93rd Oscar Nominations: Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell make history, ‘Mank’ leads with 10
Seventy women received a total 76 nominations, a record for a given year
The nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards were announced on Monday morning where Oscar history was made as two women, Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell, were both nominated in Best Director. It marked the first time in history that two women were nominated in that category in the same year.
Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) is the first woman to receive four nominations in a single year. Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) becomes the third woman with three nominations in a single year, Sofia Coppola and Fran Walsh, who both accomplished that feat in 2003.
Fennell is the first woman to be nominated for her feature film directing debut. Zhao is the first woman of color to be nominated for Directing. Previous women nominated for Directing are Lina Wertmüller, Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola, Kathryn Bigelow, the only winner, and Greta Gerwig.
Frances McDormand (Nomadland) becomes the third woman (after Barbra Streisand and Oprah Winfrey) to have both an acting and a Best Picture nomination, but she is the first to earn them for the same film.
Leslie Odom, Jr. is the fifth person (and first man) to receive acting and song nominations for the same film. Mary J. Blige was the first, with her nominations for Mudbound in 2017, followed by Lady Gaga with her nominations for A Star Is Born in 2018, and Cynthia Erivo with her nominations for Harriet in 2019. Barbra Streisand was the first person to receive nominations in both categories but for different films.
Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) became the third person to be nominated for Razzie and Oscar nominations for the same performance. The first two were James Coco and Amy Irving, nearly 40 years ago.
Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), who died on August 28, 2020, is the seventh performer to receive a posthumous nomination.
Judas and the Black Messiah earned two nominations in the supporting actor category, a rarity. Even more unique was that one of the nominees, LaKeith Stanfield, was campaigned in lead. His co-star, Daniel Kaluuya, is considered the frontrunner in that category. The all-Black producing team on the film: Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler mark the first time in Oscar history an all-Black team has been nominated for Best Picture.
With Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) and Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) nominated, this is the first time since 1972 that two Black women are nominated in Best Actress in the same year. The last time was Cicely Tyson (Sounder) and Diana Ross (Lady Sings the Blues). Ironically, both Day and Ross played legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday.
Eleven actors are first-time nominees (Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Chadwick Boseman, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Leslie Odom, Jr., Paul Raci, Amanda Seyfried, Lakeith Stanfield, Steven Yeun and Yuh-Jung Youn). Five of the nominees are previous acting winners (Olivia Colman, Viola Davis, Anthony Hopkins, Frances McDormand and Gary Oldman). Anthony Hopkins is the only acting nominee who was also nominated last year.
New streamer Apple earned its first ever Oscar nominations with Greyhound in Sound and Wolfwalkers in Animated Feature.
Asians and Asian-Americans had a banner year with several firsts, including those mentioned above for Chloé Zhao. Steven Yeun (Minari) became the first Asian-American nominated in Best Actor and Minari producer Christina Oh became the first Asian-American woman nominated for Best Picture.
With its first nomination, Tunisia becomes the fifth country from the continent of Africa to be nominated for International Feature Film. The Man Who Sold His Skin is the tenth film nominated from the region. Previous nominations include five films from Algeria, two from South Africa, and one each from Ivory Coast and Mauritania.
Collective, from Romania, became only the second film to earn nominations in both Documentary Feature and International Feature Film. The first was Honeyland from Macedonia, two years ago.
Netflix’s Mank led the nominations with 10 including Best Picture and Best Director for David Fincher but missed in Original Screenplay, written by his father, Jack Fincher. Six films shared six nominations apiece: Judas and the Black Messiah, Nomadland, Minari, The Father, Sound of Metal and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Netflix led the total nominations with 35, up from 24 last year.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas announced the nominations from London while Academy president Dave Rubin introduced them from the new Academy museum in Los Angeles where he revealed the 93rd Oscars will be held on April 25 as planned but in two locations, Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood.
In a letter received by and reported exclusively by Variety from Academy president Dave Rubin, there will be no in-person events including the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, the International Feature Film nominee cocktail reception, and public programming for the Short Film, Documentary, Animated Feature, International Feature Film and Makeup and Hairstyling categories. The letter also detailed that the only people that will be present at the dual ceremonys’ two locations will be will be nominees, their guest, and presenters.
Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 23 categories beginning
Thursday, April 15, through Tuesday, April 20.
The 93rd Academy Awards will be held on April 25, 2021. Details of the ceremony are yet to be determined. Here is the full list of nominations.
Best motion picture of the year
- “The Father” David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
- “Judas and the Black Messiah” Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
- “Mank” Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
- “Minari” Christina Oh, Producer
- “Nomadland” Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
- “Promising Young Woman” Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
- “Sound of Metal” Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
- “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers
Achievement in directing
- “Another Round” Thomas Vinterberg
- “Mank” David Fincher
- “Minari” Lee Isaac Chung
- “Nomadland” Chloé Zhao
- “Promising Young Woman” Emerald Fennell
Performance by an actor in a leading role
- Riz Ahmed in “Sound of Metal”
- Chadwick Boseman in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- Anthony Hopkins in “The Father”
- Gary Oldman in “Mank”
- Steven Yeun in “Minari”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
- Sacha Baron Cohen in “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
- Daniel Kaluuya in “Judas and the Black Messiah”
- Leslie Odom, Jr. in “One Night in Miami…”
- Paul Raci in “Sound of Metal”
- LaKeith Stanfield in “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
- Viola Davis in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- Andra Day in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
- Vanessa Kirby in “Pieces of a Woman”
- Frances McDormand in “Nomadland”
- Carey Mulligan in “Promising Young Woman”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
- Maria Bakalova in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”
- Glenn Close in “Hillbilly Elegy”
- Olivia Colman in “The Father”
- Amanda Seyfried in “Mank”
- Yuh-Jung Youn in “Minari”
Adapted screenplay
- “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
- “The Father” Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
- “Nomadland” Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
- “One Night in Miami…” Screenplay by Kemp Powers
- “The White Tiger” Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
Original screenplay
- “Judas and the Black Messiah” Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
- “Minari” Written by Lee Isaac Chung
- “Promising Young Woman” Written by Emerald Fennell
- “Sound of Metal” Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
- “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Written by Aaron Sorkin
Achievement in film editing
- “The Father” Yorgos Lamprinos
- “Nomadland” Chloé Zhao
- “Promising Young Woman” Frédéric Thoraval
- “Sound of Metal” Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
- “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Alan Baumgarten
Achievement in cinematography
- “Judas and the Black Messiah” Sean Bobbitt
- “Mank” Erik Messerschmidt
- “News of the World” Dariusz Wolski
- “Nomadland” Joshua James Richards
- “The Trial of the Chicago 7” Phedon Papamichael
Achievement in production design
- “The Father” Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
- “Mank” Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
- “News of the World” Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
- “Tenet” Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
Achievement in costume design
- “Emma” Alexandra Byrne
- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Ann Roth
- “Mank” Trish Summerville
- “Mulan” Bina Daigeler
- “Pinocchio” Massimo Cantini Parrini
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
- “Emma” Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
- “Hillbilly Elegy” Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
- “Mank” Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
- “Pinocchio” Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
- “Da 5 Bloods” Terence Blanchard
- “Mank” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
- “Minari” Emile Mosseri
- “News of the World” James Newton Howard
- “Soul” Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
- “Fight For You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas - “Hear My Voice” from “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite - “Husavik” from “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”
Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson - “Io Sì (Seen)” from “The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)”
Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini - “Speak Now” from “One Night in Miami…”
Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
Achievement in sound
- “Greyhound” Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
- “Mank” Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
- “News of the World” Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
- “Soul” Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
- “Sound of Metal” Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
Achievement in visual effects
- “Love and Monsters” Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
- “The Midnight Sky” Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
- “Mulan” Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
- “The One and Only Ivan” Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
- “Tenet” Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
Best animated feature film of the year
- “Onward” Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
- “Over the Moon” Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
- “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
- “Soul” Pete Docter and Dana Murray
- “Wolfwalkers” Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
Best documentary feature
- “Collective” Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
- “Crip Camp” Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
- “The Mole Agent” Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
- “My Octopus Teacher” Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
- “Time” Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
Best international feature film of the year
- “Another Round” Denmark
- “Better Days” Hong Kong
- “Collective” Romania
- “The Man Who Sold His Skin” Tunisia
- “Quo Vadis, Aida?” Bosnia and Herzegovina
Best animated short film
- “Burrow” Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
- “Genius Loci” Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
- “If Anything Happens I Love You” Will McCormack and Michael Govier
- “Opera” Erick Oh
- “Yes-People” Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
Best documentary short subject
- “Colette” Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
- “A Concerto Is a Conversation” Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
- “Do Not Split” Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
- “Hunger Ward” Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
- “A Love Song for Latasha” Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
Best live action short film
- “Feeling Through” Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
- “The Letter Room” Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
- “The Present” Farah Nabulsi
- “Two Distant Strangers” Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
- “White Eye” Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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