Ahead of the announcement of the 95th Oscar nomination on Tuesday, Academy CEO Bill Kramer shared in a letter to AMPAS members that the organization had seen “record attendance” for this year’s nominations. , producing the highest turnout at the 95th Academy Awards. -an history.
Following the close of Oscar nomination voting, which ended Tuesday, January 17 at 5:00 p.m. PT, Kramer sent an email praising the attendance of AMPAS members, representing more than 80 countries, surpassing the record number of 2022 attendees. While exact attendance figures are not shared by the Academy, we do know that there are 9,579 eligible voting members across the 18 branches.
Greater participation could yield unexpected results. This is the second year of the return of the best image category guaranteeing 10 awarded films. Last year’s group of nominees saw inspired picks – like the Japanese drama “Drive My Car” which grabbed attention, including Best Picture – as well as a barrage of surprising inclusions like Penélope Cruz ( “Parallel Mothers”), Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”) and Judi Dench (“Belfast”) in the acting categories. We’ve also seen shocking exclusions like Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) from the category of best actress.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK, (aka TOP GUN 2), from left: Jennifer Connelly, Tom Cruise, 2022. ph: Scott Garfield /© Paramount Pictures
Courtesy of Everett Collection
With many blockbusters and friendly titles in the awards discussion, such as “Avatar: The Way of Water”, “Glass Onion” and “Top Gun: Maverick”, we could see a field of nominated films that the general public is more familiar with. As a result, the broadcast could see higher ratings. The Producers Guild of America Awards, a key indicator of the Oscars’ best picture category, recognized four sequels, including the aforementioned three and Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Only eight sequels have been nominated in Oscar history, and none in the same year.
Several movie A-list names, as well as feel-good comeback stories and legacy recognitions, are up for nominations. Some of them include Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) and Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Ounce”). Some of the biggest names in music are also vying for attention: Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Drake and The Weeknd.
Returning to an in-person live event, the Oscar names will be announced on Tuesday, January 24 from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
See the latest movie predictions, for all 23 categories, in one place on Variety Oscar Collective. The final Oscar predictions will be revealed on Thursday.
Read a copy of Kramer’s letter below:
Dear members of the Academy,
Thank you for voting for this year’s Oscar nominations! We saw record turnout and ballots were submitted from 80 countries. This year’s nominations reflect the tireless work and incredible dedication of so many within our filmmaking community.
Through the Oscars, the Academy recognizes and celebrates the collaborative arts and sciences of filmmaking and the diverse and talented people who make films. We connect our global audiences (Academy members, industry and moviegoers) through their shared passions for making and watching movies.
The nominees in all 23 award categories will be announced this year by Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams on Tuesday, January 24 at 5:30 a.m. PT. You can watch the announcement live on Good Morning America, Oscars.org, Oscar.com and the Academy’s digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter). So we hope you can join us.
Voting for the final begins Thursday, March 2, and we hope you’ll continue to visit your local theaters to watch this year’s nominated films. You can also access these movies and bonus content in our fantastic Academy Screening Room.
Thank you, once again, for your dedication and commitment to the Academy. I look forward to celebrating our nominees with you all on March 12!
All my best,
Bill Kramer
Chief Executive Officer