By Katie Sterling
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their nominations for the 96th Oscars – the awards show with perhaps the most coveted statue of them all. Per usual, there were snubs, there were surprises, and Spielberg once again broke records.
While many look to the winners of the Golden Globes to determine who might take home the Academy Award, the annual show has proved that it can be a night full of surprises. While the 96th Oscars won’t be televised until March 10, and hosted by the always comedic Jimmy Kimmel, it’s never too early to start thinking of those Oscar ballots. Who will win? Who should win? Some may even say, “Who cares?”
Oppen-heimer leads the nominations with a total of 13, followed by Poor Things with 11, Killers of the Flower Moon with 10 and Barbie with eight. While the list of nominees and categories is extensive, below are some of the top awards with speculation as to who may win.
Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall – won GG for Best Motion Picture Non-English Language and Best Screenplay
Barbie – won GG for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement (Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were both snubbed for Director and Lead Actress, although Ryan Gosling got nominated for Best Actor soooo basically life imitating Barbie art?)
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro – this is where Spielberg breaks records – he has been a producer on 13 films that have all been nominated for Best Picture
Oppenheimer – won GG for Best Motion Picture, Drama – likely to take home the Oscar
Past Lives
Poor Things – won GG for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
The Zone of Interest
Best Directing
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon – most nominated living director
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – won GG for Best Director and will most likely win the Oscar.
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
(The exclusion of Greta Gerwig is perhaps the biggest snub audiences have declared regarding this year’s nominations).
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Colman Domingo – Rustin
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers – if Murphy doesn’t win, it’s Giamatti as a very very close second
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer – won GG, will most likely win Oscar – many were shocked Leo DiCaprio was snubbed in this category
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening – Nyad
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon – won the GG, will most likely win the Oscar (fun fact: if she does, she fulfills her high school superlative of “Most Likely to Win an Oscar”)
Sandra Huller – Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan – Maestro
Emma Stone – Poor Things – the second “Stone” to potentially steal it (again, many were shocked Margot Robbie was robbed of a nomination for playing the titular character of perhaps the biggest box office movie of the year, Barbie)
Best Actor
in a Supporting Role
Sterling K Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer – won the GG
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
(It wouldn’t be surprising if this came down to the two Roberts…however, given how the Barbie nominations have gone, it wouldn’t be totally shocking if Ken took home the prize)
Best Actress
in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – won the GG and the Oscar is most certainly hers.
