Oscar nominations: Milestones for diversity & first-time nominees

The Oscar nominations were released this morning, just about two months later than is usually the tradition. It was decided that the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony would be held two months later than usual as well, to compensate for the scattershot releases and general unpredictability of the global pandemic that’s ringing in its first birthday this week. The ceremony is to be held on April 25 at the Dolby Theatre, though it remains unclear to what extent the actual ceremony (which is being produced by Steven Soderbergh, of all people, and frequent Tarantino producer Stacy Sher this year) will be in-person.

A few notable facts about Oscar nominations this year: Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) is the first woman of colour to ever be nominated for Best Director, and the presence of Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) in that same category means that this is the first time in the history of the Oscars that two women are simultaneously nominated for that award. In similar milestones, Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) is making history as the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (though Mahershala Ali has won two Oscars, both were in the supporting category) while Steven Yeun is the first Asian-American to be nominated in the same category for his role in Minari.

There were not too many left-field surprises in the nominations this year, which had to work from a seriously limited pool of applicants due to the staggered / held-back release of most movies. It’s a little surprising that Thomas Vinterberg is nominated for Best Director for Another Round — not because the film is undeserving of it, but more likely because the Academy isn’t really the kind of place that throws a bone to Vinterberg-level directors. It might be the absence of solid old-timey guaranteed noms in the race this year; besides David Fincher for Mank, everyone is a first-time nominee in a category that often attracts usual suspects.

There are also some weirdly undeserving noms, as there always are. What jumps up most to me right now is The Trial of the Chicago 7 being nominated for Best Cinematography when it looks, to put it charitably, like an episode of Modern Family.

Mank leads the pack with 10 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, a sweep of the technical categories… but no screenplay nomination, weirdly enough. Six films are tied for second place (!) with six nominations each.

See the Oscar nominations below:

Best Picture

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago Seven

Actor in a Leading Role

Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins, The Father

Gary Oldman, Mank

Steven Yeun, Minari

Actress in a Leading Role

Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman

Frances McDormand, Nomadland

Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Actor in a Supporting Role

Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago Seven

Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami

Paul Raci, Sound of Metal

Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

Actress in a Supporting Role

Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman, The Father

Amanda Seyfried, Mank

Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari

Directing

Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round

David Fincher, Mank

Lee Isaac Chung, Minari

Chloe Zhao, Nomadland

Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

Cinematography

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

News of the World

Nomadland

The Trial of the Chicago Seven

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

The Father

Nomadland

One Night in Miami

The White Tiger

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Judas and the Black Messiah

Minari

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trail of the Chicago Seven

Film Editing

The Father

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago Seven

International Feature Film

Another Round

Better Days

Collective

The Man Who Sold His Skin

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Animated Feature Film

Onward

Over the Moon

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Soul

Wolfwalkers

Animated Short Film

Burrow

Genius Loci

If Anything Happens

Opera

Yes People

Music (Original Song)

“Fight For You,” Judas and the Black Messiah

“Hear My Voice,” The Trail of the Chicago Seven

“Husavik,” Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

“Io Si,” The Life Ahead

“Speak Now,” One Night in Miami

Music (Original Score)

Da Five Bloods

Mank

Minari

News of the World

Soul

Sound

Greyhound

Sound of Metal

Mank

News of the World

Soul

Documentary Feature

Collective

Crip Camp

The Mole Agent

My Octopus Teacher

Time

Documentary Short Subject

Colette

A Concerto Is a Conversation

Do Not Split

Hunger Ward

A Love Song For Latasha

Makeup and Hairstyling

Emma

Hillbilly Elegy

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

Pinocchio

Costume Design

Emma

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

Mulan

Pinocchio

Live Action Short Film

Feeling Through

The Letter Room

The Present

Two Distant Strangers

White Eye

Production Design

The Father

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Mank

News of the World

Tenet

Visual Effects

Love and Monsters

The Midnight Sky

Mulan

The One and Only Ivan

Tenet

For more about the Oscar nominations and Academy Awards ceremony, please visit the Oscars website.

For more film and TV coverage, please visit the Film & TV section.