WHILE coming under fire for a variety of reasons the past few years – racism, sexism and elitism among them – the Academy Awards (or Oscars as they’re more commonly known) are still some of the most coveted cinematographic symbols of excellence.
This year, the who’s who of Hollywood will converge in Los Angeles on Sunday, 9 February to find out exactly which films and actors have earned the nod from the biggest critics.
And, as with last year’s event, the 92nd edition will be without a host (an effort to avoid further controversy no doubt).
Oscar fun facts
• The most nominated movie – Titanic (received 14 nominations).
• The first colour film to win a Best Picture award was ‘Gone with the Wind’ in 1940.
• Walt Disney has won the most Oscars – 26 from 64 nominations. Composer John Williams is the second most-nominated person – 47.
• Tatum O’Neal is the youngest Oscar winner at 10 years old, taking the Best Supporting Actress award for the film ‘Paper Moon’.
• Jessica Tandy was the oldest Oscar winner at the age of 81, taking the Best Actress award for ‘Driving Miss Daisy’.
• ‘Hurt Locker’ won 6 of 9 nominations in 2010 and was the lowest-grossing movie ever to win, as well as winning an Oscar for the first female director, Kathryn Bigelow.
• The most Oscars won by a family go to the Minnellis, with Vincente Minnelli winning Best Director (Gigi) in 1959, his wife, Judy Garland, winning a Juvenile Award in 1940 and their daughter, Liza Minnelli, winning the Best Actress award (Cabaret) in 1973.
• James Dean is the only actor to be nominated twice after death – Best Actor for ‘East of Eden’ (1955) and Best Actor for ‘Giant’ (1956).
If you haven’t been following the 2020 award nominees and don’t want to be left out of the loop, here is a list of the more high-profile categories and which movies you should start binge-watching now.
Performance by an actor in a lead role:
Antonio Banderas in PAIN AND GLORY
Leonardo DiCaprio in ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Adam Driver in MARRIAGE STORY
Joaquin Phoenix in JOKER
Jonathan Pryce in THE TWO POPES
Performance by an actor in a supporting role:
Tom Hanks in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Anthony Hopkins in THE TWO POPES
Al Pacino in THE IRISHMAN
Joe Pesci in THE IRISHMAN
Brad Pitt in ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Performance by an actress in a leading role:
Cynthia Erivo in HARRIET
Scarlett Johansson in MARRIAGE STORY
Saoirse Ronan in LITTLE WOMEN
Charlize Theron in BOMBSHELL
Renée Zellweger in JUDY
Performance by an actress in a supporting role:
Kathy Bates in RICHARD JEWELL
Laura Dern in MARRIAGE STORY
Scarlett Johansson in JOJO RABBIT
Florence Pugh in LITTLE WOMEN
Margot Robbie in BOMBSHELL
Achievement in cinematography
THE IRISHMAN
JOKER
THE LIGHTHOUSE
1917
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
Best animated feature film of the year
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD
I LOST MY BODY
KLAUS
MISSING LINK
TOY STORY 4
Achievement in directing
THE IRISHMAN – Martin Scorsese
JOKER – Todd Phillips
1917 – Sam Mendes
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE – Bong Joon Ho
Best motion picture of the year
FORD V FERRARI
THE IRISHMAN
JOJO RABBIT
JOKER
LITTLE WOMEN
MARRIAGE STORY
1917
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
PARASITE
