Introduction
The oscar nominations 2024 are finally here after months of awards season speculation and predictions. This year’s nominations cover a diverse range of thought-provoking films and performances that resonated with audiences and critics alike.
Leading the pack is Christopher Nolan’s WWII biopic Oppenheimer with a whopping 13 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan, and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy’s transformative turn as the enigmatic physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. Martin Scorsese’s latest crime epic Killers of the Flower Moon trails close behind with 10 nominations.
Several landmark nominations made history this year:
- Lily Gladstone became the first Native American nominee for Best Actress for her heartbreaking performance in Killers of the Flower Moon.
- At 81, Martin Scorsese is now the oldest nominee ever for Best Director.
- For the first time, 3 Best Picture nominees (Barbie, Anatomy of a Fall, and Past Lives) were directed by women.
Greta Gerwig’s pop culture phenomenon Barbie scored 8 nominations including Best Picture but was surprisingly snubbed for Gerwig’s directing and lead actress Margot Robbie. America Ferrera did sneak in a surprising Best Supporting Actress nod for her monologue on women’s expectations.
Other shocking snubs included May December’s Charles Melton for Best Actor and Leonardo DiCaprio for Killers of the Flower Moon.
The key Best Picture contenders and nominations are:
| Film | Nominations |
| Oppenheimer | 13 |
| Poor Things | 11 |
| Killers of the Flower Moon | 10 |
| Barbie | 8 |
| The Holdovers | 3 |
The Best Director race remains wide open but the 5 nominees are all veterans:
- Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
- Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon)
- Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)
- Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest)
- Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall)
Bradley Cooper, Colman Domingo, Paul Giamatti, Cillian Murphy, and Jeffrey Wright make up the Best Actor category covering a range of biopics and complex leading roles.
For Best Actress, the stellar nominees are Annette Bening, Lily Gladstone, Sandra Hüller, Carey Mulligan and Emma Stone.
The 2024 Oscars ceremony on March 10 will surely be a memorable one with such a diverse and acclaimed slate of nominees. Tune in to see who takes home Hollywood’s highest honor!
Major Nominees for Best Picture
This year’s oscar nominations 2024 for Best Picture comprise a highly competitive field of critically acclaimed films covering a variety of thought-provoking themes.
The frontrunner is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, with a leading 13 nominations. This ambitious biopic depicts the complex moral dilemmas faced by J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who led the creation of the atomic bomb during WWII. Cillian Murphy delivers a mesmerizing performance as the enigmatic Oppenheimer, fully immersing himself into the role. With its epic scope, visceral action sequences, and haunting message about the devastating power of nuclear weapons, Oppenheimer has resonated strongly with audiences and critics. If it wins Best Picture, it will be Christopher Nolan’s first victory after years of nominations.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon examines the sinister conspiracy behind murders in 1920s Oklahoma to rob the Osage Nation of their oil wealth. Scorsese favorites Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro play key roles, with Lily Gladstone earning a history-making Best Actress nomination as an Osage woman at the center of the murders. Scorsese’s mastery of period detail and complex moral themes make this crime drama a top contender.
Barbie
Barbie became a pop culture sensation in 2023 thanks to the imaginative vision of director Greta Gerwig. This subversive take on the famous doll brand upends stereotypes about femininity and takes a satirical look at societal expectations on women. Margot Robbie shines as the idealistic Barbie who journeys to the real world, and the film scored surprise nominations for America Ferrera and its original songs. Its themes clearly resonated, making Barbie a serious Best Picture competitor.
Poor Things
Poor Things is the wild card in the mix – an irreverent Victorian tale reinventing Frankenstein with a feminist twist. Emma Stone fully commits to the film’s unconventional mood as a resurrected woman who upends 19th century norms. With 10 nominations and the offbeat vision of director Yorgos Lanthimos, this could be a surprise Best Picture winner.
Other key Best Picture hopefuls like The Holdovers and American Fiction boast impressive nominations across multiple categories like acting, writing, and technical achievements. But Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, Barbie, and Poor Things appear to be the top contenders based on their nominations and buzz. It will be exciting to see which captivating film ultimately emerges victorious on Oscar night!
Lead Acting Categories
The lead acting categories for the oscar nominations 2024 feature a stellar lineup of transformative performances.
A. Best Actor
The Best Actor race contains several biopic portrayals of famous figures. Bradley Cooper fully immersed himself into embodying the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, learning to conduct and nail Bernstein’s passionate, eccentric personality. Colman Domingo brought the influential but overlooked civil rights activist Bayard Rustin to life in Rustin, capturing his quiet dignity and strategical genius.
Cillian Murphy is the frontrunner for his work in Oppenheimer, completely transforming into the enigmatic physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and vividly depicting his inner moral conflict over creating the atomic bomb. This would be Murphy’s first Oscar after his career-defining collaborations with director Christopher Nolan.
Paul Giamatti stunned critics with his against-type performance as a cynical, prickly boarding school teacher in the dramedy The Holdovers. His nuanced work earned him his third Best Actor nomination.
Jeffrey Wright anchored the literary mystery American Fiction with his powerfully understated performance as a Black author engaged in an elaborate ruse amid 1960s racial tensions. Wright’s subtle acting choices have made him a critics’ darling this awards season.
B. Best Actress
History was made with Lily Gladstone becoming the first Native American nominee for Best Actress for her heartwrenching turn in Killers of the Flower Moon. Her restrained yet expressive performance as an Osage woman seeking justice has earned widespread praise.
Sandra Hüller mesmerizes as a German woman on trial for murdering her husband in the indie drama Anatomy of a Fall. Carey Mulligan skillfully captures the essence of pianist Felicia Montealegre, the long-suffering wife of Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Previous winner Emma Stone gives an unhinged yet empathetic performance as the resurrected protagonist in the genre-bending Poor Things.
But the one to beat may be veteran Annette Bening for her physically and emotionally raw portrayal of endurance swimmer Diana Nyad in the biopic Nyad. At 64, Bening immersed herself fully to embody Nyad’s record-breaking swim across shark-infested waters at age 64. Her relentless commitment to the role makes Bening a strong contender to finally win her first Oscar on her 5th try.
The Best Actor and Best Actress lineups feature an array of dazzling performances. It will be exciting to see who among these talented thespians will take home the trophies on Oscar night.
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Supporting Acting Races
The supporting acting categories for the oscar nominations 2024 feature some surprises as well as veterans.
A. Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. seems poised to win his first Oscar for his complex turn as the moralistic younger brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. movingly depicts the familial tension and brings a grounded humanity to the epic biopic.
He faces fierce competition from frequent collaborator Robert De Niro, nominated for his intimidating performance as a powerful rancher at the center of 1920s murders in Killers of the Flower Moon. This marks De Niro’s 8th nomination, and the actor disappears fully into the sinister, bullying character.
Previously nominated for his work in superhero films, Mark Ruffalo impresses in a completely different role in the surreal drama Poor Things. As the controlling husband of Emma Stone’s resurrected protagonist, Ruffalo deftly balances menace and pathos.
Ryan Gosling earned a surprise nomination for his hilarious against-type performance as the vapid yet supportive boyfriend in the satirical comedy Barbie. His dim-witted sincerity and song-and-dance skills have charmed audiences.
In one of the category’s biggest surprises, Sterling K. Brown was nominated for his supporting turn in the racially-charged mystery American Fiction. Brown brings a quiet dignity to his role as the protagonist’s best friend.
B. Best Supporting Actress
America Ferrera made history as the first Latina nominated for her scene-stealing monologue in Barbie criticizing societal beauty standards for women. Ferrera fully committed to the message of the film in just one powerful speech.
She’s up against awards season perennial Jodie Foster, nominated for the 5th time for her intense performance as the supportive coach in the biopic Nyad. Emily Blunt earned her first nomination in 13 years for her affecting turn as Oppenheimer’s steadfast wife in Oppenheimer.
Danielle Brooks stunned Broadway critics as a modern, compelling Sofia in The Color Purple musical, and now earns her first film nomination reprising the role. And popular comedian Da’Vine Joy Randolph charms in a subtle dramatic turn as a boarding school chef in The Holdovers.
The supporting categories contain several fresh faces alongside revered veterans. It will be exciting to see if any of the newcomers can topple awards juggernauts like De Niro, Downey Jr. and Foster to claim Oscar gold.
Final Thoughts and Predictions on Oscar Nominations 2024
The oscar nominations 2024 have shaped up to be thoroughly unpredictable and groundbreaking. Here are some final thoughts on what to expect on Oscar night along with my personal predictions for the winners.
This is one of the most wide open awards races in recent memory. Oppenheimer leads the nominations, but lacks key precursor wins from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards that typically signal Best Picture frontrunners. Martin Scorsese is overdue to finally win Best Director, but faces stiff competition from former winner Christopher Nolan. And the lead acting categories are crammed with contenders who would all make worthy first-time winners, like Cillian Murphy, Lily Gladstone, and Paul Giamatti.
I predict Oppenheimer will claim Best Picture and a slew of technical awards like visual effects and sound due to its immense scope and scale. But for Best Director, I foresee the Academy awarding Martin Scorsese his second trophy as recognition for his groundbreaking contributions to cinema.
For the acting races:
- Best Actor: Cillian Murphy for his transformative work in Oppenheimer
- Best Actress: Lily Gladstone for her subtle yet powerful performance in Killers of the Flower Moon
- Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. for his complex, emotional turn in Oppenheimer
- Best Supporting Actress: America Ferrera for her history-making role in Barbie
Some potential surprises to watch for are Poor Things or Barbie pulling off an upset Best Picture win, and Greta Gerwig shockingly winning Best Director despite her snub. The popularity and cultural impact of Barbie could result in more wins than expected.
No matter what happens, the 2024 Oscars will surely be a memorable show celebrating a diverse range of modern classics. After the past awards-qualifying year of brilliant, thought-provoking films, the winners have so many phenomenal works to choose from across multiple categories. I can’t wait to see which nominees will emerge victorious in this historic cinema year on March 10th!
Reference Material:
https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2024
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/23/movies/2024-oscar-nominees-list.html
