Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the
Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize an
actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the
film industry. Since its inception, however, the award has commonly been referred to as the "Oscar for Best Supporting Actor". While actors are nominated for this award by Academy members who are actors and actresses themselves, winners are selected by the Academy membership as a whole. Under the system currently in place, an actor is nominated for a specific performance in a single film, and such nominations are limited to five per year.
