With Hollywood prepping for one of its most anticipated movie nights, let’s delve into some potential record-breaking moments that could unfold at the 96th Annual Academy Awards, shaping cinematic history.
The Best Actress Category
Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone stands poised to make history as the potential first Native American actor to clinch an Oscar in an acting category. With a recent Screen Actors Guild victory under her belt, she enters the Best Actress race as a frontrunner. However, formidable contenders like Annette Bening for Nyad, Carey Mulligan for Maestro, Sandra Huller for Anatomy of a Fall, and Emma Stone for Poor Things promise stiff competition.
Dual Victory
Justine Triet’s critically acclaimed Anatomy of a Fall, which won the Palme d’Or, emerges as a formidable contender in the Best Original Screenplay category. Should Triet secure the win, she would mark a significant milestone as the first French woman to do so in that category. Additionally, Triet’s nomination in the Best Director category positions her as a potential trailblazer; a victory there would make her only the fourth woman to clinch the prestigious title, following in the footsteps of Katheryn Bigelow, Chloe Zhao, and Jane Campion.
Best Actor Category
With his standout performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy emerges as the frontrunner in the Best Actor category. Should Murphy secure his first nomination, he would etch his name in history as the first Irish actor to clinch the esteemed Best Actor award. Alongside him, formidable contenders include Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction.
Two Opportunities for Victory
Poor Things secured two nominations for Emma Stone, in both the Best Actress and Best Picture categories. If she emerges victorious in both, she would mirror Frances McDormand’s feat in 2021 as only the second actress to win both acting and producing Oscars. Moreover, a win for Poor Things would elevate Stone into the esteemed group of 26 actors who have clinched the Best Actress Oscar twice, following her previous win for La La Land in the same category.
Dominate the Awards
With a staggering 13 nominations, Oppenheimer enters the Academy Awards as the frontrunner, poised to potentially secure multiple victories. Should the Christopher Nolan film achieve a clean sweep, it would mark a historic moment. The current record-holder, Ben-Hur, earned a groundbreaking 11 Oscar wins in 1959, making it the first film to accomplish such a feat.
Third Oscar Win
Jodie Foster, nominated in the Supporting Actress category for Nyad, boasts two Oscars for Leading Actress. A victory tomorrow would catapult her into the esteemed league of actors with three Academy Awards for acting, alongside Katherine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, and Daniel Day-Lewis. Similarly, Robert De Niro, nominated in the Supporting Actor category for Killers of the Flower Moon, stands poised to claim this prestigious record.