Our Oscar Power Rankings for best supporting actress:

1. Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables"

2. Helen Hunt ("The Sessions")

3. Sally Field ("Lincoln")

4. Amy Adams ("The Master")

5. Maggie Smith ("The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel")

Still in the hunt: Jacki Weaver ("Silver Linings Playbook")

Darkhorses: Judi Dench ("Skyfall), Nicole Kidman ("The Paperboy"), Ann Dowd ("Compliance")

(Red Camera Pulls)

Hathaway is the front-runner simply because her performance as Fantine (particularly her version of "I Dreamed a Dream") is the real showstopper in "Les Miz." But Hunt, Field and Adams all did seriously good work in their films. The fifth is up in the air but the consensus seems to be it could go to Smith. (Academy voters love British acting royalty.) But don't count out Weaver. And lurking as possible surprises are Judi Dench, another British acting royal who was very good as M in "Skyfall," Nicole Kidman who got very unexpected Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominations for "The Paperboy" and Ann Dowd who getting some attention for her work in the little-seen "Compliance."



(Universal Pictures)