40 Facts About Oscar Nominations

Record-Breaking Nominations

The Oscars are known for their surprises and record-breaking moments. Here are some of the most notable records set by Oscar nominations.

1. 01In the 97th Academy Awards, four acting nominees were born in the 1990s, tying the record set in 2022. This trend highlights the increasing presence of younger talent in the industry.
2. 02"Emilia Pérez" received 13 nominations, the most for any non-English-language film in Academy Awards history. This surpasses previous records held by "Roma" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," each of which received 10 nominations.
3. 03"Emilia Pérez" is the 12th film to receive 13 nominations. Last year, "Oppenheimer" also received 13 nominations, making this the second time that films have received 13 nominations at back-to-back Academy Awards. The first instance occurred in 2001 and 2002 with "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" followed by "Chicago."
4. 04Three films received ten or more nominations: "Emilia Pérez" (13), "The Brutalist" (10), and "Wicked" (10). This is the fifth time this has occurred, after 2023, 2019, 1977, and 1964.

Notable Individual Achievements

Certain individuals have made significant marks in Oscar history with their multiple nominations and wins.

5. 05Sean Baker, known for his work on "Anora," is now tied for the third-most Oscar nominations by a single person in a single year, with four. He was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
6. 06Walt Disney holds the record with six nominations in 1954, and Francis Ford Coppola received five in 1974. These records demonstrate the enduring impact of legendary filmmakers on the industry.

Young Talent on the Rise

The Oscars have seen a surge in younger nominees, reflecting the evolving landscape of Hollywood.

7. 07Five of this year’s acting nominees were born in the 1990s, a new record. They are: Monica Barbaro (1990), Yura Borisov (1992), Timothee Chalamet (1995), Ariana Grande (1993), and Mikey Madison (1999).
8. 08Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, and Mikey Madison are among the youngest acting nominees in history. Their inclusion highlights the evolving landscape of Hollywood talent.

Best Picture and Acting Nominees

The connection between Best Picture nominees and acting nominations has been particularly strong this year.

9. 09For the fifth time in Academy Awards history and the first time in 47 years, all five Best Actress nominees come from films nominated for Best Picture. This previously occurred in 1977, 1941, 1940, and 1934 (excluding Bette Davis’s unofficial write-in nomination).
10. 10This year, 17 of the 20 nominated performances came from Best Picture nominees, tying the record set in 1944. In the recently expanded era starting in 2009, the most we had previously seen was 16 out of 20 in 2013, 2018, and 2023.

Diversity Milestones

The Oscars have made strides in diversity, with notable achievements in recent years.

11. 11This is the first year in which three out queer performers were nominated for acting Oscars, with Karla Sofía Gascón, Cynthia Erivo, and Colman Domingo all nominated. It’s also the first time two out queer performers were nominated in the same acting category: Best Actress.
12. 12Karla Sofía Gascón became the first Native American to be nominated in an acting category for their role in Martin Scorsese’s drama “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This milestone highlights the ongoing efforts to increase diversity within the Academy Awards.

Predictions and Voting Trends

Oscar predictions and voting trends offer fascinating insights into the awards process.

13. 13Over the last 30 years, 23 predicted winners actually won, while 7 lost—making for an accuracy of about 77%. However, the mean predicted probability of winning from these 30 cases is about 85%, indicating that the model might be over-confident by about 8 points.
14. 14The major inflection point for predictions was the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards. On the day the nominees were announced (January 23rd), the predictions showed a significant gap between the top contenders and the rest of the field.
15. 15Recent years have seen more upsets in the Best Picture category. This could be due to a larger pool of nominees or changes in the Academy’s makeup or voting procedures. Some models suggest weighting more proximate years higher to account for these changes.

Voting Process and Eligibility

Understanding the voting process and eligibility requirements is crucial for grasping how Oscar nominations work.

16. 16The voting process for the Academy Awards involves two phases: nominating the Oscar candidates and voting for the winners. In the first phase, members receive a ballot that lists qualifying movies.
17. 17To be considered for nomination, a movie must be feature-length and have been publicly screened for paid admission for at least one week at a commercial theater in Los Angeles county between January 1 and December 31 of the award year. Documentaries and foreign films have their own eligibility requirements.
18. 18Members may nominate only for awards within their branch and for Best Picture. Each member picks up to five candidates for each of their designated categories and lists them by preference. The academy uses instant runoff voting, sometimes called preferential voting, which involves several rounds and a “magic” number, wherein a candidate must receive a predetermined number of votes to be considered a nominee.
19. 19A few weeks after the nominees are announced in January, the second phase of voting begins. For the final voting, all active or lifetime academy members are allowed to cast ballots in any category but are discouraged from voting in categories where they lack expertise.
20. 20Accountants from a firm designated by the academy’s president tally the ballots in both phases of voting. This ensures transparency and accuracy in determining the nominees and winners.

Recent Trends and Viewership

Recent trends and viewership numbers provide a snapshot of the Oscars' current state.

21. 21In 2024, women accounted for 32 percent of Oscar nominees in non-acting categories, the highest share since 2018. Despite this progress, opportunities for minorities seem to be shrinking, with 26 percent of viewers agreeing that the Academy Awards have a diversity problem regarding their nominees.
22. 22The Academy Awards ceremony broadcast live on March 10, 2024, recorded a total of 19.5 million TV viewers, a slight increase compared to the previous year. However, it was still under pre-pandemic levels, indicating that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences still struggles to attract cinephiles to the silver screen.
23. 23Despite its critical and commercial success, “Barbie” only won one Academy Award out of eight nominations, for Best Original Song. This highlights how subjective the Academy's picks can be, often disconnected from the marketing strategy designed for the masses.
24. 24Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” was among the highest-grossing movies of the year, with a total worldwide box revenue of more than 950 million U.S. dollars. Despite its commercial success, it only won one Academy Award out of eight nominations for Best Original Song.
25. 25Universal received seven Oscars in total for “Oppenheimer,” including Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Performance for Cillian Murphy. This dominance highlights the significant impact of Universal on the 2024 Oscars.

Historical Context and Milestones

The Oscars have a rich history filled with notable milestones and achievements.

26. 26Almost a century after their creation, the Oscars remain more relevant than ever as the benchmark event for cinematic excellence. While their popularity with younger viewers ensures the ceremony's posterity, controversies surrounding diversity cast a shadow over its legacy.
27. 27Despite controversies surrounding diversity, the Oscars remain relevant due to their popularity with younger viewers. However, this popularity is not reflected in the overall TV viewership numbers, which have been declining post-pandemic.
28. 28A recent survey showed that 26 percent of viewers agreed that the Academy Awards have a diversity problem regarding their nominees. This indicates that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done.
29. 29The Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards have become a significant inflection point for predictions. The DGA Awards often align closely with the eventual Best Director and Best Picture winners at the Oscars.
30. 30The voting trends indicate that while the model is generally accurate, it tends to be over-confident by about 8 points. This suggests that there are still unpredictable factors at play in the voting process.

Final Thoughts on Oscar Nominations

The Oscars continue to evolve, reflecting changes in the film industry and society at large.

31. 31The membership of the academy is largely obscure, but it involves two phases: nominating the Oscar candidates and voting for the winners. The voting body consists of active or lifetime academy members who are encouraged to vote based on their expertise.
32. 32To be considered for nomination, a movie must meet specific eligibility requirements, including being feature-length and having been publicly screened for paid admission for at least one week at a commercial theater in Los Angeles county between January 1 and December 31 of the award year.
33. 33The academy uses instant runoff voting, which ensures that nominees have broad, rather than just popular, support. This system involves several rounds and a “magic” number, wherein a candidate must receive a predetermined number of votes to be considered a nominee.
34. 34For the final voting phase, all active or lifetime academy members are allowed to cast ballots in any category but are discouraged from voting in categories where they lack expertise. This phase uses the popular vote for all categories except Best Picture, which uses the preferential system.
35. 35Accountants from a firm designated by the academy’s president tally the ballots in both phases of voting. This ensures transparency and accuracy in determining the nominees and winners.
36. 36Karla Sofía Gascón became the first Native American to be nominated in an acting category for their role in Martin Scorsese’s drama “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This milestone highlights the ongoing efforts to increase diversity within the Academy Awards.
37. 37Despite its critical and commercial success, “Barbie” only won one Academy Award out of eight nominations, for Best Original Song. This limited success underscores how subjective the Academy's picks can be.
38. 38Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” was among the highest-grossing movies of the year, with a total worldwide box revenue of more than 950 million U.S. dollars. Despite its commercial success, it only won one Academy Award out of eight nominations for Best Original Song.
39. 39Universal received seven Oscars in total for “Oppenheimer,” including Best Picture and Best Actor in a Leading Performance for Cillian Murphy. This dominance highlights the significant impact of Universal on the 2024 Oscars.
40. 40The Academy continues to face challenges regarding diversity, with ongoing efforts to increase representation among nominees. Recent milestones, such as Karla Sofía Gascón's nomination, highlight these ongoing efforts.

The Oscars' Ever-Evolving Landscape

Oscar nominations reflect the dynamic nature of the film industry. From record-breaking nominations for "Emilia Pérez" to the increasing presence of younger talent, the Oscars continue to evolve. Diversity milestones like Karla Sofía Gascón's nomination and the inclusion of out queer performers highlight ongoing efforts for representation. Universal's success with "Oppenheimer" and the subjective nature of wins, as seen with "Barbie," show the unpredictable nature of the awards. The voting process, involving instant runoff voting and a final popular vote, ensures nominees have broad support. Despite challenges, the Oscars remain a benchmark for cinematic excellence, attracting younger viewers and sparking conversations about diversity. As the industry changes, so do the Oscars, reflecting new trends and achievements in cinema.