“Sinners” set a new Oscars record with 16 nominations, but it was not the only talking point from the Academy’s announcement on Thursday.
Among the biggest surprises and snubs was the absence of Ariana Grande. The pop star earned a best supporting actress nomination last year for the first Wicked film, but missed out this year despite taking a larger role in the second chapter. In fact, Wicked: For Good received no nominations at all, after the first film landed 10 nods and won two Oscars. Other notable omissions included One Battle After Another star Chase Infiniti and Hamnet lead Paul Mescal. Surprise acting nominations went to Delroy Lindo for Sinners and Elle Fanning for Norwegian dramedy Sentimental Value.
Warner Bros emerged as a dominant force, with Sinners leading the field and One Battle After Another close behind with 13 nominations. The studio’s success comes amidst uncertainty over its future, as it is the subject of a bidding war between Paramount Skydance and Netflix.
Records also fell beyond Sinners. A record four non-English-language acting performances were nominated, reflecting the Academy’s increasingly global outlook. Three Norwegian actors from Sentimental Value were recognised, alongside Brazilian actor Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent. Meanwhile, Hamnet director Chloe Zhao became only the second woman to receive multiple directing nominations, after Jane Campion.
This year also marked the introduction of a best casting category, the first new Oscar category since 2002. Nominations largely mirrored best picture frontrunners, including Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent and Sinners.
Timothée Chalamet continued his strong Oscars run with his third best actor nomination for Marty Supreme, while also earning a producer nomination for the same film. The movie outperformed expectations with nine nominations, strengthening Chalamet’s chances ahead of the March ceremony. — AFP
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