The 96th annual Oscar nominations were revealed Tuesday morning in Los Angeles. And as usual, the newest lineup featured a number of historic milestones. Among them this year:
Best Picture
◦ With his 13th nomination, Steven Spielberg has extended his record as the most nominated producer ever for “Maestro.” It marks Spielberg’s 25th nomination overall.
◦ A record three producers of Best Picture nominees (Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, Bradley Cooper) were also nominated for acting. The only person to ever win for producing and acting in the same year is Frances McDormand for 2020’s “Nomadland.”
◦ Independent film pioneer Christine Vachon (“Past Lives”) receives her first ever nomination.
Acting categories
◦ Best Actress nominee Lily Gladstone (“Killer of the Flower Moon”) is the first Native American acting nominee.
◦ Gladstone is the second Native American nominee in any category, after Buffy Saint-Marie, who won for Best Song in 1983, and the fourth Indigenous person nominated for Best Actress after Merle Oberon (part Maori), Keisha Castle-Hughes (Maori) and Yalitza Aparicio (Mixtec and Trique). Chief Dan George and Graham Greene were indigenous Canadian nominees in the supporting actor category. Taika Waititi (Best Adapted Screenplay, 2019) and Sainte-Marie are the only Indigenous winners.
◦ The 29 year gap between nominations for Jodie Foster (“Nyad”) ties Angela Bassett (1993-2022) as the third longest among actresses. Helen Hayes (39 years) and Lynn Redgrave (32 years) lead the list among actresses.
◦ Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”) is the 20th actor to direct himself to a nomination. And the first since himself for 2018’s “A Star is Born.”
◦ Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) is the first openly gay Best Actor nominee since Ian McKellen was nominated for 1998’s “Gods and Monsters.”
◦ After only two nominees in the categories last year were for biopics (“Elvis” and “Blonde”), this year is a return to Academy form, with 10 actors – half of the total lineup – nominated for playing real people.
Best Director
◦ Martin Scorsese, 81, is the eldest nominee for Best Director ever and the first octogenarian. “Prizzi’s Honor” director John Huston, then 79, has held the record since 1986.
◦ With his 10th nomination, Scorsese is alone in second place behind William Wyler (12 noms) as the most nominated director, breaking a tie with Steven Spielberg. Scorsese has earned 17 total career nominations for directing, writing, and producing.
◦ Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”) is the ninth woman nominated for Best Director.
Cinematography
Four out of five films were shot entirely or partially in black-and-white.
Music
John Williams, 91, is oldest nominee ever in any category (“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”), his 49th Best Score nom and 54th nom overall. He was 35 when he received his first nomination in 1968.
More to come
