Like sisters are supposed to, the stars of “His Three Daughters” will support each other throughout this year’s Oscar race.
Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen — all praised for their performances in Azazel Jacobs’ family drama — have chosen to submit for Oscar consideration in the supporting actress category, it was revealed to Variety exclusively. In addition, co-stars Jovan Adepo, Jay O. Sanders and Rudy Galvan will be vying for supporting actor consideration.
Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.
Written and directed by Jacobs, “His Three Daughters” follows three estranged sisters reuniting to care for their terminally ill father in his Brooklyn apartment. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and was acquired by Netflix for a reported $7 million. It has since received glowing reviews, maintaining a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety’s chief film critic, Owen Gleiberman, praised the movie, writing: “‘His Three Daughters’ is the work of a filmmaker who has finally come into his own. Azazel Jacobs was always gifted. Now he’s major.”
Award season campaigns can be tricky when multiple stars from the same film are vying for similar recognition. In the past, some movies have successfully navigated this challenge, such as Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” (2018), which split its three protagonists: Olivia Colman (who won best actress) and Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz (both nominated in supporting). But not all such efforts yield success: F. Gary Gray’s “Straight Outta Compton” (2015) saw its three breakout stars — Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Jason Mitchell — submit in the supporting actor category without earning any nominations. With a crowded field expected in best supporting actress this year, especially among Netflix counterparts like Danielle Deadwyler (“The Piano Lesson”), Selena Gomez, and Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”), the fate of “His Three Daughters” remains uncertain despite the cast’s critically acclaimed turns.
“His Three Daughters” stars Elizabeth Olsen as Christina, Carrie Coon as Katie and Natasha Lyonne as Rachel.
Sam Levy/Netflix
Among the cast, Lyonne, who has the most screen time, plays Rachel, the non-biological daughter who’s become her father’s primary caretaker as he enters hospice care. Lyonne, who rose to fame in films like “American Pie” (1999) and in the hit series “Orange Is the New Black,” has been nominated for five Emmys, including for her roles in “Russian Doll” and “Poker Face.” In “His Three Daughters,” she delivers her most subtle and nuanced performance, skillfully using her distinctive raspy voice and commanding presence to convey deep layers.
Coon, fresh off her second Emmy nomination for HBO/Max’s “The Gilded Age,” plays Katie, the eldest and most authoritative of the sisters. Known as an actor’s actor, Coon has already proven her dramatic prowess with a Tony nomination for the 2012 revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and pivotal roles in films like “Gone Girl” and “The Nest.” It’s a career-best turn, and she could be a spoiler if vote-splitting doesn’t become a hurdle.
Olsen, who plays Christina, the emotionally grounded middle sister caught between her feuding siblings, delivers another example of her deep talent. An Emmy nominee for her role as Wanda Maximoff in Disney/Marvel’s “WandaVision,” she’s built a reputation for taking on complex, emotionally charged roles. From her breakout in “Martha Marcy May Marlene” to her menacing turn in HBO/Max’s “Love & Death” miniseries, she’s continued to stretch herself in indie and blockbuster films.
Historically, voters have often reocgnized two nominees from the same film, making it one of the few categories where such overlap is frequent. This trend could work in favor of the ensemble, potentially putting them all in the mix. Nonetheless, competition is fierce this season.
In addition to its potential for acting nominations, “His Three Daughters” will pursue recognition in other major categories. These include best picture, director and original screenplay for Jacobs, and original score and song (“In Time”), composed and performed by Rodrigo Amarante.
“His Three Daughters” is currently streaming on Netflix.