Claim: Nocturnal Animals is a film.

The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -LRB- AMPAS -RRB- . It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while working within the film industry .   At the 9th Academy Awards ceremony held in 1937 , Walter Brennan was the first winner of this award for his role in Come and Get It . Initially , winners in both supporting acting categories were awarded plaques instead of statuettes . Beginning with the 16th ceremony held in 1944 , however , winners received full-sized statuettes . Currently , nominees are determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS ; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy .   Since its inception , the award has been given to 72 actors . Brennan has received the most awards in this category with three awards . Brennan , Jeff Bridges , Robert Duvall , Arthur Kennedy , Jack Nicholson , and Claude Rains were nominated on four occasions , more than any other actor . As of the 2017 ceremony , Mahershala Ali is the most recent winner in this category for his role as Juan in Moonlight .