The award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role goes to Essie Davis for A Streetcar Named Desire. She starred as Stella alongside Glenn Close at the Lyttelton in the revival of Tennessee William’s play, directed by Trevor Nunn. Stella, living in New Orleans, is visited by her older sister Blanche who is on the edge of mental and emotional demise, taking refuge from real life in decayed gentility. The play, written in 1947, won Williams a Donaldson Award, a New York Drama Critics Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
The Australian actress played opposite Patricia Routledge in The Importance Of Being Earnest at the Savoy in 2001. She is now shooting A Girl WithThe Pearl Earring opposite Colin Firth.
Also nominated in this category was Jessica Stevenson, star of Channel 4’s Spaced, for The Night Heron at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court; Mark Strong for Twelfth Night at the Donmar Warehouse; and Sian Thomas for her role opposite Madonna in Up For Grabs at the Wyndham's.
