Actor–comedian Leslie Jordan and actor, CEO and producer Tracee Ellis Ross
recently announced the 94th Oscars® nominations. Jordan, Ross and several special guests announced the nominees in all 23 categories.
Academy members from each of the 17 branches vote to determine the nominees in their respective categories – actors nominate actors, film editors nominate film editors, etc. In the Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film categories, nominees are selected by a vote of multi–branch screening committees. All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees. This year, the Academy saw its highest ever voter participation in the organization’s history, with members submitting
ballots from 82 countries.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Belfast (Focus Features) – Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all four.
CODA (Apple Original Films) – Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, producers – This is the first nomination for all three.
Don’t Look Up (Netflix) – Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for both Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, who were previously nominated for Vice (2018).
Drive My Car (Sideshow and Janus Films) – Teruhisa Yamamoto, producer – This is his first nomination.
Dune (Warner Bros.) – Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, producers – This is the second nomination for Mary Parent,
who was previously nominated for Best Picture for The Revenant (2015).
This is the first Best Picture nomination for both Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter.
King Richard (Warner Bros.) – Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, producers – This is the first Best Picture nomination for all three.
Licorice Pizza (Metro Goldwyn Mayer/United Artists Releasing) – Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, producers – This is the first nomination for both Sara Murphy and Adam Somner.
This is the third Best Picture nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson. He was previously nominated for There Will Be Blood (2007) and Phantom Thread (2017).
Nightmare Alley (Searchlight) – Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, producers – This is the second Best Picture nomination for both Guillermo del Toro and J. Miles Dale, who won the award for The Shape of Water (2017).
This is the fourth Best Picture nomination for Bradley Cooper. He was previously nominated for American Sniper (2014), A Star
Is Born (2018) and Joker (2019).
The Power of the Dog (Netflix) – Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, producers –
This is the first Best Picture nomination for Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian and Roger Frappier.
This is the third Best Picture nomination for both Emile Sherman and Iain Canning. They won the award for The King’s Speech
(2010) and were nominated for Lion (2016).
West Side Story (Walt Disney) – Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, producers – This is the eleventh Best Picture nomination for Steven Spielberg, who won the award for Schindler’s List (1993). Other nominations were for E.T. The Extra–Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Munich (2005), Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), War Horse (2011), Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017).
This is the third nomination for Kristie Macosko Krieger, who was nominated for Best Picture for Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017).
Achievement in Directing
Belfast – Kenneth Branagh – This is his eighth nomination and second in this category. He is also nominated for Best Picture and Original Screenplay this year. He was nominated for Directing and for his leading role in Henry V (1989), for his live–action short film Swan Song (1992), for his adapted screenplay for Hamlet (1996), and for his supporting role in My Week with Marilyn
(2011).
Drive My Car – Ryusuke Hamaguchi – This is his first nomination in this category. He is also nominated in the Adapted Screenplay
category this year.
Licorice Pizza – Paul Thomas Anderson – This is his eleventh nomination and third in this category. He is also nominated for Best Picture and Original Screenplay this year. He was nominated for his original screenplays for Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999) and for his adapted screenplay for Inherent Vice (2014). He received Directing, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay
nominations for There Will Be Blood (2007) and Directing and Best Picture nominations for Phantom Thread (2017).
The Power of the Dog – Jane Campion – This is her fifth nomination and second in this category. She is also nominated for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay this year. She was nominated for Directing and won an Oscar for her original screenplay for The Piano (1993).
West Side Story – Steven Spielberg – This is his nineteenth nomination and eighth in this category. He is also nominated in the Best Picture category this year. He won Oscars for Directing and Best Picture for Schindler’s List (1993), and for Directing for Saving Private Ryan (1998). Additional Directing nominations were for Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. The Extra–Terrestrial (1982), Munich (2005) and Lincoln (2012). Additional Best Picture nominations were for E.T. The Extra–Terrestrial, The Color Purple (1985), Saving Private Ryan, Munich, Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), War Horse (2011), Lincoln, Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017). Spielberg received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1986.
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Javier Bardem (“Desi Arnaz” in Being the Ricardos) – This is his fourth nomination and third in this category. He was nominated for his leading roles in Before Night Falls (2000) and Biutiful (2010) and won an Oscar for his supporting role in No Country for Old
Men (2007).
Benedict Cumberbatch (“Phil Burbank” in The Power of the Dog) – This is his second nomination in this category. His previous nomination was for The Imitation Game (2014).
Andrew Garfield (“Jon” in tick, tick…BOOM!) – This is his second nomination in this category. His previous nomination was for Hacksaw Ridge (2016).
Will Smith (“Richard Williams” in King Richard) – This is his fourth nomination and third in this category. He is also nominated for Best Picture this year. His previous nominations were for his leading roles in Ali (2001) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).
Denzel Washington (“Macbeth” in The Tragedy of Macbeth) – This is his tenth nomination and seventh in this category. He won Oscars for his supporting role in Glory (1989) and his leading role in Training Day (2001). He was nominated for his leading roles in Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999), Flight (2012), Fences (2016) and Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and for his supporting role in Cry Freedom (1987). He also received a Best Picture nomination for Fences.
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Ciarán Hinds (“Pop” in Belfast) – This is his first nomination.
Troy Kotsur (“Frank Rossi” in CODA) – This is his first nomination.
Jesse Plemons (“George Burbank” in The Power of the Dog) – This is his first nomination.
J.K. Simmons (“William Frawley” in Being the Ricardos) – This is his second nomination in this category. He won an Oscar for his supporting role in Whiplash (2014).
Kodi Smit–McPhee (“Peter Gordon” in The Power of the Dog) – This is his first nomination.
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain (“Tammy Faye Bakker” in The Eyes of Tammy Faye) – This is her third nomination and second in this category. She
was nominated for her supporting role in The Help (2011) and for her leading role in Zero Dark Thirty (2012).
Olivia Colman (“Leda” in The Lost Daughter) – This is her third nomination and second in this category. She won an Oscar for her leading role in The Favourite (2018) and was nominated last year for her supporting role in The Father (2020).
Penélope Cruz (“Janis” in Parallel Mothers) – This is her fourth nomination and second in this category. She was nominated for her leading role in Volver (2006), and for her supporting roles in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), for which she won the award, and Nine (2009).
Nicole Kidman (“Lucille Ball” in Being the Ricardos) – This is her fifth nomination and fourth in this category. She was nominated for her leading roles in Moulin Rouge (2001), The Hours (2002), for which she won the award, and Rabbit Hole (2010), and for her supporting role in Lion (2016).
Kristen Stewart (“Diana” in Spencer) – This is her first nomination.
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Jessie Buckley (“Young Leda” in The Lost Daughter) – This is her first nomination.
Ariana DeBose (“Anita” in West Side Story) – This is her first nomination.
Judi Dench (“Granny” in Belfast) – This is her eighth nomination and third in this category. She was nominated for her supporting roles in Shakespeare in Love (1998), for which she won the award, and Chocolat (2000). She was nominated for leading roles for Mrs. Brown (1997), Iris (2001), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006) and Philomena (2013).
Kirsten Dunst (“Rose Gordon” in The Power of the Dog) – This is her first nomination.
Aunjanue Ellis (“Oracene ‘Brandy’ Williams” in King Richard) – This is her first nomination.
Adapted Screenplay
CODA – Screenplay by Siân Heder (based on the original motion picture La Famille Bélier written by Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carré de Malberg, Eric Lartigau and Thomas Bidegain). – This is her first nomination.
Drive My Car – Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe (based on the story by Haruki Murakami). – This is the first nomination in this category for Ryusuke Hamaguchi. He is also nominated in the Directing category this year.
This is the first nomination for Takamasa Oe.
Dune – Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth (based on the novel by Frank Herbert). – This is the first
nomination for Jon Spaihts.
This is the third nomination and first in this category for Denis Villeneuve. He is also nominated for Best Picture this year. He was previously nominated for Directing for Arrival (2016).
This is the seventh nomination and sixth in a writing category for Eric Roth. He won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay for Forrest Gump (1994). His other nominations were for his adapted screenplays for The Insider (1999), Munich (2005), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and A Star Is Born (2018), and for Best Picture for Mank (2020).
The Lost Daughter – Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal (based on the novel by Elena Ferrante). – This is her second nomination and first in this category. She was nominated for her supporting role in Crazy Heart (2009).
The Power of the Dog – Written by Jane Campion (based on the book by Thomas Savage). – This is her fifth nomination and second in a writing category. She is also nominated for Best Picture and Directing this year. She won an Oscar for her original screenplay for The Piano (1993), for which she was also nominated for Directing.
Original Screenplay
Belfast – Written by Kenneth Branagh. – This is his eighth nomination and second in a writing category. He is also nominated for Best Picture and Directing this year. He was nominated for Directing and for his leading role in Henry V (1989), for his live–action short film Swan Song (1992), for his adapted screenplay for Hamlet (1996), and for his supporting role in My Week with
Marilyn (2011).
Don’t Look Up – Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota. – This is the seventh nomination and third in a writing category for Adam McKay. He is also nominated for Best Picture this year. He was nominated for Directing and won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay for The Big Short (2015), and was nominated for Directing, Original Screenplay and Best Picture for Vice (2018).
This is the first nomination for David Sirota.
King Richard – Written by Zach Baylin. – This is his first nomination.
Licorice Pizza – Written by Paul Thomas Anderson. – This is his eleventh nomination and fifth in a writing category. He is also nominated for Best Picture and Directing this year. He was nominated for his original screenplays for Boogie Nights (1997) and
Magnolia (1999) and for his adapted screenplay for Inherent Vice (2014). He received Directing, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay nominations for There Will Be Blood (2007) and Directing and Best Picture nominations for Phantom Thread (2017).
The Worst Person in the World – Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier. – This is the first nomination for both.
Best International Feature Film
Drive My Car (Japan) [Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.] – This is the fourteenth nomination for Japan. Previous nominations were
for Harp of Burma (1956), Immortal Love (1961), Twin Sisters of Kyoto (1963), Woman in the Dunes (1964), Kwaidan (1965),
Portrait of Chieko (1967), Dodes’ka–Den (1971), Sandakan No. 8 (1975), Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) (1980), Muddy River (1981), The Twilight Samurai (2003), Departures (2008), which won the award, and Shoplifters (2018). Prior to the establishment of a regular award category in 1956, Japan received three Honorary Foreign Language Film Awards for Rashomon
(1951), Gate of Hell (1954) and Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (1955).
Flee (Denmark) [Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.] – This is the fourteenth nomination for Denmark. It has won four Oscars: for Babette’s Feast (1987), Pelle the Conqueror (1988), In a Better World (2010) and last year’s Another Round (2020). Other nominations were for Qivitoq (1956), Paw (1959), Harry and the Butler (1961), Waltzing Regitze (1989), After the Wedding
(2006), A Royal Affair (2012), The Hunt (2013), A War (2015) and Land of Mine (2016).
The Hand of God (Italy) [Directed by Paolo Sorrentino.] – This is the twenty–ninth nomination for Italy. It has won the award eleven times: for La Strada (1956), The Nights of Cabiria (1957), Federico Fellini’s 8½ (1963), Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1964), Investigation of a Citizen above Suspicion (1970), The Garden of the Finzi Continis (1971), Amarcord (1974), Cinema Paradiso
(1989), Mediterraneo (1991), Life Is Beautiful (1998) and The Great Beauty (2013). Prior to the establishment of a regular award category in 1956, Italy also received three Special/Honorary Awards, for Shoe–Shine (1947), The Bicycle Thief (1949) and The Walls of Malapaga (1950) [shared with France]. Other nominations were for The Usual Unidentified Thieves (1958), The Great
War (1959), Kapo (1960), The Four Days of Naples (1962), Marriage Italian Style (1965), The Battle of Algiers (1966), The Girl with the Pistol (1968), Scent of a Woman (1975), Seven Beauties (1976), A Special Day (1977), Viva Italia! (1978), To Forget Venice (1979), Three Brothers (1981), The Family (1987), Open Doors (1990), The Star Maker (1995) and Don’t Tell (2005).
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) [Directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji.] – This is the first nomination for Bhutan.
The Worst Person in the World (Norway) [Directed by Joachim Trier.] – This is the sixth nomination for Norway. Previous nominations were for Nine Lives (1957), Pathfinder (1987), The Other Side of Sunday (1996), Elling (2001) and Kon–Tiki (2012).
Best Animated Feature Film
Encanto – Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer – This is the first nomination for both Jared Bush and Yvett Merino.
This is the third nomination for Byron Howard. He was nominated for Animated Feature Film for Bolt (2008) and Zootopia (2016), for which he won the award.
This is the third nomination for Clark Spencer. He was nominated for Animated Feature Film for Zootopia (2016), for which he won the award, and for Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie – This is the first nomination in this category for Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström and Charlotte De La Gournerie. They are also nominated in the Documentary Feature category this year.
This is the fourth nomination and first in this category for Signe Byrge Sørensen. She is also nominated in the Documentary Feature category this year. She previously received Documentary Feature nominations for The Act of Killing (2013) and The Look of Silence (2015).
Luca – Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren – This is the second nomination and first in this category for Enrico Casarosa. He was nominated for the animated short film La Luna (2011).
This is the first nomination for Andrea Warren.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines – Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht – This is the first nomination for both Mike Rianda and Kurt Albrecht.
This is the second nomination for both Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. They won Oscars for Animated Feature Film for Spider–Man: Into the Spider–Verse (2018).
Raya and the Last Dragon – Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho – This is the second nomination for Don Hall. He won an Oscar for Animated Feature Film for Big Hero 6 (2014).
This is the first nomination for Carlos López Estrada.
This is the second nomination for Osnat Shurer. She was nominated for Animated Feature Film for Moana (2016).
This is the second nomination for Peter Del Vecho. He won an Oscar for Animated Feature Film for Frozen (2013).
The 94th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland® in Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and in more than 200 territories worldwide.