Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan greeted audiences early Tuesday morning to release one of award season’s most anticipated lists. The pair presented nominees across 23 categories for the 94th annual Academy Awards. Although the actual show won’t be happening until March 27, fans got a lil’ preview of what’s to come. This year’s nominations include first-timers like Beyoncé and returning faces like Denzel Washington and Will Smith. Here’s some moments to look out for!
This category was stacked with a total of 10 nominations. The film ‘King Richard’ received a slot on the list. If you didn’t already know, the movie is based on Richard Williams’ life and 78-page plan to turn his daughters Serena and Venus into tennis champions. Additional nominees include: ‘Belfast,’ ‘CODA,’ ‘Don’t Look Up,’ ‘Drive My Car,’ ‘Dune,’ ‘Licorice Pizza,’ ‘Nightmare Alley,’ ‘The Power of the Dog’ and ‘West Side Story.’
Beyoncé added another accomplishment to her resume with her first Oscar nomination. The decorated artist secured her ‘Original Song’ spot with the track ‘Be Alive’ for the film ‘King Richard.’ Beyoncé and Dixson are credited for the song’s music and lyrics.
Will Smith tapped all the way into his role as Richard on the film ‘King Richard’—down to learning how to play tennis and undergoing physical transformations. His detailed work earned him an Oscar nomination in the category ‘Best Lead Actor.’ Will and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith also worked as producers on the movie. In November 2021, the actor made headlines for reportedly gifting the film’s cast and crew bonuses.
Also in the ‘Documentary Feature’ category is ‘Attica,’ a look at the 1971 riot at Attica Correctional Facility in the United States. The brilliant Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry, who brought the story to our screens, received nominations.
In the words of Issa Rae, we rooting for everybody Black! Good luck to everyone and every project that received nominations.
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