British-Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku has earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Ryan Coogler’s vampire drama, Sinners, marking a significant high point in her career.
Mosaku received a nod in the Best Supporting Actress category, where she will compete against Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan for Weapons, and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another.
In the music categories, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood also secured a nomination for Best Original Score for One Battle After Another. Greenwood has previously been recognised by the Academy for his work on Phantom Thread and The Power of the Dog.
Meanwhile, Irish actor Paul Mescal, widely tipped for a nomination for his role in Hamnet, was absent from the Best Supporting Actor lineup.
The category instead features Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn for One Battle After Another, Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value, and Delroy Lindo for Sinners.
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Despite Mescal’s omission, his co-star Jessie Buckley remains a strong contender for Best Actress for her portrayal of Agnes Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare. Buckley is considered a frontrunner following major wins at the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards.
Filmmaker Chloé Zhao is also expected to make a strong showing in the Best Director category. Zhao previously made history in 2021 as the second woman and first woman of colour to win the Oscar for Best Director for Nomadland.
Hamnet is also being tipped for a Best Picture nomination, though it faces stiff competition from One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a former revolutionary on a mission to save his teenage daughter.
DiCaprio is expected to battle for Best Actor honours alongside Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, where he plays an ambitious table tennis player, and Wagner Moura for his role in the Brazilian drama The Secret Agent.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be held in Hollywood on March 15, with comedian Conan O’Brien set to host. This year’s nominations were announced by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman.
