Supporting Actresses – Details, episodes & analysis

Amy Adams made her cinematic debut with the 1999 cult classic mockumentary Drop Dead Gorgeous, where she plays American Teen Princess Pageant contestant Leslie Miller, a cheerleader with a voracious sexual appetite and a heart of gold. We talk about Amy's transition from dinner theater to the big screen, and the way Drop Dead Gorgeous failed to find an audience—at least not for several years. Plus: our Amy Adams origin stories, being a pro-slut podcast, and the inherent queerness of bad pacing.

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Amy Adams' second film was the 2000 comedy-horror satire Psycho Beach Party, adapted from Charles Busch's play of the same name, where she plays maneater and ice cream sandwich enthusiast Marvel Ann. We're joined by radio and podcast host John Hill to talk about Amy's early embrace of queer roles, and the importance of understanding the assignment. Plus: the actresses we'd most want to have a sleepover with, the difference between bad acting and intentionally bad acting, and the way we get Cole Escola to hand Amy her Oscar.

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Amy Adams had only just moved to Los Angeles when she booked the starring role of Kathryn Merteuil on the Fox series Manchester Prep. The show was canceled before it ever aired, but two episodes and some raunchier additional scenes were Frankensteined into the 2000 direct-to-video prequel Cruel Intentions 2. We're joined by Screen Drafts host Clay Keller to talk about Amy's villain era, and the incoherent plot of this sloppily assembled "movie." Plus: the scene Rupert Murdoch could not abide, Robin Dunne's very Canadian filmography, and the thrill of great sunglasses acting.

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After a few more substantial supporting roles, Amy Adams took on a glorified cameo as cheerleader Doreen in the 2002 coming-of-age sports drama The Slaughter Rule. We're joined by Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi to talk about Amy using her dance background to its full potential, and how this movie fumbles its football metaphors. Plus: our Ryan Gosling origin stories, the distinct vibe of early aughts Sundance, and whether or not Amy would put a deer out of its misery.

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Amy Adams continued her run of glorified cameo roles with her bit part as sorority mean girl Alex in the 2002 dark comedy romance Pumpkin. We're joined by This Ends at Prom co-host BJ Colangelo to talk about Amy's incredible calves, and what we mean when we call a movie a "problematic fave." Plus: the thrill of blonde Christina Ricci, unpacking societal discomfort with disability and sex, and the worst pumpkin pie recipe of all time.

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Working with Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio on the 2002 crime dramedy Catch Me If You Can could have been Amy Adams' breakthrough, but that's not what ended up happening. We're joined by Variety senior entertainment writer Adam B. Vary to talk about Amy's transition from mean girl roles to tender vulnerability, and the somewhat muted reception to Spielberg's then-most personal film. Plus: the deleted scene that may or may not exist, the actor's code of not using tongue, and what Amy and Chloe Sevigny have in common.

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Amy Adams got a slightly larger part in the 2002 romantic comedy Serving Sara, but her role as deceptively crafty mistress Kate wasn't enough to save the film from disaster. We're joined by Pure Innocent Fun author and Keep It! co-host Ira Madison III to talk about Amy being a bright spot in a bad movie, and how Matthew Perry's struggles nearly derailed this production. Plus: movies that only exist as posters, checking in with Tinsley Mortimer, and why crushing on Elizabeth Hurley is one of the gayest things a man can do.

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In the no man's land between Catch Me If You Can and Junebug, Amy Adams did make one studio film: the 2005 romantic comedy The Wedding Date, in which she plays Amy, the bride whose titular wedding inspires her half-sister to hire a sex worker. We're joined by podcaster and digital strategist Wynter Mitchell to talk about Amy's fixation on English breakfast, and why Debra Messing's movie star era was over before it began. Plus: Richard Curtis ruining British romcoms for the rest of us, Dermot Mulroney's cello career, and the pleasure of schadenfreude.

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It's not entirely clear when Amy Adams filmed the 2004 romantic dramedy The Last Run, where she takes on the thankless role of shrewish fiancée Alexis. By the time it was released, however, she got top billing to capitalize on her recent success. We're joined by Sporked writer and taste tester Gwynedd Stuart to talk about Amy phoning it in for a paycheck, and how a misogynistic sex comedy can also be a harrowing drama about addiction. Plus: why Fred Savage's cancellation has been memory holed, the best flavors of Olipop, and all the things you can learn from Lifetime movies.

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As we approach Amy Adams' first Oscar nomination, we're forced to endure one more misguided indie. In the 2005 comedy Standing Still, she plays another bride-to-be, Elise, who is celebrating her upcoming nuptials with her friends, the worst people you've ever met. We're joined by writer and Podcast Like It's... co-host Phil Iscove to talk about Amy standing out in an ensemble, and how this movie defied our low expectations—in a bad way. Plus: the impact of the Crying Dawson meme, the most nonsensical way to prepare salad, and how Hollywood did Mena Suvari dirty.

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