‘Nomadland’ Oscar Nominations Could Be A First In Academy Award History
Believe it or not, a woman has never been nominated for Best Actress and Best Picture (via being a producer) in the same exact year. That very well might be about to change, though – withNomadland. StarFrances McDormandis also a producer on theChloé Zhao-directed flick, and almost everyone who tracks the Oscars seems to think she’s a shoo-in for Best Actress and that the film will surely get a Best Picture nod.
Nomadlandis one of the year’s best movies. And Frances McDormand is there in every scene, anchoring everything. It’s yet another stellar performance from the acclaimed actress, who year after year reminds us she’s one of the best in the biz. InNomadland, McDormand is Fern, a homeless woman who travels through America in her van. As I wrote in myreview:
While we still have a little while to go before the Oscar nominations are announced, there’s a very good chance that McDormand is going to score another Best Actress nomination and thatNomadlandwill be nominated for Best Picture. And asVarietypoints out, that would make history. Because McDormand is also one ofNomadland’s producers – which would makeNomadlandthe first film to have a Best Actress and Best Picture award potentially going to the same person.
It’s happened for male performers several times – Warren Beatty withBonnie and Clyde,Heaven Can Wait,Reds, andBugsy; Clint Eastwood withUnforgivenandMillion Dollar Baby; and Bradley Cooper withAmerican SniperandA Star is Born –but never with a female performer/producer. However, Variety does that “two female acting nominees have been nominated as producers in the best picture category in the 92 years of the Academy, though for different films than their acting nods” – that would be Oprah Winfrey, nominated forThe Color Purpleas supporting actress andSelmaas a producer, and Barbra Streisand, who won Best Actress forFunny Girland was nominated for Best Picture withThe Prince of Tides.
