Oscar Nominations
January 25, 2017
Best Picture
Arrival – Arrival is a science fiction movie about a Linguistics professor (Amy Adams) who leads an elite team of investigators when shapships touch down in different locations throughout the world. Arrival is also nominated for Directing and Cinematography.
Fences– Fences is a drama movie about a working middle class African American man, Troy Maxson, who is raising his family in the 1950, while trying to come to terms with his life. Denzel Washington, who plays Troy Maxson and directed the movie is nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Hacksaw Ridge– Hacksaw Ridge is a biographical war drama movie about the true story of WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa and who refused to kill people. Desmond T .Doss became the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Hell or High Water– Hell or High Water is an American Western heist-crime movie about a divorced father and his ex-con older brother who resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family’s ranch in West Texas. Jeff Bridges, who plays Marcus Hamilton, is nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Hidden Figures– Hidden Figures is a biographical drama movie based on the non-fiction book Hidden Figures about female African American Mathematics at NASA who are needed to launch the programs first successful space mission. Octavia Spencer, who plays Dorothy Vaughn, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Leading Role.
La La Land– La La Land is a romantic musical comedy-drama film about a musician and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love in Los Angeles.
Lion– Lion is a drama film based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home about a five-year-old Indian boy, Saroo who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of miles away from home. Saroo faces many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia and 25 years later he sets out to find his lost family. Dev Patel, who plays Saroo, is nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Manchester by the Sea– Manchester by the Sea is an drama film about an Uncle who looks after his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies. Lucas Hedges is nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role and Michelle Williams is nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role.
Moonlight– Moonlight is a drama film based on the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue about the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. Mahershala Ali is nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Naomie Harris is nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Casey Affleck– Casey Affleck is nominated for his role as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea. This is Casey Affleck’s second oscar nomination. He was nominated in 2008 for Best Supporting Actor because of his role of Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse james by the Coward Robert Ford.
Andrew Garfield– Andrew Garfield is nominated for his role as Desmond Doss in Hacksaw Ridge. This is the first time Andrew Garfield has been nominated for an Academy Award.
Ryan Gosling– Ryan Gosling is nominated for his role as Sebastian in La La Land. He was also nominated in 2006 for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the movie Half Nelson.
Viggo Mortensen– Viggo Mortensen is nominated for his role as Ben in Captain Fantastic. He was also nominated in 2007 for Best Actor for his role of Nikolai Luzhin in Eastern Promises.
Denzel Washington– Denzel Washington is nominated for his role as Troy Maxson in Fences. This is Denzel Washington’s fifth oscar nomination for Best Actor and he has won twice in the category.
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Isabelle Huppert– Isabelle Huppert is nominated for her role as Michèle, a CEO who refuses to go to the police when she is raped, instead finding the rapist on her own, in Elle. This is the first time Isabelle Huppert as been nominated for an Academy Award.
Ruth Negga– Ruth Negga is nominated for her role as Mildred, an African-American woman who changes laws prohibiting interracial marriages in the United States, in Loving. This is the first time Ruth Negga has been nominated for an Academy.
Natalie Portman– Natalie Portman is nominated for her role as Jackie Kennedy, the First Lady who seeks to ensure her late husband’s legacy after his assassination, in the movie Jackie. This is Natalie’s second nomination for the Best Actress category, her first was in her role in the 2011 movie, Black Swan.
Emma Stone– Emma Stone is nominated for her role as Mia, an aspiring actress, in the movie La La Land. Emma Stone was nominated in 2015 for best Supporting Actress in the movie Birdman.
Meryl Streep– Meryl Streep is nominated for her role as Florence Foster Jenkins, an heiress with lack of talent, decides to give a concert at Carnegie Hall, in Florence Foster Jenkins. Meryl Streep has been nominated a total of twenty for an Academy Award and has won three times.
Biggest Snub
Amy Adam role as Louise Banks, a Linguistics professor who is tasked with interpreting the language of aliens who have touched down on earth, was the biggest snub for this category. Amy Adams has been nominated a total of five times for an Academy Award.
Best Director