The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 94th annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 27th at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. If you want to watch from home it will air on ABC. If you want to attend a fabulous Oscar party, then look no further than Belcourt Theatre for their annual “A Red Carpet Evening“. Each year when the nominations are announced there are always some shocks, surprises and snubs. We’ve got that covered. Each year there are always some firsts as well as some interesting facts. We’ve got that covered too.

Jane Champion is the first female director to receive a second nomination, her first was for The Piano in 1998. The composer of Encanto, Germaine Franco is the first Latina to be nominated for Best Original Score. Three of the films nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay were written by women – The Power of the Dog, CODA and The Lost Daughter. Two of the acting nominees openly identify as LGBTQ – Kristin Stewart and Ariana DeBose. DeBose is also the first Afro-Latino performer to receive an Oscar nomination. Troy Kotsur is the second deaf performer to be nominated. Denzel Washington extends the record as the most nominated black actor. A first, Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee was nominated in the Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and International Feature Film categories.

Best actress nominee, Nicole Kidman shared this on her socials  – “WOW! I’m so overwhelmed! Just having breakfast with my family when the nominations came in. What a beautiful way to find out! I share this with them, Javier, J.K., Nina and with ALL the cast & Aaron Sorkin, as this is ours together. This was the hardest role I’ve ever done and to be honored this way is deeply appreciated.

To Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr, thank you for trusting me with the opportunity to inhabit your mother. Lucille Ball is one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. She was ahead of her time. From actress to producer to studio head, mother and wife, she’s an extraordinary inspiration! Thank you Lucille Ball.

To everyone who worked on #BeingTheRicardos both in front of and behind the camera, our passionate and hardworking crew, Amazon, Todd Black, Aaron Sorkin, this nomination is ours to share!”

SNUBS –

Actor in a Leading Role – One of the most visible snubs in this category was Nicholas Cage’s performance in Pig, many considered this understated performance to be a shoo-in for a nomination. The second is Leonardo DiCaprio for Don’t Look Up, he’s been nominated six times and now, snubbed just as many.

Actor in a Supporting Role – The highest profile snub in this category was probably Ben Affleck in The Last Duel, followed closely by Jared Leto in House of Gucci and Bradley Cooper in Licorice Pizza. Another huge omission was West Sise Story‘s Mike Faist.

Actress in a Leading Role – The most glaring snub overall and certainly in this category was Lady Gaga who portrayed Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci, she was an early front runner who received a tremendous amount of press and the performance has been nominated for all of the other major awards – Golden Globes, SAG, Critic’s Choice and BAFTA. Actresses Rachel Zegler from West Side Story and Alaina Haim for Licorice Pizza were also front runners. There was also support for Tessa Thompson in Passing, Jodie Comer in The Last Duel and Jennifer Hudson in Respect, sidenote – it is interesting and ironic, Swan Ball’s 2015 headline entertainer, Hudson portraying Swan Ball’s 2012 headline entertainer, Aretha Franklin.

Actress in a Supporting Role – Caitriona Balfe in Belfast, Ruth Negga in Passing and Cate Blanchett in Nightmare Alley were all front runners in this category, Marlee Maitlin was as well, receiving a great deal of praise for her work in CODA.

Adapted Screenplay – West Side Story, musicals typically have difficulty being recognized by the Academy but Tony Kushner’s take on this classic has been described as creative and intelligent, it was excepted by many to be nominated in this category.

Best Picture -There was a lot of talk of a possible Spider-Man: No Way Home nomination, though superhero films are often overlooked – it was probably the only film that filled the seats at the theaters, shattering box office records, many felt like that should count for something and were upset that it didn’t happen even if a win was a long shot. Many expected The Green Knight and The Last Duel to be nominated. The critics LOVED Tick, Tick . . . Boom!, Mass, Last Night in Soho, Spencer and Passing but apparently the Academy did not, at least not enough to support a nomination.

Directing – These snubs stung for a few reasons, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune were nominated for Best Picture but their directing efforts went unrecognized. Passing‘s Rebecca Hall and The Lost Daughter‘s Maggie Gyllenhaal are first time director who many felt did masterful adaptations of very nuanced books. Joel Coen’s first time directing on his own (the Oscar winning usually collaborates with his brother Ethan) for The Tragedy of Macbeth also went unrecognized.

Film Editing – Belfast, having been nominated in seven other categories everyone was shocked when it wasn’t nominated in this category, it is also felt that a film has difficulty winning one of top awards without an editing nomination, we shall see.

Original Screenplay – With three out of four acting nominations, many thought Being the Ricardos would be nominated in this category and were shocked that it wasn’t, especially since Aaron Sorkin has been nominated multiple times previously.

Original Song – Ariana Grande’s Just Look Up from Don’t Look Up, her performance alone at the ceremony would have been worth the nomination.

Visual Effects – The Eternals and Godzilla Vs. Kong, many were surprised when the special effects for these films were not rewarded with a nomination.

SURPRISES – 

Actor in a Supporting Role – Jesse Plemons in The Power of the Dog surprised many with his nomination, pleasantly. The nomination for  J.K. Simmons as curmudgeon, William Frawley in Being the Ricardos was another pleasant surprise.

Actress in a Leading Role – Kristin Stewart, though initially a front runner, then hope for Oscar recognition evaporated when she failed to receive a SAG Award nomination.

Actress in a Supporting Role – Judi Dench in Belfast, everyone thought the eight-time nominee’s co-star, Caitriona Balfe would be nominated in this category.

Best Picture – As a relatively unknown film, the Drive My Car nomination was a surprise to many, racking up three additional nominations – director, adapted screenplay and international film.

Original Screenplay – The Worst Person in the World was expected to be nominated for International Picture, the nomination in this category was a surprise

Original Song – Diane Warren’s Somehow You Do nomination from Four Good Days, a small film was a pleasant surprise for this thirteen time nominee.

And the nominees are . . .