British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor


The British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor is a discontinued annual award given by the British Independent Film Awards to recognize the best supporting performance by an actor in a British independent film.
From 2003 to 2007, only one award was presented for supporting performances named Best Supporting Actor/Actress. Since 2008, two categories named Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress are presented.
Actors Eddie Marsan and Sean Harris are the most nominated actors in this category since its creation in 2008 with three nominations each.
In July 2022, it was announced that the performance categories would be replaced with gender-neutral categories, with both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress merging into the Best Lead Performance category. Additionally, a category named Best Joint Lead Performance was created for "two performances that are the joint focus of the film, especially where performances share a large number of scenes and screen time".

Winners and nominees

2000s

;Best Supporting Actor/Actress
YearActor/ActressFilmCharacter
2003
(6th)
Susan Lynch16 Years of AlcoholMary
2003
(6th)
Shirley HendersonWilbur Wants to Kill HimselfAlice
2003
(6th)
Sophie OkonedoDirty Pretty ThingsJuliette
2003
(6th)
Adrian RawlinsWilbur Wants to Kill HimselfHarbour
2003
(6th)
Benedict WongDirty Pretty ThingsGuo Yi
2004
(7th)
Eddie MarsanVera DrakeReg
2004
(7th)
Paddy ConsidineMy Summer of LovePhil
2004
(7th)
Romola GaraiRory O'Shea Was HereSiobhán
2004
(7th)
Samantha MortonEnduring LoveClaire
2004
(7th)
Gary StretchDead Man's ShoesSonny
2005
(8th)
Rosamund PikeThe LibertineElizabeth Wilmot, Countess of Rochester
2005
(8th)
Rob BrydonA Cock and Bull StoryCaptain Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
2005
(8th)
Tom HollanderThe LibertineGeorge Etherege
2005
(8th)
Bill NighyThe Constant GardenerSir Bernard Pellegrin
2005
(8th)
Kelly ReillyMrs Henderson PresentsMaureen Ashford
2006
(9th)
Leslie PhillipsVenusIan
2006
(9th)
Martin CompstonRed RoadStevie
2006
(9th)
Joseph GilgunThis Is EnglandWoody
2006
(9th)
Stephen GrahamThis Is EnglandCombo
2006
(9th)
Vanessa RedgraveVenusValerie
2007
(10th)
Toby KebbellControlRob Gretton
2007
(10th)
Cate BlanchettNotes on a ScandalSheba Hart
2007
(10th)
Colin FirthAnd When Did You Last See Your Father?Blake Morrison
2007
(10th)
Samantha MortonControlDeborah Curtis
2007
(10th)
Armin Mueller-StahlEastern PromisesVor Semyon

;Best Supporting Actor
YearActorFilmCharacter
2008
(11th)
Eddie MarsanHappy-Go-LuckyScott
2008
(11th)
Liam CunninghamHungerFather Dominic Moran
2008
(11th)
Ralph FiennesThe DuchessWilliam Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
2008
(11th)
Ralph FiennesIn BrugesHarry Waters
2008
(11th)
Daniel MaysShiftyChris
2009
(12th)
John HenshawLooking for EricMeatballs
2009
(12th)
Jim BroadbentThe Damned UnitedSam Longson
2009
(12th)
Michael FassbenderFish TankConnor
2009
(12th)
Tom HollanderIn the LoopSimon Foster
2009
(12th)
Alfred MolinaAn EducationJack Mellor

Multiple nominations

;3 nominations
;2 nominations