“Woman King” Oscar campaign: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch

After two weeks of strong box office performances, stellar reviews and passionate fan responses, “The Woman King” has emerged as one of the year’s standout hits, with plans to compete in the reward races to grab the attention of major and craft categories.

One of the stars of the film, Thuso Mbedu, who plays the young Nawi, will campaign to sustain the attention of the actress, Variety has learned. Oscar winner Viola Davis (“Fences”) will be the only actress campaigning for the lead actress.

Mbedu, who caused a stir in director Barry Jenkins’ Emmy-nominated 2021 series ‘The Underground Railroad’, will compete to support alongside co-stars Sheila Atim, Jayme Lawson, Adrienne Warren and most prominent Lashana Lynch. . All male actors, including John Boyega, will compete as a supporting actor.

Beginning with the duo ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939) Olivia de Havilland and winner Hattie McDaniel, who became the first black woman to win an Oscar, we’ve seen a total of 35 films get two names for the supporting actress on Oscars History. The last occurrence was Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for “The Favorite” (2018).

There was an example of two black women nominated in the same film category – Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey for “The Color Purple” (1986). In fact, that’s only happened once in any other acting category: the shocking double dip of eventual winner Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield (who campaigned on top) for “Judas and the Black Messiah” (2021).

Lily: the latest predictions, visit Variety Oscar Center.

Can Mbedu and Lynch catch the eye of the acting industry? With the recent news of Michelle Williams looking for a lead actress name, their odds increase dramatically, although many believe Mbedu is more of a starring role in ‘The Woman King’.

Davis has broken ceilings at the Academy in recent years. She is already the most nominated black woman in history with four nominations. She is also the first to be nominated for Best Actress a second time. If she manages to be nominated again for her work as a general and warrior Nanisca, she would be the first black woman to be nominated for a film on which she also served as a producer.

If “The Woman King” lands among the 10 films nominated for Best Picture, Davis would be only the third black woman nominated in the category after Winfrey (“Selma”) and Kimberly Steward (“Manchester by the Sea”). If able to land in lead actress as well, she would be the first black woman and second woman to be nominated to star and produce in the same year. The other was Frances McDormand for “Nomadland” (2020), who won both. For context, people like Warren Beatty and Clint Eastwood have done this many times.

To add some mirth to the equation, her co-star, co-producer and husband Julius Tennon, would also be nominated, marking the first time a married couple has shared the best picture nomination in the same year.

Six black men have been nominated for achievement in Oscar history – John Singleton (“Boyz n the Hood”), Lee Daniels (“Precious”), Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”), Barry Jenkins (“ Moonlight”), Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) and Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”) Despite close calls and blatant snubs for artists like Ava DuVernay and Regina King, we have yet to see a black woman nominated. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood could become the first.

Composer Terence Blanchard made history as the first black composer to be nominated twice for the original score after “Da 5 Bloods” (2020). He could extend this record. That same year was also the first time multiple black composers were nominated, the other being eventual winner Jon Batiste for “Soul” (featuring Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross).

Cinematographer Polly Morgan hopes to join Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”) and Ari Wegner (“The Power of the Dog”) as the only female nominees in the category.

Editor Terilyn A. Shropshire would be the third black person and second black woman named after Hugh A. Robertson (“Midnight Cowboy”) and Joi McMillon (“Moonlight”).

As it stands, Oscar-winning actress Hannah Beachler’s historic win for “Black Panther” (2018) is the only winner and nominee for black production designers. The creation of the Kingdom of Dahomey by Akin McKenzie in the 19th century could make him the second.

Written by Dana Stevens, “The Woman King” has now grossed $36.2 million at the domestic box office. He hopes to continue his historic run into Oscar season.