Best Picture Winner: Nomadland (2020)
Nomadland became the second female-directed film to ever win the Oscar for Best Picture at the 93rd Academy Awards this past Sunday. The film is an adaptation of Jessica Bruder’s nonfiction novel Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, and has been favored to win all year after previous victories such as the BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Cinematography; the Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture Drama and Best Director; PGA awards, Broadcast Film Critics Association awards; New York Film Critics Circle awards; and more!
Actor in a Leading Role Winner: Anthony Hopkins for The Father (2020)
In a tight battle between Anthony Hopkins in The Father and the late Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the former became the oldest actor to win an Oscar this year. In the film, Hopkins portrays a man slowly succumbing to age and dementia, giving the performance of a lifetime.
Actress in a Leading Role Winner: Frances McDormand for Nomadland (2020)
McDormand won her third Best Actress Oscar this year, claiming her rightfully deserved spot in second for the most amount of wins in the lead actress/actor category. One more and she’ll be tied with Katharine Hepburn for the lead!
Actor in a Supporting Role Winner: Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
Daniel Kaluuya took home his first Oscar this year for his outstanding portrayal of Fred Hampton–the leader of the Black Panther Party. He was previously nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Get Out (2017), and I expect we’ll be seeing much more of him in the years to come!
Actress in a Supporting Role: Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari (2020)
First making history as the first South Korean actress to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Yuh-Jung Youn did it once again, becoming the first Korean to win an Oscar for her acting performance.
Directing: Chloé Zhao for Nomadland (2020)
On a record-breaking night at the Academy Awards, what’s one more historical moment? Director Chloé Zhao became the first Asian woman and woman of color to win the Best Directing Oscar. On top of this big win, Nomadland took home many other Oscars for its astounding story and performance.
Other Wins
Cinematography: Mank (Erik Messerschmidt)
Animated Feature Film: Soul (Pete Docter, Dana Leigh Murray)
Costume Design: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Ann Roth)
Documentary Feature: My Octopus Teacher (Craig Foster, Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed)
Film Editing: Sound of Metal (Mikkel E.G. Nielsen)
International Feature Film: Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg)
Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Mia Neal, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Jamika Wilson)
Original Score: Soul (Trent Reznor, Jon Batiste, Atticus Ross)
Original Song: “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah (H.E.R., Tiara Thomas, D’Mile)
Production Design: Mank (Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale)
Short Documentary: Colette (Anthony Giacchino, Alice Doyard)
Live-Action Short Film: Two Distant Strangers (Travon Free, Martin Desmond Roe)
Animated Short Film: If Anything Happens I Love You (Will McCormack, Michael Govier)
Sound: Sound of Metal (Michelle Couttolenc, Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Carlos Cortes, Philip Bladh)
Visual Effects: Tenet (Andrew Lockley, Scott R. Fisher, Andrew Jackson, David Lee)
Adapted Screenplay: The Father (Florian Zeller, Christopher Hampton)
Original Screenplay: Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)