Every year, a few weeks before the big ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences short-lists Hollywood’s best films and actors of the year—and today’s unveiling was full of surprises. First, the Academy broke with its long-standing tradition of announcing nominations via press conference, electing instead to pre-tape packages starring former Oscar winners and nominees like Brie Larson and Glenn Close. Musical darling La La Land made history by scoring 14 nods, tying Titanic and All About Eve for being the most nominated film of all time.
And while last year’s lack of diversity spawned the widely controversial hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, this round acknowledged a slate of actors and actresses of color as well as stories featuring them, including Denzel Washington, Ruth Negga and Moonlight, Barry Jenkins’ poignant drama about a young gay African-American man’s coming-of-age. Perhaps most notable is the fact that Viola Davis snagged three nominations, breaking the record of nominations ever received by a black actress—a shockingly low number but one that is at least improving, albeit far too slowly. With Jimmy Kimmel emceeing the show, the 89th Academy Awards is poised to be one memorable night—catch all the action February 26 on ABC.
Best Picture
- Arrival
- Fences
- Hacksaw Ridge
- Hell or High Water
- Hidden Figures
- La La Land
- Lion
- Manchester By The Sea
- Moonlight
Best Director
- Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
- Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge)
- Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
- Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By The Sea)
- Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
Best Actor In A Leading Role
- Casey Affleck (Manchester By The Sea)
- Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge)
- Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
- Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic)
- Denzel Washington (Fences)
Best Actress In A Leading Role
- Isabelle Huppert (Elle)
- Ruth Negga (Loving)
- Natalie Portman (Jackie)
- Emma Stone (La La Land)
- Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)
Best Actor In A Supporting Role
- Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
- Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
- Lucas Hedges (Manchester By The Sea)
- Dev Patel (Lion)
- Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)
Best Actress In A Supporting Role
- Viola Davis (Fences)
- Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
- Nicole Kidman (Lion)
- Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)
- Michelle Williams (Manchester By The Sea)
See the full list of nominees here.
