Melissa Leo will probably make Oscar headlines as the girl who dropped the f-bomb during her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress. But, let’s be clear the sailor mouth isn’t what people should be talking about. It’s the resilience she has demonstrated during her acting career.
It’s hard to believe that in 1998, Melissa Leo was unemployed and, in her own words, unemployable. Leo told NPR, that she was fired from the role that brought her into the mainstream as Detective Sergeant Kay Howard on “Homicide: Life on the Street”.
“It was really, really, really hard for me.” She wasn’t hired until 2003’s 21 Grams, starring Benicio Del Toro. The film showcased Leo’s ability to completely disappear into a role, becoming almost unrecognizable.
Leo walked a long road to her comeback, her hard work seemingly culminating in a 2008 Academy Award nomination for her lead role as Ray Eddy in “Frozen River”. She didn’t win two years ago, but she won tonight for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “The Fighter”. She plays Alice Ward, mother and manager of boxer Micky Ward. Her performance was as memorable for her dead-on Boston accent.
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