The supporting Actor category is always one of the most competitive races at the Oscars. The category is known for awarding veteran actors who have never been recognized by the Academy or who have always been overlooked.

The past few years has seen Jared Leto, Christoph Waltz, Christopher Plummer and Christian Bale win the award. 

The biggest contenders in this category are by far Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum for their work in "Foxcatcher." Tatum is currently one of the most popular actors in the industry and has become a huge box office draw. His role in Bennett Miller's latest film is said to be his most challenging to date, and since the Academy loves to see actors challenge themselves, this could be a promising role for him. However, critics who saw the film at Cannes have said it is a lead role. Since Steve Carrell is getting all the buzz for lead, Tatum could be stuck in the middle and lose out.

Ruffalo, on the other hand, should have an easier time getting into the category. His role in the film is truly a supporting role, and he also received raves at Cannes. He is also an Academy veteran as he was nominated in 2010 for his role in "The Kids Are All Right."

Robert Duvall looks to be back in the race after 16 years of being absent from the Oscar race. The actor has been in a number of great films recently and was even snubbed in 2010 for his lead role in "Get Low."

His latest film, "The Judge", will open at the Toronto International Film Festival, and there is a lot of buzz around the movie. Warner Bros. has high hopes for the feature and is releasing it in October, which is a month known for seeing a number of Oscar winners. If Duvall's performance lives up to the promise, the Academy will be sure to recognize him.  

Edward Norton is another highly respected actor who has not been in the Oscar game for a number of years. This year his role in "Birdman" looks promising, and based on the trailers, it looks like it is a mix of dramatic and comedic acting.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is known for directing great performances, and if this movie lives up to its promise, Norton could be up for his third Oscar nomination.

Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson and Benicio del Toro could be up for their roles in "Inherent Vice." Like Inarritu, Paul Thomas Anderson has always obtained great performances from his actors. Anderson has led a total of seven Oscar-nominated performances, and one has won. While nothing is really known about the roles in "Inherent Vice," it is predicted one of the actors will be a standout.

Christoph Waltz could be up for his third Oscar for his role in Tim Burton's "Big Eyes." Waltz is a favorite of the Academy as he has already won twice, and this year he is playing a real-life character. Additionally, the Weinstein Company will be campaigning the film, and given its Oscar record, this could be helpful for his performance. However, if the role is not completely a supporting role, he could be left out.

J.K Simmons is stepping out of his comedic acting in favor of drama. Back in January, the actor received raves at Sundance for his role in "Whiplash." Since then, the film has been screened at Cannes and will be at Toronto.

The Academy likes to see actors step out of their comfort zones. Recently, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock and Monique showed off their dramatic acting, and they went on to win. If the movie continues to gain traction, Simmons could be on the way to his first Oscar nomination.

Other actors who have a lot of buzz include Ethan Hawke for "Boyhood," Albert Brooks for "A Most Violent Year," Tom WiIkinson for "Selma" and Oscar Isaac for "Two Faces of January.