Guy Pearce is weighing in on who he believes will take home the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the 2025 Academy Awards.
The Brutalist star, who earned a nomination for his role in Brady Corbet’s epic period drama, shared his thoughts in an interview with The Guardian published Monday, Feb. 24. Despite being in the running, Pearce has a strong feeling about the outcome.
“I’ve been nominated for a few of these awards, and I haven’t won any!” Pearce, 57, said with a laugh. “I’m not gonna win! Kieran [Culkin] will win, again.”
Given Culkin’s dominant streak this awards season, Pearce’s prediction isn’t far-fetched. The A Real Pain star, 42, has already secured wins at the Golden Globe Awards, Critics Choice Awards, BAFTA Awards, and, most recently, the SAG Awards.
When asked if he had prepared an acceptance speech just in case, Pearce admitted, “I’ve had one I’ve thought about for the last three months now — haven’t used it once! Nah, I’ll just forget it.”
Guy Pearce and Kieran Culkin: Awards Season Rivals
Pearce has been competing against Culkin throughout the season, with both actors receiving nominations at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and SAG Awards.
The Brutalist (Photo: A24)
Pearce portrays wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren in The Brutalist, starring alongside Adrien Brody, who plays the film’s central character, László Tóth—a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who flees the Holocaust and emigrates to the U.S.
At the SAG Awards on Sunday, Feb. 23, Culkin took home the trophy for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in A Real Pain, in which he stars alongside the film’s writer-director, Jesse Eisenberg.
Kieran Culkin’s SAG Awards Speech
During his acceptance speech, Culkin acknowledged the hefty weight of the award, joking that it was ironic his “heaviest of all awards is the one given by actors.” He also took a playful jab at Brody, reminding him of the 45-second time limit for speeches.
“There was no reason to take that shot; I love you, it’s a joke. You take your time,” Culkin said as Brody laughed in the audience. “Lord knows I will, ’cause I didn’t think of anything.”
One of the biggest surprises of the night came when Timothée Chalamet won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a young Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. This unexpected victory came after Brody had previously claimed the lead-actor prize at the other major ceremonies this season.
