Oscar nominations reignite row over diversity in Hollywood

By MiNDFOOD

Best actress Oscar nominees for the 91st annual Academy Awards (L-R) Lady Gaga, Yalitza Aparicio, Glenn Close, Olivia Colman and Melissa McCarthy are seen in a combination of file photos.  REUTERS/Staff/File Photos - RC1E230F0940
Best actress Oscar nominees for the 91st annual Academy Awards (L-R) Lady Gaga, Yalitza Aparicio, Glenn Close, Olivia Colman and Melissa McCarthy are seen in a combination of file photos. REUTERS/Staff/File Photos - RC1E230F0940
The Oscar nominations are out, but controversy over the lack of gender and ethnic diversity in the list is overshadowing the triumphs of those recognised this year.

In an all-too-familiar scenario, no women have been recognised in the list of best directors. Over the past 10 years, 49 out of the 50 best director nominees have been men. Only five women have been nominated in the category in the 92-year history of the Oscars.

Many believe Greta Gerwig deserved a nod for her adaptation of classic novel Little Women. There had also been whispers Lulu Wang and Marielle Heller might be acknowledged for The Farewell and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood respectively.

It was a year of stiff competition, however, with most of the category taken up by industry heavyweights including Martin Scorsese, Sam Mendes, and Quentin Tarantino.

Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo is the only person of colour to be nominated for an acting award. She was recognised for her role as anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman in Harriet.

There were hopes of nominations for Lupita Nyong’o for Us, Awkwafina for The Farewell, Eddie Murphy for Dolemite Is My Name, and Jennifer Lopez for Hustlers – films that all shockingly received no nominations. Awkwafina’s snub was particularly surprising given her recent Golden Globes win.

When it comes to the acting categories, multiple Oscars favourites of years gone by feature on the lists, including Al Pacino for The Irishman, Sir Anthony Hopkins for The Two Popes, Tom Hanks for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Renee Zellweger for Judy.

The controversy over a lack of diversity comes just a few years after the #OscarsSoWhite saga, which saw the Academy forced to reassess its processes following all-white acting nominees for the 2015 and 2016 awards.

Here’s the full list of this year’s nominees:

Best Picture:

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Parasite

Best Actor:

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Best Actress:

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

Best Supporting Actor:

Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Supporting Actress:

Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Best Director:

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman

Todd Phillips, Joker

Sam Mendes, 1917

Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Best Animated Feature:

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

I Lost My Body

Klaus

Missing Link

Toy Story 4

Best Animated Short:

Dcera (Daughter)

Hair Love

Kitbull

Memorable

Sister

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

The Two Popes

Best Original Screenplay:

Knives Out by Rian Johnson

Marriage Story by Noah Baumbach

1917 by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino

Parasite by Bong Joon Ho & Han Jin Won

Best Cinematography:

The Irishman

Joker

The Lighthouse

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Documentary Feature:

American Factory

The Cave

The Edge of Democracy

For Sama

Honeyland

Best Documentary Short Subject:

In the Absence

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)

Life Overtakes Me

St. Louis Superman

Walk Run Cha-Cha

Best Live Action Short Film:

Brotherhood

Nefta Football Club

The Neighbors’ Window

Saria

A Sister

Best International Feature Film:

Corpus Christi

Honeyland

Les Miserables

Pain and Glory

Parasite

Best Film Editing:

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Parasite

Best Sound Editing:

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Sound Mixing:

Ad Astra

Ford v Ferrari

Joker

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Production Design:

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

1917

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Parasite

Best Original Score:

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Original Song:

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story 4

“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman

“I’m Standing With You,” Breakthrough

“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II

“Stand Up,” Harriet

Best Makeup and Hair:

Bombshell

Joker

Judy

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

1917

Best Costume Design:

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Best Visual Effects:

Avengers: Endgame

The Irishman

The Lion King

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

 

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