But wait a minute, her defenders cried: Ms. Steinfeld’s character, Mattie Ross, is in nearly every scene, she’s the center of the movie, its clear protagonist!
Not so fast. According to Scott Rudin, a producer of the film, Mattie Ross is an instigator for the behavior of the true star, Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn (he was nominated for best actor). Ms. Steinfeld’s character also doesn’t have “an arc,” Mr. Rudin told Kris Tapley at the In Contention blog — despite undergoing some harrowing ordeals, she doesn’t change. The studio, Paramount, promoted her for the best supporting actress category.