2021 Oscars Preview
This year the 93rd Academy Awards will be taking place on Sunday, April 25, 2021. This is two months later than normal, but due to the lingering effects of COVID-19, the ceremony was delayed. The awards represent the pinnacle of filmmaking for most movie lovers, and in this humble narrator’s opinion are THE pinnacle of award shows in general. Aside from the obvious impact COVID had on filmmaking this past year, the slate of nominations and films in this year’s awards show are quite different from the commercial slate last year. The nominations this year demonstrate the clear focus of the Academy to foster an environment of inclusivity. Diverse voices and female voices alike are being heard like never before in the Academy’s long and storied history. Judas and the Black Messiah is the first best picture nom with all Black producers, and for the first time ever, the Best Director category includes two female directors. Whereas last year the focus was on large commercial films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Ford v. Ferrari, 1917, Joker, and Parasite, the 93rd academy awards represent a shift in thinking within the world of entertainment and showcase a variety of arthouse and “indie-type” films with deeper messages and political commentary. While this is representative of Hollywood’s new way of thinking, it will be interesting to see if these changes last in the award nominations moving forward. This town is based on trends and “what’s hot”, and it will be interesting to see if the emphasis shifts back to more commercial blockbusters with the return to theaters.
That being said, now is not the time to mull over next year’s nominees. Now is the time to review this year’s nominees. See below the nominations for the big 8 categories (focused on Picture, Acting, Screenwriting).
Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Director
Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)
Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman)
David Fincher (Mank)
Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round)
Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)
Best Actor
Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal)
Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)
Anthony Hopkins (The Father)
Gary Oldman (Mank)
Steven Yeun (Minari)
Best Actress
Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)
Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday)
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman)
Frances McDormand (Nomadland)
Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman)
Best Original Screenplay
Will Berson and Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah)
Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)
Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman)
Darius Marder and Abraham Marder (Sound of Metal)
Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller (The Father)
Chole Zhao (Nomadland)
Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami…)
Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger)
Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman, and Lee Kern (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)
Best Supporting Actor
Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7)
Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)
Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami…)
Paul Raci (Sound of Metal)
Lakeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah)
Best Supporting Actress
Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)
Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy)
Olivia Coman (The Father)
Amanda Seyfried (Mank)
Youn Yuh-jung (Minari)