In 1936, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences began to recognize accomplishments in film for actors in a supporting role. The first winner that year was Walter Brennan for his performance in the film Come and Get It. Brennan went on to win this award twice more, giving a record three all-time wins in this category. In fact, his three wins are tied for the most by any actor in either the Best Actor and/or Best Supporting Actor categories. The only other actor with 3 Oscar statuettes is Jack Nicholson, who won two Best Actor awards, and added a Supporting Actor win for 1983's Terms of Endearment. Only once in the history of this award has an actor won in consecutive years: Jason Robards was recognized for his work in 1976's All the President's Men, and 1977's Julia. As for the distinction of having been nominated for this award the most times without ever winning it, that belongs to two men: both Claude Rains and Arthur Kennedy were nominated 4 times without taking home the trophy. Robert DeNiro's 1974 win for The Godfather Part II is unique because it is the only time an actor has won for playing a character that previously won an Oscar. Two years earlier, Marlon Brando won a Best Actor award for the Vito Corleone character.

Actor Christoph Waltz won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie Inglourious Basterds.

Christoph Waltz won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in the movie Inglourious Basterds.

The 82nd edition of the Oscars was held on March 7. 2010 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California. Christoph Waltz received the Oscar in this category.

The 2010 nominees were:

• Matt Damon for his movie Invictus: This is Damon's third Academy Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Best Actor in 1997 for Good Will Hunting and was nominated and won for Best Original Screenplay for the same film. http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/matt-damon/2831

• Woody Harrelson for his movie The Messenger: This is Harrelson's second Academy Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Best Actor in 1996 for The People vs. Larry Flynt. http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/woody-harrelson/2832

• Christopher Plummer for his movie The Last Station: This is Plummer's first appearance as a nominee for an Academy Award. http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/christopher-plummer/2837

• Stanley Tucci for his movie The Lovely Bones: This is also Tucci's first appearance as a nominee for an Academy Award. http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/stanley-tucci/2841

• Christoph Waltz for his movie Inglorious Basterds: This is the first appearance on the ballot as a nominee for Waltz as well. http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/christoph-waltz/2847

• 81st Oscars: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
• 80th Oscars: Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men
• 79th Oscars: Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine
• 78th Oscars: George Clooney for Syriana
• 77th Oscars: Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby
• 76th Oscars: Tim Robbins for Mystic River
• 75th Oscars: Chris Cooper for Adaptation
• 74th Oscars: Jim Broadbent for Iris
• 73rd Oscars: Benicio del Toro for Traffic
• 72nd Oscars: Michael Caine for The Cider House Rules