2021 Oscars makes history with most ethnically diverse nominations

This year’s Oscars ceremony has made history.

On Monday (15 March), Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra announced the stars and films in contention for the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards, making history in the process as the most ethnically diverse slate of nominees ever.

Nine out of the 20 acting nominees are people of colour, including Viola Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Andra Day for The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Leslie Odom Jr. for One Night in Miami, Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari and Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield for Judas and the Black Messiah.

The late Chadwick Boseman received a posthumous nomination for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, while Steven Yeun became the first ever Asian-American performer to be recognized in the Lead Actor category for Minari.

For his role as Ruben Stone in Sound of Metal, Riz Ahmed also made history as the first Muslim actor to be nominated in the category.

This year’s candidates are a far cry from all the all-white acting nominees in 2016, which spawned the viral #OscarsSoWhite hashtag.

Female filmmakers have also made herstory due to nominations in the Best Director field for both Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) and Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman). Only five women have ever been nominated for the award.

Zhao is the first woman of Asian descent to be recognised in the category.

This diversity isn’t reflected in the coveted Best Picture category, with snubs for predominantly Black-led films such as Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and One Night in Miami.

Last year, however, the Academy Awards announced a new representation and inclusion standard for films in the running for Best Picture.

As part of its Academy Aperture 2025 initiative, the historic new move has been introduced to better reflect the diversity of viewers and encourage inclusion amongst gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and diversity.

Andra Day in The United States vs. Billie Holiday

With the help of the Producers Guild of America (PGA), the Academy have established four representation categories: on-screen representation, themes and narratives; creative leadership and project team; industry access and opportunities; and audience development.

The new initiative won’t affect the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards, as it will not be implemented until 2024. Visit here to read the Academy Awards’ historic new initiative for films competing in the Best Picture category.

You can also read the full list of the 2021 Oscar nominations below.

Best Picture

• The Father

• Judas and the Black Messiah

• Mank

• Minari

• Nomadland

• Promising Young Woman

• Sound of Metal

• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Director

• Thomas Vinterberg – Another Round

• David Fincher – Mank

• Lee Isaac Chung – Minari

• Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman

• Chloe Zhao – Nomadland

• Minari – Lee Isaac Chung

Actor in a Leading Role

• Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal

• Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

• Anthony Hopkins – The Father

• Steven Yeun – Minari

• Gary Oldman – Mank

Actress in a Leading Role

• Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

• Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday

• Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman

• Frances McDormand – Nomadland

• Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actress

• Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

• Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy

• Olivia Colman – The Father

• Amanda Seyfried – Mank

• Yuh-Jung Youn – Minari

Best Supporting Actor

• Paul Raci – Sound of Metal

• Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah

• Leslie Odom Jr. – One Night in Miami

• Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah

• Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Original Screenplay

• Judas and the Black Messiah

• Minari

• Promising Young Woman

• Sound of Metal

• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

• The Father

• Nomadland

• One Night In Miami

• The White Tiger

Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah

International Feature Film

• Another Round – Denmark

• Better Days – Hong Kong

• The Man Who Sold His Skin – Tunisia

• Collective – Romani

• Quo Vadis, Aida – Bosnia and Herzegovina

• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Cinematography

• Judas and the Black Messiah

• Mank

• News of the World

• Nomadland

• The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Music (Original Score)

• Da 5 Bloods

• Mank

• Minari

• News of the World

• Soul

Best Music (Original Song)

• “Fight for You” – Judas and the Black Messiah

• “Hear My Voice” – The Trial of the Chicago 7

• “Husavik” – Eurovision Song Contest

• “Io Si (Seen)” – The Life Ahead

• “Speak Now” – One Night in Miami…

Best Sound

• Greyhound

• Mank

• News of the World

• Soul

• Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Visual Effects

• Love and Monsters

• The Midnight Sky

• Mulan

• The One and Only Ivan
• Tenet

Best Production Design

• The Father

• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

• Mank

• News of the World

• Tenet

Best Costume Design

• Emma

• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

• Mank

• Mulan

• Pinnochio

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

• Emma

• Hillbilly Elegy

• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

• Mank

• Pinocchio

Best Animated Short Film

• Burrow

• Genius Loci

• If Anything Happens I Love You

• Opera

• Yes-People

Best Live Action Short Film

• Feeling Through

• The Letter Room

• The Present

• Two Distant Strangers

• White Eye

Documentary Short Subject

• Colette

• A Concerto Is a Conversation

• Do Not Split

• Hunger Ward

• A Love Song for Latasha

The 93rd Academy Awards take place 26 April.