This year’s Oscar nominations break records for both women and minorities.
On March 15, this year’s Oscar nominations were announced by actress and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas and actor and music artist Nick Jonas. Two women were nominated for Best Director this year. If either woman wins, she will be the second woman named Best Director and the first since 2010.
“Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) scored nominations alongside Lee Isaac Chung (Minari), David Fincher (Mank) and Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round),” The New York Times reported. “The honor is also notable because the category rarely features any women: before this year, only five female filmmakers had been recognized.”
According to The New York Times, the film “Nomadland” (directed by Zhao) is a strong contender to win best picture at the Oscars, with Zhao as the first Chinese woman nominated for best director. “Nomadland” already broke records at the Golden Globes this year.
“Zhao became the first Asian woman to win best director at the Golden Globes in February, when Nomadland, the story of a widow who joins the country’s itinerant work force, also picked up best picture in the drama category,” The New York Times reported.
The Guardian reported nine Oscar nominees this year are people of color, whereas Cynthia Elviro was the only person of color nominated in 2020.
“Riz Ahmed (for Sound of Metal), Steven Yeun (Minari) and Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) join Oldman and Anthony Hopkins (The Father) in the best actor race,” The Guardian reported. “This is the first year two actors of Asian heritage have featured in the leading man category.”
The Academy Awards ceremony will be on Sunday, April 25. Unlike the Golden Globes, the event will be entirely in person, with measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“To keep attendees – limited to nominees, their guests and presenters – safe, producers are treating the ‘event as an active movie set,’ including an on-site COVID safety team with PCR testing capability,” USA TODAY reported.