMementoNatalieDavenia McFadden Stranger InsideBrownieSummer Phoenix The BelieverCarla MoebiusUma Thurman TapeAmy RandallTamara Tunie The Caveman's ValentineSheila Ledbetter2002Emily MortimerLovely & AmazingElizabeth MarksViola Davis Antwone FisherEva MayJacqueline Kim Charlotte SometimesDarcy / CharlotteJuliette Lewis Hysterical BlindnessBeth TocyznskiJulianne Nicholson TullyElla Smalley2003Shohreh AghdashlooHouse of Sand and FogNadi Behrani Sarah Bolger In AmericaChristy SullivanPatricia Clarkson Pieces of AprilJoy Burns Hope Davis The Secret Lives of DentistsDana HurstFrances McDormand Laurel CanyonJane2004Virginia MadsenSidewaysMaya Randall Cate Blanchett Coffee and CigarettesCate / ShellyLoretta Devine Woman Thou Art LoosedCassey JordanRobin Simmons Robbing PeterShawnaYenny Paola Vega Maria Full of GraceBlanca2005Amy AdamsJunebugAshley Johnsten Maggie Gyllenhaal Happy EndingsJudeAllison Janney Our Very OwnJoan WhitfieldMichelle Williams Brokeback MountainAlma Beers Del Mar Robin Wright Nine LivesDiana2006Frances McDormandFriends with MoneyJaneMelonie Diaz A Guide to Recognizing Your SaintsYoung LaurieMarcia Gay Harden American GunJanet HuttensonMary Beth Hurt The Dead GirlRuthAmber Tamblyn Stephanie DaleyStephanie Daley2007Cate BlanchettI'm Not ThereJude Quinn Anna Kendrick Rocket ScienceGinny RyersonJennifer Jason Leigh Margot at the WeddingPaulineTamara Podemski Four Sheets to the WindMiri SmallhillMarisa Tomei Before the Devil Knows You're DeadGina Hanson2008Penélope CruzVicky Cristina BarcelonaMaría Elena Rosemarie DeWitt Rachel Getting MarriedRachel BuchmanRosie Perez The TakeMarina De La PenaMisty Upham Frozen RiverLila LittlewolfDebra Winger Rachel Getting MarriedAbby Buchman2009Mo'NiquePreciousMary Lee Johnston Dina Korzun Cold SoulsNinaSamantha Morton The MessengerOlivia PittersonNatalie Press Fifty Dead Men WalkingLaraMia Wasikowska That Evening SunPamela Choat
2010s YearActressFilmRole2010Dale DickeyWinter's BoneMerabAshley Bell The Last Exorcism Nell SweetzerAllison Janney Life During Wartime TrishDaphne Rubin-Vega Jack Goes Boating LucyNaomi Watts Mother and Child Elizabeth2011Shailene WoodleyThe DescendantsAlexandra "Alex" KingJessica Chastain Take Shelter Samantha LaForcheAnjelica Huston 50/50 Diane LernerJanet McTeer Albert Nobbs Hubert Page Harmony Santana Gun Hill Road Michael2012Helen HuntThe SessionsCheryl Cohen-Greene Rosemarie DeWitt Your Sister's Sister HannahAnn Dowd Compliance SandraBrit Marling Sound of My Voice MaggieLorraine Toussaint Middle of Nowhere Ruth2013Lupita Nyong'o 12 Years a Slave Patsey Melonie Diaz Fruitvale Station SophinaSally Hawkins Blue Jasmine Ginger Yolonda Ross Go for Sisters FontayneJune Squibb Nebraska Kate Grant 2014Patricia Arquette Boyhood Olivia Evans Jessica Chastain A Most Violent Year Anna MoralesCarmen Ejogo Selma Coretta Scott KingEmma Stone Birdman Sam Thomson Andrea Suarez Paz Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Mariana2015Mya Taylor Tangerine AlexandraRobin Bartlett H. HelenMarin Ireland Glass Chin Ellen DoyleJennifer Jason Leigh Anomalisa Lisa HesselmanCynthia Nixon James White Gail White2016Molly Shannon Other People Joanne MulcaheyEdwina Findley Free in Deed Melva NeddyPaulina García Little Men Leonor CalvelliLily Gladstone Certain Women JamieRiley Keough American Honey Krystal2017Allison Janney I, Tonya LaVona Golden Holly Hunter The Big Sick Beth GardnerLaurie Metcalf Lady Bird Marion McPherson Lois Smith Marjorie Prime Marjorie LancasterTaliah Lennice Webster Good Time Crystal2018Regina King If Beale Street Could Talk Sharon Rivers Kayli Carter Private Life Sadie BarrettTyne Daly A Bread Factory DorotheaThomasin McKenzie Leave No Trace TomJ. Smith-Cameron Nancy Ellen Lynch2019Zhao Shuzhen The Farewell Nai NaiJennifer Lopez Hustlers Ramona Vega Taylor Russell Waves Emily WilliamsLauren “Lolo” Spencer Give Me Liberty TracyOctavia Spencer Luce Harriet Wilson
2020s YearActressFilmRole2020Youn Yuh-jungMinari Soon-jaAlexis Chikaeze Miss Juneteenth Kai JonesHan Ye-ri Minari Monica YiValerie Mahaffey French Exit Mme. ReynardTalia Ryder Never Rarely Sometimes Always Skylar2021 Ruth Negga Passing Clare KendryJessie BuckleyThe Lost DaughterYoung Leda CarusoAmy ForsythThe NoviceJamie BrillRevika Anne ReustlePleasureJoySuzanna SonRed RocketStrawberry
Multiple nominees
3 nominations Allison Janney
2 nominations
Cate Blanchett Jessica Chastain Patricia Clarkson Rosemarie DeWitt Melonie Diaz Marcia Gay Harden Anjelica Huston Jennifer Jason Leigh Jennifer Lopez Amy Madigan Frances McDormand Chloë Sevigny Lili Taylor Mare Winningham
See also Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
References
External links Every BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE winner ever video on the official Film Independent YouTube channel