2023 Oscars: Reactions from nominees Paul Mescal, Hong Chau, Colin Farrell and more

The nominations for the 95th Oscars have been announced and the reactions from nominees are pouring in. Keep checking back here as they are updated throughout the day.

Paul Mescal – Actor in a Leading Role for Aftersun

“This is truly a special moment for everyone involved in Aftersun. To be recognised by the Academy is such an insane honour and I’m so utterly grateful. I want to dedicate this nomination to my two friends Charlotte and Frankie who I love dearly! This is bananas, thank you!”

Colin Farrell – Actor in a Leading Role for The Banshees of Inisherin

“Just so grateful to the Academy for all the love it’s shared with the Banshees cast and crew.  Also, beyond honored to be lumped together with my fellow nominees.  A heartfelt congratulations to all the lads!”

Brendan Fraser – Actor in a Leading Role for The Whale

“I’m absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau’s beautiful performance and Adrien Morot’s incredible makeup. I wouldn’t have this nomination without Darren Aronofsky, Samuel D. Hunter, A24 and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie. A gift I certainly didn’t see coming, but it’s one that has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!”

Brendan Gleeson – Actor in a Supporting Role for The Banshees of Inisherin

“What an amazing wake-up call! I’m so proud and grateful to be part of The Banshees of Inisherin on a personal and professional level. I’m absolutely thrilled for the whole brilliant cast and everyone at home. What a day for the Irish film industry on a world stage! Feels like a huge family outing on the cards! Thank you, Academy. Thank you, Martin! Thank you all!”

Ke Huy Quan – Actor in a Supporting Role for Everything Everywhere All At Once

“I cannot even begin to describe how incredible this feeling is to be recognized as an Oscar nominee! Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine this moment. It still doesn’t feel real! Thank you so much to The Academy for this wonderful honor and for believing in our little movie. The outpouring of love and the warm welcome back is something I will cherish forever. To my fellow nominees – I am floored by your work, and I feel very lucky to be standing alongside you today. To my EEAAO family, CONGRATULATIONS! I love you!!!”

Judd Hirsch – Actor in a Supporting Role for The Fabelmans

“In truth, I am surprised, humbled and thankful to be deserving of such an honor. And Steven Spielberg….what can I say.”

Barry Keoghan – Actor in a Supporting Role for The Banshees of Inisherin

“It’s really nice to be recognized along with my Banshees team. Martin, I’m grateful to you for taking the chance on me. And Colin, I love you bro. Thank you to the Academy. This one’s for you, Brando.”

Michelle Yeoh – Actress in a Leading Role for Everything Everywhere All At Once

“I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with happiness! Every single person who worked on this film poured their heart and soul into it, and we are all so grateful to the Academy for recognizing so many from our EEAAO family. Playing Evelyn Wang has been one of the great privileges of my 40 year career. It is truly the role of a lifetime. Thank you to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for seeing me and for this opportunity, I will forever cherish this moment.”

Hong Chau – Actress in a Supporting Role for The Whale

“l am overjoyed by this morning’s news. Being a part of this film was an unforgettable experience, and I share this nomination with the creative and talented people alongside whom I worked on this project. And a big congrats to Brendan, my co-star and dear friend, as well as our amazing hair and makeup team on their nominations this morning. Thank you so much to the Academy for this recognition and a special thank you to Darren, A24, and the entire cast and crew of THE WHALE.”

Kerry Condon – Actress in a Supporting Role for The Banshees of Inisherin

“I’m not sure I can articulate how I feel. ‘Was it a vision or a waking dream?’ This is something I have wanted my whole life. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing me and the cast and crew members of The Banshees of Inisherin”

Martin McDonagh – Best Picture/Best Director/Best Original Screenplay for The Banshees of Inisherin

“So stunned and thrilled about the nine Oscar nominations for The Banshees of Inisherin !”  Especially happy that my good friends Colin Farrell,  Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan were nominated in the acting categories, all as first time nominees,  and that our wonderful score and editing, by Carter Burwell and Mikkel Nielsen, were recognised too. Massive thanks to the Academy. I think we’re going to have a fun night !”

Steven Spielberg – Best Picture/Best Director/Best Original Screenplay for The Fabelmans

“Making The Fabelmans was a once-in-my-lifetime experience, and it wouldn’t have happened without the love, encouragement and support of my family of collaborators, as well as my real family, particularly my wife Kate and my sisters – Anne, Sue and Nancy. To be nominated by the Academy is always an incredible honor – but for this film even more so because of its deeply personal roots, and the only thing missing from my leaping heart is not being able to have my parents in the room for how much they’d be freaking out right now.”

Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Tony Kushner – Best Picture/Best Original Screenplay for The Fabelmans

We as filmmakers focused on the joys, challenges and complexities of one family, and it’s so rewarding to be recognized not only by the Academy, but by those who have told us they see their own experiences reflected back in The Fabelmans. We became a family working on this story about family, and with one voice we want to say – on behalf of our entire cast and crew – how grateful we are for the recognition this morning.

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, – Best Picture/Best Director/Best Original Screenplay – Everything Everywhere All At Once

Wow…we are still processing this surreal list of nominations, but we keep thinking about the folks who have celebrated our film this past year and have shared how much it has meant to them. You got us here and we can feel you celebrating alongside us this morning. Thank you! 

Also, being able to be a small part of Michelle’s legacy as she becomes the first Asian woman to be nominated for Best Actress, is an honor we will cherish all our days. Thank you to the Academy for this embarrassment of riches, thank you A24 for championing this movie from day one, and congrats to all our beautiful friends who got nominated this morning! We love you!

-Daniel, Daniel, and Jonathan

Lukas Dhont / Close writer-director – International Feature Film

“13-year-old me, camera in hand, is jumping up and down screaming in his bedroom! For a long time I thought of cinema as a possibility to escape reality, a place to completely disappear. But fellow Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman showed me it could also become a space to confront the expectations, codes and roles assigned to me as a teenager. I couldn’t be more grateful that this piece about that fragile age is celebrated to this extent. I am grateful to the Academy, A24 and everyone who was with us on the journey of making CLOSE. “

Santiago Mitre / Argentina, 1985, director, co-screenwriter – International Feature Film

“I am overwhelmed by emotion this morning and so grateful to be recognized by the Academy along with these other amazing filmmakers. It was a great honor for me to tell this story, which is not only deeply personal for Argentinians, but also urgent for countless people across the world. The future of democracy is in our hands.” 

Ruben Östlund – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay – Triangle of Sadness

Ahoy! My gratitude goes out to the Academy this evening. Free Botox for everyone!! Maybe now I’ll lose the “Swedish director freaks out title.” It is the perfect dramaturgy! The “triangle of sadness” refers to the space just below one’s forehead, between their eyebrows, that is often considered the first thing to go as we age. In Sweden, we call it, “the trouble wrinkle” and its emergence suggests that the owner has lived a life filled with struggle.  This production was not that…As a director, one of the things I value most is the communal experience we all share when watching something together on the big screen. This film, perhaps more so than any of my previous work, is truly made for cinemas. It is loud, unapologetically in your face and meant to elicit strong reactions.  I am so lucky to do what I get to do while working with an all-star ensemble cast of actors and the production team who were all crazy enough to go on this wild ride with me.

Sara Dosa / Fire of Love director – Documentary Feature

“This nomination is a life changing occurrence –  a profound honor for which me and my entire team share boundless gratitude. We worked tirelessly to create a piece of cinema that weaves together Katia and Maurice’s story from the myriad materials and memories that they left behind. I am deeply indebted to my extraordinary collaborators, National Geographic Documentary Films and most notably, Katia and Maurice Krafft who taught us that the understanding that comes forth from deep inquiry and exploration can be another form of love.”

Domee Shi / Turning Red director – Animated Feature

“Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor. While Turning Red is a very personal story, inspired by my life as a Chinese-Canadian tween struggling with the messiness of adolescence, it also represents a universal struggle of what it means to come into your own person. For me, that meant an entire feature film dedicated to figuring out my own relationship with my own mother – but making it relatable to everyone else. And though I realize not everyone out there is exactly like me, my hope is that people can realize that growing up is weird for EVERYBODY! So I share this nomination with my entire cast and crew at Pixar, and with all the kids out there who are full of so much angst while finding their own way to being an adult – magical puberty not required!” 

Dean Fleischer Camp / Marcel The Shell With Shoes On director/co-screenwriter – Animated Feature

“I am deeply flattered and beside myself, and holy sh*t, just a pile on the floor. Thank you to the Academy for championing new voices and recognizing all our hard work over the last decade. This film is all about family and community, and this honor belongs most of all to the one that helped me make this film.”

Rian Johnson (Writer, Director, Producer) – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Best Adapted Screenplay

“I’m incredibly grateful to my fellow writers in the Academy, and so proud to be included in such a stellar group of nominees.” 

Volker Bertelmann (Composer) – All Quiet on the Western Front – Best Original Score

“I am excited and honored to be nominated for an Oscar. To be part of such a well-crafted and meaningful film means a lot to me. The collaboration with director Edward Berger was always based on being experimental and with a lot of freedom. I am very thankful for that. Congrats to Edward, producer Malte Grunert and the entire team on all their nominations”.

Frank Petzold (VFX Supervisor) – All Quiet on the Western Front – Best Visual Effects

“The VFX team is so incredibly honored and happy to see our work nominated today! With 9 nominations it really shows that the whole team under Edward’s direction crafted an amazing picture and the feedback is stunning.”

Frank Kruse (Sound Designer) – All Quiet on the Western Front – Best Sound Design

On behalf of full Sound team including Lars Ginzel, Marcus Stemler and Viktor Prasil

“I could be wrong but I think this is the first time ever since DAS BOOT that a German film has been nominated for best sound and since that films was a big inspiration for one of the scenes in AQOTWF, we are more than honoured and speechless about our nomination and another 8 nominations for this incredible team. There were a lot of explosions in our film but today our heads exploded hearing about our Oscar nomination! Thank you AMPAS!”

Jenny Beavan – Best Costume Design – Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

“I am completely thrilled with the Oscar nomination for Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris – not just for me and my Team Harris Costume but also for the recognition of our film!

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris seems to me exactly what we all need at the moment – a heart-warming feisty film about achieving your dreams!!

Go Mrs. Harris!!”

Chris Williams (Director, Writer, Producer) – The Sea Beast – Best Animated Feature

“The Sea Beast” – “I’m especially grateful that The Sea Beast was nominated, given that it was an incredible year for animation.  There were so many great films that were nominated and many more that easily could have been. Our intrepid crew poured their hearts into this film and gave it everything they had.  They deserve this recognition, and I’m so proud of them.”

Christian Goldbeck (Production Designer) – All Quiet on the Western Front – Best Production Design

“I am humbled by this wonderful nomination. My thanks goes to my amazing team and the other heads of department. This was truly a team effort.”

Darius Khondji (Cinematographer) –  BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths – Best Cinematography

“I want to send thanks and share this moment with our amazing director, our great crew on Bardo and the fascinating Mexico City that inspired us. Thank you to my fellow cinematographers and The Academy for having nominated our film for Best Cinematography.”

Roger Deakins (Director of Photography), EMPIRE OF LIGHT

“I’m happy to be nominated because it reflects the exceptional work of everyone on the film. The end result was definitely a group effort.”

Mikkel E.G. Nielsen (Editor), The Banshees of Inisherin

“THANK YOU ACADEMY. I’m incredibly honoured for this nomination and very thankful for Martin McDonagh inviting me on his fantastic film.”

Carter Burwell (Composer), The Banshees of Inisherin

“It’s an honor to be nominated for Original Score for The Banshees of Inisherin with these other wonderful composers. It was a good year for film music. And such a joy that the whole cast of our film is nominated, as well as Mikkel for the editing which set the pace for so much of my music. But most of all, I’m so grateful Martin McDonagh made this odd film, the opposite of a crowd-pleaser, which nonetheless is pleasing crowds.”

Guillermo del Toro (Co-Director, Writer, and Producer) and Mark Gustafson (Co-Director) – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Best Animated Feature 

“We are so grateful to the Academy and honored that the medium of animation is accepted for the art form that it truly is. We made this film to reaffirm what it means to be human and to share a fable about life, love and loss. We thank all of our collaborators, our amazing cast and dedicated family of crew & animators who have painstakingly given their all throughout the many years it took to bring our Pinocchio to life.”

Edward Berger (Director, Co-Writer & Producer) – All Quiet on The Western Front 

“When I asked my daughter if I should make All Quiet On The Western Front she said I should, so… here we are. Making a film is alchemy and if the right people and circumstances come together, if you are lucky enough, then somehow, miraculously, audiences connect to the experience. Thank you to everyone who has watched the film. Thank you to the Academy for this recognition. And thank you to my happy band of incredible collaborators. We are so very humbled by these nominations.”

Malte Grunert (Producer) – All Quiet on The Western Front 

“Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor.  All Quiet on The Western Front has a history with the Academy. The first film adaptation was produced in Hollywood  in 1929, at a time when this film already couldn’t have been made in Germany anymore and Hollywood was beginning to become a refuge for so many artists fleeing Europe. The film went on to receive two Academy Awards. To be connected to this history with our film, the first German language adaptation of Remarque’s literary masterpiece, makes us incredibly proud. Thank you very much.”

Directors Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy (Co-Directors) – The Martha Mitchell Effect – Best Documentary Short Film 

“We are so honored to be nominated for Best Documentary Short. 50 years later, Martha’s story couldn’t be more relevant today. This is for her and all the women who have been silenced when speaking truth to power.”

Kartiki Gonsalves (Director) – The Elephant Whisperers – Best Documentary Short Film 

“It’s such an honor to have an Indian Indigenous documentary from the heart of South India acknowledged across the world. Thank you, members of the Academy for nominating ‘The Elephant Whisperers’. I am very thankful to the wonderful team at Netflix for believing in the power of this truly unique family story which showcases the lovely sacred bond between man and animal. ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ is a hopeful story of respect for and cooperation with nature in an era rife with conflict and denial of the threats to our beautiful planet.’ We hope this film helps create more awareness, empathy, and connection to elephants and other living beings that we share our spaces with.

It took five years to make my debut documentary ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, a long personal journey from the place I call home, that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Kattunayakan Community, who opened their hearts and trusted us with their unique experiences and a pathway ahead. On behalf of Bomman, Bellie and our beautiful elephant friends Raghu and Ammu, we are thrilled to receive this great honor!”

Camille Friend – Best Makeup and Hairstyling, BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

“I am truly honored and grateful for this recognition, it is one of the highlights of my career.

It looks like the third time is the charm. I thank the Hair and Makeup branch members of the Academy for their vote as well as my fellow nominee Joel Harlow and all of the hair stylists, barbers, and craftsmen who worked on the film.”

Paul Rogers – Best Editing, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

“What an honor! Thank you to my entire incredible team, and especially to Zoe Mao and Aashish D’Mello, two geniuses who saved our lives constantly throughout the editing process. And congratulations and thank you of course to my directors, my co-editors, and my friends: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. ‘Nothing matters!’”

Mandy Walker, AM, ASC, ACS – Best Cinematography, ELVIS

“Having the opportunity to make a film with such a visionary as Baz Luhrmann is an honor in itself, and to be recognized for my work by the Academy and my peers with this nomination is absolutely amazing. Taking the audience on the epic journey of Elvis’ life was a fantastic feat that wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing creative team, incredible cast, and the support from beginning to end by Warner Bros and our fabulous producers. I am so proud of our movie and all of the hard work that went into making it the spectacle that it is. Thank you!”

Diane Warren – “Applause” – Best Original Song – Tell It Like a Woman

“Wow! This is so amazingly cool. It’s my 14th nomination but it feels like the first. I’m truly grateful for the recognition for this song.”

Justin Hurwitz – Best Original Score – Babylon

“I’m beyond thrilled to be recognized by the Academy for the Babylon score. As soon as Damien had a script for his wild and beautiful movie, I started a three year search for very special musicians who could bring their unique talent and flair to the music. I want to thank the musicians because without them, the Babylon musical performances and score wouldn’t be what they are.”

Carter Burwell – Best Original Score – The Banshees of Inisherin

“It’s an honor to be nominated for Original Score for The Banshees of Inisherin with these other wonderful composers.  It was a good year for film music.  And such a joy that the whole cast of our film is nominated, as well as Mikkel for the editing which set the pace for so much of my music.  But most of all, I’m so grateful Martin McDonagh made this odd film, the opposite of a crowd-pleaser, which nonetheless is pleasing crowds.”

John Williams – Best Original Score – THE FABELMANS

“I’m very grateful to the Academy for their kind recognition, and I’m enormously grateful to Steven Spielberg for offering me the opportunity to compose the score for this very special and personal film.”

Florian Hoffmeister, BSC – Best Cinematography, TÁR

“Wow… I didn’t know! It’s crazy, this is crazy! I actually feel so completely overwhelmed on so many levels, I cannot tell you, just how seriously overwhelmed I am!!  Many years ago, when I got drawn into the art of filmmaking, it were the films that enabled me to ask questions that inspired me most. Todd script and his vision as a director tapped right into this love and I consider it a true honour to have worked alongside him and Cate on a journey that asked us to disappear and let the film carry itself. Sometimes it is really difficult to be really simple. And to be recognised for this is as much an honour as it is overwhelming right now. Thanks dear Academy, and thanks to all the people that supported me on this journey.”

Alice Rohrwacher – Writer/Director of Le Pupille – Live Action Short Film

“It’s an incredible honor for this little film about disobedient school girls to be nominated in the Live Action Short category. From the wonderful Alfonso Cuarón first approaching me with the idea of making a short film about Christmas, to the exquisite writings of the star Elsa Morante that inspired Le Pupille, and the great Goffredo Fofi who pushed me to read this story about scandals, rebellion and a disproportionate cake. I want to thank the brilliant cast and crew who worked through the pandemic to bring our film to life, Alba Rohrwacher and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi who have illuminated this story and the beautiful and rowdy girls who participated. Making this big-little short and partnering with Disney to get it out in the world has been a magical journey. We’re so grateful to have been recognized among so many beautiful films from all over the world.”

Alfonso Cuarón – Producer of Le Pupille – Live Action Short Film

“It was an honor to collaborate on Le Pupille with Alice Rohrwacher, who I believe is one of the most important filmmakers right now. I am thrilled that her very specific and beautiful cinematic voice has been recognized by the Academy.”

Jerzy Skolimowski / EO, director, co-screenwriter; Ewa Piaskowska / EO, producer, co-screenwriter – International Feature Film

“Thank you so much to the Academy for recognizing EO, we are honored to be included amongst such a wonderful group of films. The entire EO team feels absolutely blown away by the nomination, humbled and grateful in equal measure by this amazing honor for a heartfelt story of a simple donkey. Thank you so much to the film critics who recognized and celebrated EO, and thank you to the cinemas around the world who have been playing this film since this fall. We made EO for the big screen, and we are thrilled it resonated with so many hearts across the world during its run in theaters. We are especially indebted to all animals collaborating on this film, especially our lovable donkeys: Tako, Hola, Ettore, Marietta, Rocco and Mela. No amount of carrots will ever be able to fully express our thanks to them.”