“Oh my god!”
That was Jessica Chastain this morning, calling TheWrap from the set of her upcoming TV series “George & Tammy.” When she learned of her Best Actress nomination for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” in which she plays the late televangelist, she celebrated with a quick sip of Prosecco that her friend offered her. Then she went back to work.
“I am completely shocked,” Chastain said during a break from shooting. “I’m on set, fully in hair and makeup, dressed as Tammy Wynette. I called Penelope (Cruz) and Olivia (Colman) and we were talking about how so many movies got pushed because of Covid and how this is such a crowded year for actresses. So to see what they’ve done, to look at the list I’m on with these women, I’m just so happy.”
Chastain was thrilled that her first nomination in nearly 10 years (and third total) came for a movie that she produced. “I was texting with Tammy Faye’s daughter, who has lived through so much negativity. They were the butt of so many jokes, so to acknowledge her mom in this way, her support of the LGBTQ community and her radical acts of love, it’s a big deal.” (The complete list of nominees is here.)
All four main cast members of “The Power of the Dog” were nominated, which helped make Jane Campion’s Western the most nominated film of this year’s roster, with 12 nods including Best Picture and Best Director. Campion is now the only woman ever to be nominated for Best Director twice.
Kirsten Dunst and her partner and co-star, Jesse Plemons, both scored their first-ever nominations for their supporting roles in the Netflix film. “For me and Jesse, this is just beyond our wildest dreams,” Dunst told TheWrap. “When the nominations were announced, my kids were watching ‘Bluey’ on TV and I was delayed on my phone. But when my manager called me and said ‘You got nominated,’ he was crying and I was crying and I talked to my mom and she was crying. Everyone was crying. And then he called me back a few minutes later and said, ‘Jesse just got nominated.’ And I screamed so loud. I let all my joy release at that point. Jesse has been been doing this since he was a kid, too. We both have been been. And so has Kodi (Smit-McPhee). It’s the year of the child actor, all grown up!”
Sian Heder, screenwriter for nominated for “Coda,” told The Wrap with a laugh: “It’s also so funny that this morning, it’s like, I’m trying to celebrate and also make my kids’ school lunches. I never imagined this moment, and it feels stunning and thrilling. I just hope that the success of “Coda” kicks the door open for other people to walk through — there’s so much deaf talent out there. My hope is that that we’re the little rock at the top of the hill that starts the avalanche.”
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, nominated for documentary feature for “Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” told TheWrap he sees the Oscar nomination as a new beginning for the film about the little-publicized Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969.
“Most would think that getting acknowledgment from the Academy could mean you know, like a proverbial breathless race to the finish line,” he said. “Like, there’s a last stretch, the last lap. But believe it or not, I think everything done before today now makes what we’ve done just a prequel…I feel like now, it’s going to open it up, to be seen by even more eyes. And that was really the whole purpose of the film, to show how art and music can heal people, a moment of joy. This isn’t the end, this is literally the start.”
Here are more reactions from this year’s nominees.
Denzel Washington, Best Actor, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth was one of the best experiences of my career. Joel Coen is a genius and I hope the nominations for the film will allow for more people to enjoy a terrific cinematic experience. Thank you to the members of the Academy for the recognition and to A24 and Apple for their ongoing support.”
Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Actor, “The Power of the Dog”
“I am absolutely floored and humbled by this recognition from the Academy. To be a part of this cinematic masterpiece has been one of the great privileges of my career. Jane Campion, our friend and fearless leader, congratulations on yet again breaking the glass ceiling and thank you for the gift of Phil Burbank; as an actor to play someone this complex, this challenging, this nuanced is truly a reward in and of itself. Kodi, Jesse, and Kirsten, I am so proud of you my friends and for our colleagues whose exceptional work brought this great novel to life on screen. 12 is my new favorite number. Thank you again.”
Nicole Kidman, Best Actress, “Being The Ricardos,”
“WOW! I’m so overwhelmed! Just having breakfast with my family when the nominations came in. What a beautiful way to find out! I share this with them, Javier, JK, Nina and with ALL the cast and Aaron Sorkin, as this is ours together. This was the hardest role I’ve ever done and to be honored this way is deeply appreciated. And to Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr, thank you for trusting me with the opportunity to inhabit your mother. Lucille Ball is one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. She was ahead of her time. From actress to producer to studio head, mother and wife, she’s an extraordinary inspiration! Thank you Lucille Ball. And to everyone who worked on this film both in front of and behind the camera, our passionate and hardworking crew, Amazon, Todd Black, Aaron Sorkin, this nomination is ours to share!”
Ciarán Hinds, Best Supporting Actor, “Belfast”
“Having worked in this industry for nearly 50 years, I thought there wasn’t much that could surprise me still. Today, I can honestly say, I am astounded, thrilled and deeply grateful.”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Supporting Actor, “The Power of the Dog”
“Where do I even begin…
I’m simply elated. This is beyond even my wildest imagination. To be nominated for an Academy Award is such a tremendous honor and I’m so thankful to everybody who has played a role in getting me to this position. I’m forever indebted to Jane’s brilliance and am eternally grateful for her trust in me to bring Peter to life. She’s a singular talent that every actor should be so lucky to work with. I think I can speak for the cast when I say we were in the most trusted hands imaginable. I’m so proud of Jesse, Benedict, Kirsten, Ari, and everybody involved in the production for being so rightfully recognized by the Academy. I’m just so humbled, reflective, and appreciative right now.”
Olivia Colman, Best Actress, “The Lost Daughter”
“Oh my god yes. I’m SO EXCITED!!! And with Maggie and Jessie, and our fellow nominees, this feeling right now is bloody brilliant. Thank you thank you thank thank you xxxxxx.”
Ariana DeBose, Best Supporting Actress, “West Side Story”
“My morning walk along the river was extra special today. I am absolutely overjoyed by this morning’s news. To be recognized alongside such incredible women for their inspiring performances is surreal enough, but to share this celebration with Steven, Kristie, and the entire team that made our beautiful movie is a dream come true. I’m so thankful to the Academy for this acknowledgement and am beyond grateful to Steven, Kristie, and everyone at Amblin and Disney. What a moment.”
Steven Spielberg, Best Director, “West Side Story,” and Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Best Picture, “West Side Story”
“On behalf of our entire production, we are honored that the Academy has recognized our film. Filmmaking is, by nature, a collaborative experience and we learned first-hand that musicals require a special kind of team effort. We share today’s excitement with the families and estates of West Side Story’s creators; our fellow nominees; our incredible screenwriter Tony Kushner; our much-missed friend and cheerleader, Stephen Sondheim; and fans all over the world who celebrate West Side Story’s singular music and timeless story of intolerance, love and, ultimately, hope.”
Kenneth Branagh, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, “Belfast”
“It’s a long way from the streets of Belfast to the Academy Awards.
“Today, I think of my mother and father, and my grandparents — how proud they were to be Irish, how much this city meant to them. They would have been overwhelmed by this incredible honour — as am I. Given a story as personal as this one, it’s a hell of a day for my family, and the family of our film.
“I thank Academy voters for their incredible and generous recognition. We are honoured to be among the other extraordinary nominees in a remarkable year for films, and I salute the superb cast and crew of Belfast for their exceptional talent, comradeship and kindness.“
Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, Best Picture, “The Power of the Dog”
“It has been an incredible privilege to work with Jane Campion on The Power of The Dog. She is a visionary director and one of the world’s finest filmmakers. Her artistry and graceful command of this story can be seen in every frame of the film and we are so grateful to The Academy for recognising it with 12 nominations. We are equally thrilled for Jane to receive her first ever Best Picture nomination and we are so proud of our incredible ensemble of cast and crew, including those nominated today.
See-Saw has collaborated with Jane since 2009 and we are honoured to have worked alongside her for so many years. Thank you to our fellow producers and also to Netflix for being such incredible partners on this journey with us.”
Tim White and Trevor White, Best Picture, “King Richard”
“We are incredibly honored for King Richard to be included in this year’s list of Best Picture nominees! This film was truly a labor of love that started with both of us being personally inspired by the journey of the Williams family and their unwavering pursuit of their dreams. Along the way their story touched countless cast and crew members as well as audiences all over the world. We were humbled by the opportunity to tell this story and share in this success with the incredible group of actors and filmmakers that made this possible.”
Adam McKay, Original Screenplay, Best Picture, “Don’t Look Up”
“I could not be more thrilled. Loved seeing the recognition for our incredibly talented composer Nicholas Britell and our legendary editor Hank Corwin. I am honored by the Best Original Screenplay nomination with David Sirota, especially as I personally started as a writer. And most of all, of course, Best Picture nomination, which is a reflection of hundreds of people who went above and beyond to make this movie happen during such challenging and difficult times. Thank you to the Academy, I’m extremely grateful.”
Zach Baylin, Original Screenplay, “King Richard”
“Thank you to the Academy!!! I’m so unbelievably proud and humbled to be nominated beside such an amazing group of writers. This film was an incredibly collaborative effort and I’m honored to share this moment with Will, Aunjanue, Pam, Demi, Saniyya, Jon, Tony, and the whole cast. Rei, you made a beautiful film and we are all standing on your shoulders. I can never thank Isha and the Williams family enough for allowing me to be a small part of their story and to Tim, Trevor, WB and all the producers who put this film on their back and willed it onto the screen, thank you! Hope you are as proud this morning as I am!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!”
Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Kurt Albrecht, Best Animated Feature, “The Mitchells Vs. the Machines”
“We’d like to THANK THE ACADEMY (WHAT IS HAPPENING!??!?!?) for this nomination.
“We’re so happy that our amazing team of artists and filmmakers are getting recognized for this film. Our family of hundreds of crew set out to make the most original, heartwarming, funny, surprising and groundbreaking film we could make, and to do it with the love and enthusiasm of a movie lover making her first film.
“Our art team constantly proved that you could break formulas and invent new tools to have CG animation reveal our artists’ humanity instead of hiding it. Our LGBTQ+ teammates helped us make our main character authentically queer. And all our artists infused every shot with the love and passion and infectious joy of our fellow first time filmmaker main character: Katie Mitchell.
This movie is a celebration of humanity, and we’re so grateful to the humans who made it, and just as grateful to the humans who loved it.”
Paolo Sorrentino, Best International Feature, “The Hand of God” (Italy)
“I am delighted with this nomination. For me it is already a great victory. It is a reason for emotion, because it is a prestigious recognition of the themes of the film, which are the things I believe in: irony, freedom, tolerance, pain, lightheartedness, willingness, the future, Naples and my mother. To get here, it took enormous teamwork. Therefore, I have to thank Netflix, Fremantle, The Apartment, the amazing actors and an unforgettable crew. And then my children and my wife, who love me in the most beautiful way: never taking me seriously.”
Greig Fraser, Cinematography, “Dune”
“Working with Denis Villeneuve and the entire cast and crew of Dune is an honor that often only happens once in a lifetime. Frank Herbert’s story resonates with so many readers worldwide and I can’t think of a better team of artists to have made this interpretation of his legendary words. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have supported our aesthetic vision from day one and to now be recognized by our colleagues with this nomination is the icing on the cake!”
Ari Wegner, Best Cinematography, “The Power of the Dog”
“I am lost for words, I can hardly stand up! I am so honoured to be recognised alongside such an incredible group of fellow cinematographers. I’m ecstatic for the entire Power of the Dog team on a phenomenal morning of nominations. Thank you to all of the cast and crew who supported me on this journey – and above all thank you to Jane for entrusting me with your film. This is simply a dream come true.”
Joe Walker, Editing, “Dune”
“I’m thrilled skinny – sharing this honour with so many members of my ‘Dune’ family fills my heart. At this stage we’re like a well-gigged band with Denis at the helm who makes it all sing. Working with this outstanding team on such a passionate project was a total joy. Thank you to my fellow film editors in the Academy for this vote of confidence in my work on ‘Dune’. It means the world to me.”
Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Ron Barlett, Doug Hemphill, Mac Ruth, Sound, “Dune”
“Thank you to the Academy and the Sound Branch for acknowledging our work on Dune. We are grateful to be a part of a film that, under Denis Villeneuve’s visionary direction, has thrilled audiences both visually and sonically. It is with great humility that we thank filmgoers and film lovers who are really listening. The support we have received from fans all around the world has been an amazing reward for our efforts.”
Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer, VFX, “Dune”
“Thank you to the Academy for generously honoring Dune. We could not have created all these worlds in visual and special effects without the vision of Director Denis Villeneuve and the passion of hundreds of artists all over the globe. A big thank you to all the production and post production crews for making this one of the most collaborative experiences of our careers.”
Nicholas Britell, Original Score, “Don’t Look Up”
“I am profoundly honored to receive this Oscar nomination for “Don’t Look Up.” This is my fourth project with Adam McKay, and it has been a real privilege to have such an amazing creative partner and friend. This truly means so much to me.”
Billie Eilish and Finneas, Best Original Song, “No Time To Die”
“Words cannot describe how honored and excited we are to have been nominated for an Academy Award for our song ‘No Time To Die.’ It was a lifelong dream of ours to write a Bond theme, and one we never thought would ever come true. It’s completely unbelievable that we are here being recognized for this song, and this is a peak life experience for us as songwriters and artists. To be recognized today among these other incredible nominees is something we most certainly do not take for granted. Thank you to the Academy, from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson for allowing us this incredible opportunity, and to be part of Daniel Craig’s unparalleled legacy as James Bond. Thank you to Cary Joji Fukunaga, and last but not least, thank you to Hans Zimmer, Stephen Lipson and Johnny Marr for being an absolute joy to work with on this song.”
Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan, Best Costume Design, “Dune”
“It’s such an honor to be nominated for our contribution to Dune, and we thank the membership for this distinction. It has been a career highlight to take this journey with Denis Villeneuve, an absolutely visionary filmmaker and inspiring collaborator, and to be recognized by The Academy makes it all the more gratifying.”
Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos, Best Production Design, “Dune”
“This is such a great honour. Feels like spice is in the air! I would like to thank the Academy for this immense recognition. Working with Denis to help him bring his unique and singular vision of Dune to the big screen was truly a pleasure and I can’t thank him enough for having brought me and the production design team along on the journey.”
Donald Mowar, Best Hair and Makeup, “Dune”
“Thank you so much to the Academy. Bringing the epic world of DUNE from script to screen pushed us all to the limit. Receiving this recognition from our peers is beyond our wildest imaginations. We are overwhelmed with joy and also deeply humbled by this news. We want to thank Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros., our producers, and especially Mary Parent and our wonderful director/writer/ producer Denis Villeneuve. They say it takes a village… and we want to dedicate this nomination to our incredibly hard-working team in make-up, hair, and prosthetics
Paul Tazewell, Best Costume Design, “West Side Story”
“I am filled with gratitude, especially for Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macasko and everyone at Amblin and 20th Century Studios. Being invited into the circle of exemplary talents with whom Steven surrounds himself has been utterly life-changing, and I will forever cherish my West Side Story experience with humility and great joy. Thank you to the Academy for this beautiful honor. What a bright and shining moment!”
Matt Ogens, Geoff McLean, “Audible”
“Thank you members of the Academy for nominating Audible. By opening a window into the Deaf community, we hope this film helps create more awareness, curiosity, and connection for anyone who feels different. We hope the world can see, and hear, you now. It took ten years to get Audible made, a long personal journey that was not possible without the support of the Maryland School for the Deaf. Thank you for opening your hearts to us and trusting us with your unique human experiences.”
Jessie Buckley, Best Supporting Actress, “The Lost Daughter”
“I am in complete shock! The Lost Daughter is so special to me. To be recognized for anything connected to it is just a wild dream come true. And to gorgeous Olivia Colman and our leader and legend Maggie Gyllenhaal, I’m so lucky to share this ride with you incredible women. Thank you.”
Andrew Garfield, Best Actor, “tick, tick…Boom!
“Never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would be given the chance to honor Jonathan Larson and his legacy of revolutionary art and community healing through this heart-filled movie tick, tick,…BOOM! By bestowing this recognition upon me, you honor our genius director Lin-Manuel Miranda, our producers Julie Larson, Julie Oh and Celia Costas and our entire cast and crew. We are a true family to our core.To be among 26 leading male performances to be nominated for an Oscar for their work in a musical, and to be initiated into that group with the likes of Bing Crosby, Roy Scheider, Gene Kelly and James Cagney, I am deeply humbled. All I long for is to tell stories that remind us of how to live. Jonathan’s story offers us a treasure map. Thank you for keeping his song reverberating through our universe.Love Andrew.”
Ciarán Hinds, Best Supporting Actor, “Belfast”
“Having worked in this industry for nearly 50 years, I thought there wasn’t much that could surprise me still. Today, I can honestly say, I am astounded, thrilled and deeply grateful.”
Joe McGovern contributed to this report