With his most recent picture, Oppenheimer, being revealed as the film with the most nominations, Christopher Nolan appears to be on track to win his first Oscar at the event next month.
A biopic of Robert Oppenheimer, the atomic bomb scientist, the movie is nominated for 13 awards, including best director, best picture, and best adapted screenplay. The actors Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and Cillian Murphy are also up for prizes. According to this total, it has received more nominations than any other movie since The Shape of Water in 2018, which went on to win four awards, including best picture and director.
In addition to being the front-runner for next month’s Bafta awards, where he has also never won anything, Nolan has previously been nominated for five Oscars.
The acknowledgment for Universal Pictures’ “Oppenheimer” was anticipated. In the other major categories, however, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences pulled some surprising results.
“Barbie” shattered two stereotypes by not securing a best actress nod for Margot Robbie or a directorial nomination for Greta Gerwig. Positively, America Ferrera received her first nod for her role as a stressed-out mother in Warner Bros.’ “Barbie,” which unexpectedly made an appearance in the supporting actress category. Eight nominations were received for the movie overall, one of which was for the Gerwig and Baumbach adapted screenplay.
Colman Domingo’s leading role in “Rustin” as a talented but imperfect political organiser was appreciated by voters, although Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), a seven-time nominee and one-time winner, was not included in the best actor category. Willem Dafoe (“Poor Things”) was not nominated for supporting actor, while Sterling K. Brown (“American Fiction”) won his first nomination for his portrayal of a chaotic cosmetic surgeon.