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LOS ANGELES. − The Oscar nominations were announced yesterday in an exciting year for the film awards race where there is no consensus frontrunner for best picture.
Blockbusters such as Wicked and Dune: Part Two will compete with Emilia Pérez, Conclave, A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist and Anora.
The nominations were due to be announced last week, but were postponed after the voting period was extended due to the Los Angeles wildfires.
The Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by US comic Conan O’Brien, will take place on March 2.
There are two musicals, two massive pop stars, two Sebastian Stan films, two actors from Succession and several comeback queens in the race this year.
COMEBACK QUEENS
Comeback narratives are strong this year, particularly in the best actress category where many contenders have returned after years away from the awards race.
One of the frontrunners is The Substance star Demi Moore, for playing a woman who swaps her body for a younger and more beautiful version of herself.
Equally, there is a huge amount of affection towards Pamela Anderson, who has already scored surprise SAG and Golden Globe nominations for her vulnerable and powerful performance in The Last Showgirl as an ageing Las Vegas performer.
Even Angelina Jolie arguably has a comeback narrative.
Her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas is her first Oscar contender for some time. She has lost momentum
A DOUBLE DOSE FOR SEBASTIAN STAN
Over in the best actor category, Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) is expected to return to the race for his performance as a Hungarian architect hired by a wealthy American after World War Two. Brody was last nominated in 2003, when he won for The Pianist.
Other contenders include Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) for his portrayal as Bob Dylan in the early 1960s, and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) for playing a prison inmate who takes part in an performing arts programme.
Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), for his role as a cardinal who oversees the selection of a new Pope, and Daniel Craig (Queer), who plays a gay man who ventures into the jungle in search of a plant with telepathic qualities, are other candidates.
Sebastian Stan has two possible chances for a nomination − one for playing a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice, and another for the Golden Globe-winning A Different Man, for his role as an aspiring actor who radically changes his appearance.
POP PRINCESSES
Ariana Grande impressed in her performance in Wicked as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.
Selena Gomez also did well in Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez as the wife of a Mexican drug lord who changes gender.
SUCCESSION SUCCESS
Kieran Culkin was excellent in his performance in the excellent A Real Pain, about two cousins who travel across Poland in remembrance of their grandmother.One of Culkin’s competitors is his own Succession co-star Jeremy Strong.
COMPETITIVE CATEGORIES
Jolie, Moore, Anderson and Jean-Baptiste are having comeback narratives, but they are competing in a particularly crowded lead actress category this year.
Other frontrunners include Mikey Madison (Anora) for her barnstorming performance as a New York stripper who falls for the son of a wealthy Russian. − BBC
Online Reporter