2026 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards: Best Supporting Performance Nominees

Adrian Chiarella's Leviticus delves into themes far more terrifying than anything supernatural, exploring the real-life horror of conversion therapy. Such a tough topic requires an impeccable cast to do it justice, and thankfully Stacy Clausen and Joe Bird more than knocked it out of the park.

As Ryan, a gay teenager trying to survive in a devoutly religious town, Clausen gives a striking and sensitive performance, before switching to something far more sinister as he takes on a more supernatural role. A FANGORIA Chainsaw Award would be one hell of a way to kick off what is sure to be a long and impressive career in horror for the star.

From Euphoria to Elvis, Jacob Elordi is easily one of Hollywood's most versatile young actors, and still nobody could've prepared for how incredible he was as the Creature in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. The Oscar-winning makeup FX and Elordi's natural towering stature crafted a monster that's physically imposing, but it's the character evolution where he really got to showcase his acting chops.

In a performance that's easily up there with Boris Karloff's take on the iconic monster, Elordi's transformation from tender and childlike to jaded and monstrous as he understands the true nature of humanity and the world he's been brought into left nary a dry eye in the house. Elordi may have lost out on Best Supporting Actor at last year's Academy Award, but will he take home the Chainsaw Award instead?

Elle Fanning took on one of the biggest challenges an actor can face when she played ‘twin' androids Thia and Tessa in Dan Trachtenberg's Predator: Badlands. Of course, she's Elle Fanning, so she nailed them both. As Thia, Fanning brought humor and heart to the sci-fi adventure, while as Tessa she switched it up completely to become a ruthless killing machine.

Fanning is no stranger to racking up awards across the season, most recently being nominated for Best Supporting Actress at last year's Academy Awards. Will 2026 be the year she takes home a Chainsaw Award for the synth sisters to fight over?

There's no Scary Movie with Anna Faris and Regina Hall, with the hilarious duo returning for the Wayans Brothers' spoof reboot earlier this year. Returning to her role as Brenda Meeks, Hall gave another predictably hilarious performance, donning that Ma wig and taking down everything from The Substance to Heart Eyes.

It's been an awful long time since a horror-comedy won in this category, but if anyone should be crowned for the genre, it's Hall. She gave us the iconic line about the TV leaking, after all.

David Jonsson already had horror fans all in on his talent after Alien: Romulus, but in Francis Lawrence's The Long Walk he proved that he's set for an incredible career in and out of the genre. Jonsson's performance as walker Pete McVries in the dystopian thriller was unanimously praised by critics and viewers alike, evolving through his character arc in a way that is all the more tragic for how natural it feels.

He's already won a BAFTA Rising Star Award and was nominated in this same category for Alien: Romulus, so we wouldn't be surprised if this year is the year Jonsson walks away (heh) with the prize.

As the witchy Aunt Gladys in Zach Cregger's Weapons, the great Amy Madigan gave a typically incredible showing, blending camp humor with genuine sinisterness to craft an instantly iconic horror villain who has already become a staple of spoofs, Halloween costumes and drag shows across the land.

Madigan was crowned Best Supporting Actress at last year's Academy Awards, proving that the higher ups are finally starting to recognize that the horror genre spawns some of the greatest  performances of an actor's career. Here at FANGORIA, we've always known that, of course, so will Madigan take home the Chainsaw Award to sit alongside her Oscar?

An actor who always understands the assignment, Mads Mikkelsen reunited with Hannibal helmer Bryan Fuller for the latter's feature debut Dust Bunny. As stoic hitman Resident 5B, Mikkelsen got to showcase his natural charisma and adorable bond with lead Sophie Sloan, filling Dust Bunny full of heart.

Never one to shy away from cinematic ass-kicking though, Mikkelsen also got the chance to perform plenty of ‘Mads-fu' with his fight scenes. Mikkelsen has been nominated for two Chainsaw Awards before this one – will 2026 be the year he finally takes one home?

We love it when an actor gets to go full sicko mode on a role, and that's exactly what Dacre Montgomery did in Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei's deliciously gory Faces of Death. As Arthur Spevak, Montgomery channelled the sinister superficiality of Patrick Bateman and the unhinged derangement of Buffalo Bill to deliver a legendary killer for the social media age.

As the foil to Barbie Ferreira's dogged heroine, Montgomery showcased a natural eye for what makes a horror performance compelling, and hopefully we'll get to see him do it again soon – perhaps with a Chainsaw Award win under his belt.

Jack O'Connell nabs his second Chainsaw Award nomination following last year's Sinners, this year being recognized for his work as the devilish Sir Jimmy Crystal in Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. With his gold chains and velour tracksuit, Sir Jimmy instantly struck dread into the hearts of horror fans in the UK, and in the US once we explained to our transatlantic cousins just who he's supposed to look like.

As Crystal, O'Connell gave one of the most diabolically entertaining villain performances of the year, swinging from foppishly charming to violently deranged at the drop of a hat. It takes a performer of immense talent to go up against the great Ralph Fiennes, and O'Connell ate and left no crumbs. Eh fucking goooo to vote if you want to see O'Connell crowned at this year's awards.

To the surprise of nobody, the legendary Sigourney Weaver added another top notch performance to her vast filmography with a supporting role in Bryan Fuller's Dust Bunny. As assassin boss Laverne, Weaver got to play the villain up against Best Lead Performance nominee Sophie Sloan and fellow Best Supporting Performance nominee Mads Mikkelsen.

Being Ripley herself, we're never going to pass on the chance to give Weaver her flowers, but will she take home the Chainsaw Award as extra confirmation?