Following a turbulent year in the film industry marked by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards announced nominations on Tuesday for Christopher Nolan's blockbuster biopic, "Oppenheimer," which secured a leading 13 nominations.
Nolan's three-hour opus, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan's direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the craft of Nolan's J. Robert Oppenheimer drama.
Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" wasn't far behind with eight nominations, including nods for best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in "What Was I Made For" and "I'm Just Ken." But Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field.
The nominees for best picture are: "American Fiction,” "Anatomy of a Fall,” "Barbie,” "The Holdovers,” "Killers of the Flower Moon,” "Maestro,” "Oppenheimer,” "Past Lives,” "Poor Things” and "The Zone of Interest.”
The nominees for best actress are: Annette Bening, "Nyad” Lily Gladstone, "Killers of the Flower Moon”; Sandra Hüller, "Anatomy of a Fall”; Carey Mulligan, "Maestro”; and Emma Stone, "Poor Things”
The nominees for best actor are: Bradley Cooper, "Maestro”; Colman Domingo, "Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, "The Holdovers”; Cillian Murphy, "Oppenheimer" and Jeffrey Wright, "American Fiction.”
The nominees for best supporting actress are: Emily Blunt, "Oppenheimer”; Danielle Brooks, "The Color Purple”; America Ferrera, "Barbie”; Jodie Foster, "Nyad” and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, "The Holdovers.”
The nominees for best supporting actor: Sterling K. Brown, "American Fiction”; Robert De Niro, "Killers of the Flower Moon”; Robert Downey Jr., "Oppenheimer”; Ryan Gosling, "Barbie” and Mark Ruffalo, "Poor Things.”
The nominees for best director are: Justine Triet, "Anatomy of a Fall”; Yorgos Lanthimos, "Poor Things”; Christopher Nolan, "Oppenheimer”; Martin Scorsese "Killers of the Flower Moon” and Jonathan Glazer, "The Zone of Interest.”
The nominees for best international film are: "Society of the Snow,” (Spain); "The Zone of Interest,” (United Kingdom); "The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); "Io Capitano” (Italy) and "Perfect Day” (Japan)
The nominees for best animated film are: "The Boy and the Heron,” "Elemental,” "Nimona,” "Robot Dreams” and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”
The nominees for costume design are: "Barbie,” "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Napoleon,” "Oppenheimer” and "Poor Things.”
Among the nominated films is the Ukraine war documentary "20 Days in Mariupol,” which is a joint production between The Associated Press (AP) and PBS’ Frontline and will compete in the best documentary category.
Christopher Nolan’s three-hour opus "Oppenheimer” came in as the favorite for best picture, best director and a host of other awards.
Oscar season has reunited "Oppenheimer” with its summer box-office partner, "Barbie.” Greta Gerwig’s feminist blockbuster, easily the biggest hit of the year with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, was not far behind "Oppenheimer.” It stands to win nominations for best picture, best director, acting nods for Ryan Gosling and two best-song candidates in "What Was I Made For” and "I’m Just Ken.” Though the script by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach was campaigned for as original, the academy is counting it in the adapted category.
Lily Gladstone is the first Native American nominated for best actress, for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s "Killers of the Flower Moon.”
One of the most prominent "Barbenheimer" battles is in the supporting actor race. There, Downey Jr. and Gosling will face off.
Historically, blockbusters have helped fuel Oscar ratings. Though the pile-up of award shows (an after-effect of last year’s strikes ) could be detrimental to the Academy Awards, the "Barbenheimer" presence could help lift the March 10 telecast on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel is returning as host, with the ceremony moved up an hour, to 7 p.m. EST.
