Academy Award Nominees: Everything You Need to Know Before the Big Night

By: Adam Beam 4/4/21

Following this year’s Golden Globe Awards, the anticipation for the 93rd Academy Awards were high, and now with the nominees officially being released, we have a clearer idea for what to expect from Hollywood’s most glamorous night.

Once again, it was the Netflix original “Mank” that is leading in nominations, currently with 10 overall, including a best picture, best director, best actor, and best supporting actress.

Alongside “Mank”, the other nominees for Best Picture include “Judas and the Black Messiah”, “The Father”, “Minari”, “Nomadland”, “Promising Young Woman”, “Sound of Metal” and “Trial of the Chicago 7”. With each of the films garnering nominations in multiple categories alongside Best Picture.

In the acting categories, we see returning frontrunners from the Golden Globes, including the late Chadwick Boseman, who won a globe for his posthumous performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. We also have Frances McDormand and Carey Mulligan again leading the polls for Best Actress.

Amanda Seyfried now faces Maria Bakalova from “Borat: Subsequent Movie Film” in the Best Supporting Actress category. “Judas and the Black Messiah” co-stars Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield are both up for a Best Supporting Actor award.

Lee Isaac Chung and Thomas Vinterbeg now replace Aaron Sorkin and Regina King, as contenders for Best Director.

This year’s Academy Awards also show a massive step in the name of diversity, as it was the first of many milestones for the Awards. The first all-Black producing team has been nominated for Best Picture for the film “Judas and the Black Messiah”. Riz Ahmed will be the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor for “The Sound of Metal”, as well as being one of the two actors of Asian descent to be nominated, alongside Steven Yuen for “Minari”. Viola Davis with her nomination for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, now has made history as the most nominations for an African American woman.

Now of course, these nominations means snubs and surprises are soon to follow. The biggest snubs include Jodie Foster, who was unable to secure a Best Supporting Actress nomination even after winning the Golden Globe in the same category. “One Night in Miami” only secured 3 nominations. “Da 5 Bloods” actor Delroy Lindo, again missed out on a Best Actor nomination despite being a critic’s favorite.

Arguably, the biggest surprise was Glenn Close, who received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in “Hillbilly Elegy”, a film that garnered poor critical praise, and she is now the first actress to be nominated for an Oscar and Razzie Award for the same role.

The 93rd Academy Awards are set to air on Sunday, April 25th beginning at 8 PM on ABC, though it is still unclear if the award will run similar to The Golden Globes with COVID-19 restrictions. It should also be interesting to see if they go another year without a host, which has been the trend since 2019.