WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for A Real Pain.
After seeing Culkin’s standout performance inA Real Pain, his current frontrunner status for the 2025 Best Supporting Actor Oscar makes a lot of sense. Despite his supporting role, Culkin leads thecast ofA Real Painalongside Will Sharpe (The White Lotus), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing), Kurt Egyiawan (The Agency), and Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), who also wrote and directed the film. After his win at the 2025 Golden Globes,Kieran Culkin has emerged as the frontrunner in the Best Supporting Actor raceat the 2025 Oscars.
Now thatA Real Painis streaming on Hulu, it’s easy to understand for viewers just watching it for the first time why Culkin is the frontrunner for the Supporting Actor Oscar based on his performance. The2025 Golden Globe resultsprovide a strong indication ofhow several 2025 Oscars races will shape up, including Culkin’s surprise win over Denzel Washington for Best Supporting Actor.Culkin, who won an Emmy and a previous Golden Globe for his role in the HBO drama seriesSuccession, has never been nominated for an Academy Award at the time of writing.
Kieran Culkin Gives An Incredible Performance In A Real Pain
Culkin offers an unparalleled signature performance as Benji
WhileA Real Painis very much Jesse Eisenberg’s movie as its writer, director, and lead actor, Kieran Culkin steals the show with his emotionally moving performance. Like many other great actors, Culkin has a signature style, which some may even call a shtick, that involves a rapid-fire wit with a fiery sensitivity, which can often inspire explosive reactions and decisions in his characters. His Emmy-winning performance as Roman Roy inSuccessioncarries a similarfrantic and unpredictable energy, somehow making blatant dysfunction and bluntness charming.
Golden Globes 2025: 8 Biggest Snubs & Surprises
The 82nd Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 03, 2025, had several major surprises and a few clear snubs.
Just a few weeks ago, the 2025 Best Supporting Actor Oscar was thought to be Denzel Washington’s to lose. While Washington was arguably the highlight ofGladiator II, which also featured an impressive action epic debut from Paul Mescal, Cullkin now has an edge on him after his Golden Globes win. WithoutCulkin as the sentimental yet problematic Benji there to foil Eisenberg’s strict and neurotic David, the film may not have been so well-received. Culkin was perfectly cast inA Real Painand for that reason deserves the Oscar.
After Watching A Real Pain, I Agree Kieran Culkin Deserves The Best Supporting Actor Oscar
Culkin is the only one of the projected nominees whose performance feels irreplaceable
Culkin’s performance is so strong and integral to his respective film that he truly deserves the Oscar in 2025. Washington was the standout ofGladiator IIand should make it a tight race, whileGuy Pearce ofThe Brutalistcould make a push in the coming weeks, as well as Edward Norton for his transformative performance as"America’s tuning fork" Pete SeegerfromA Complete Unknown. Dark horses Jeremy Strong ofThe Apprenticeand Yura Borisov ofAnoraare still well within the conversation. Culkin, however, is arguably the only projected Supporting Actor nominee who feels irreplaceable in his film, which is why he should win forA Real Pain.
A Real Pain
Cast
A Real Pain explores themes of identity and loss as two estranged families confront their shared and tumultuous pasts. Through intertwining narratives, the film delves into the complexities of familial relationships and the enduring impact of unresolved grief.
