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

Susan Lynch16 Years of AlcoholMary
2003

Shirley HendersonWilbur Wants to Kill HimselfAlice
2003

Sophie OkonedoDirty Pretty ThingsJuliette
2003

Adrian RawlinsWilbur Wants to Kill HimselfHarbour
2003

Benedict WongDirty Pretty ThingsGuo Yi
2004

Eddie MarsanVera DrakeReg
2004

Paddy ConsidineMy Summer of LovePhil
2004

Romola GaraiRory O'Shea Was HereSiobhán
2004

Samantha MortonEnduring LoveClaire
2004

Gary StretchDead Man's ShoesSonny
2005

Rosamund PikeThe LibertineElizabeth Wilmot, Countess of Rochester
2005

Rob BrydonA Cock and Bull StoryCaptain Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
2005

Tom HollanderThe LibertineGeorge Etherege
2005

Bill NighyThe Constant GardenerSir Bernard Pellegrin
2005

Kelly ReillyMrs Henderson PresentsMaureen Ashford
2006

Leslie PhillipsVenusIan
2006

Martin CompstonRed RoadStevie
2006

Joseph GilgunThis Is EnglandWoody
2006

Stephen GrahamThis Is EnglandCombo
2006

Vanessa RedgraveVenusValerie
2007

Toby KebbellControlRob Gretton
2007

Cate BlanchettNotes on a ScandalSheba Hart
2007

Colin FirthAnd When Did You Last See Your Father?Blake Morrison
2007

Samantha MortonControlDeborah Curtis
2007

Armin Mueller-StahlEastern PromisesVor Semyon

;Best Supporting Actor
YearActorFilmCharacter
2008

Eddie MarsanHappy-Go-LuckyScott
2008

Liam CunninghamHungerFather Dominic Moran
2008

Ralph FiennesThe DuchessWilliam Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
2008

Ralph FiennesIn BrugesHarry Waters
2008

Daniel MaysShiftyChris
2009

John HenshawLooking for EricMeatballs
2009

Jim BroadbentThe Damned UnitedSam Longson
2009

Michael FassbenderFish TankConnor
2009

Tom HollanderIn the LoopSimon Foster
2009

Alfred MolinaAn EducationJack Mellor

2010s

2020s

Multiple nominations

;3 nominations
  • Sean Harris
  • Eddie Marsan
;2 nominations