Contenders’ (First) Big Moment of Truth Arrives

THR’s awards expert chimes in after the announcement of BAFTA and Oscar nominations, plus more

BEST PICTURE Anatomy of a Fall

Seven BAFTA noms (including best film, director and actress) presaged five Oscar noms (including those same three), a formidable showing for the film. France must regret not submitting it for the international feature Oscar; The Taste of Things wasn’t nominated.

The Color Purple

Despite producer Oprah Winfrey’s best efforts to boost Blitz Bazawule’s film, this musical version of Alice Walker’s novel, which was made into a nonmusical film that received 11 Oscar noms 37 years ago, landed just one this cycle: best supporting actress, for Danielle Brooks.

Oppenheimer Christopher Nolan’s

masterpiece, on the heels of landing a field-leading 13 BAFTA nominations, garnered the same number of Oscar noms (a number exceeded only by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land, which each received 14), cementing it as the formidable frontrunner in the category.

Poor Things

Searchlight, which has distributed the best picture Oscar winner in four of the past 10 years, has a serious contender with Yorgos Lanthimos’ dramedy, which received 11 noms from both BAFTA (not best director) and the Academy (though Willem Dafoe missed a supporting nom).

BEST DIRECTOR Greta Gerwig Barbie

The director of 2023’s biggest blockbuster was passed over for BAFTA and Oscar directing noms (though both groups nominated her script). Her first three films have been Oscar-nominated for best picture, but only one brought her a directing nom.

BEST ACTOR Jeffrey Wright American Fiction

His James Bond movie collaborators Daniel Craig and Barbara Broccoli hosted an event for him Jan. 16; the Advanced Imaging Society said he’ll receive its Distinguished Artist Award; and, despite missing a BAFTA nom, he landed his first Oscar nomination.