Even before the envelopes are opened, the 93rd Academy Awards already have made history.
The show is this Sunday — but keep reading to find out why you should get out the popcorn and start celebrating now. Women in directing: There have been many a year when not a single woman has been nominated for best director. This year, there are two. Chloé Zhao, who won a Golden Globe for best directing in March, is up for » Nomadland » (which is also nominated for best picture). And Emerald Fennell is a contender for her film » Promising Young Woman.» Seventy women received a total 76 nominations, according to the Academy, a record for a given year. All-Black producing team: For the first time ever, one of the movies up for best picture has an all-Black producing team. » Judas and the Black Messiah,» directed by Shaka King, is a best picture nominee and centers around the true story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya) and William O’Neal (played by LaKeith Stanfield), the man who infiltrated the political organization at the behest of the US government. Both Kaluuya and Stanfield are nominated for best supporting actor, along with another Black man, Leslie Odom Jr., for his role in » One Night in Miami.» Asian representation: Not only is Zhao the first Asian woman and woman of color to be nominated as a director, but there are others who also are notching firsts. Steven Yeun, a South Korean-born American actor, is the first man of Asian descent to secure a best actor nom for his work in » Minari » — which, in a welcome trend, is also up for best picture. Yeun’s costar Yuh-jung Youn is the first Korean woman nominated for best supporting actress. Queen Viola: With her nomination in the best actress category for her performance in «Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,» Viola Davis became the most Oscar-nominated Black actress ever, with four career nods. A moment for Muslim actors: Riz Ahmed is the first Muslim actor to be nominated as best actor for his turn in » Sound of Metal.» Mahershala Ali was the first Muslim actor to win in the supporting actor category for » Moonlight » in 2017 and » Green Book » in 2019.
