The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled the list of nominations for the 94th Academy Award ceremony. The Power of the Dog leads the pack with 12 Oscar nominations, while Denis Villeneuve's Dune racked up 10 nominations. Dune and The Power of the Dog oppose one another in 7 categories, including Best Picture.
The performances of the cast of The Power of the Dog have been recognized by the Academy, as its four core characters have all been nominated for an Oscar. Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jesse Plemons have all been recognized in the Supporting Role category, while Benedict Cumberbatch has earned a nomination for Lead Actor. In the category for Best Lead Actor, Cumberbatch faces some stiff competition before he can take home the award.
Of the hundreds of incredible performances that occurred in 2021, the Academy has narrowed that list down to five actors. Cumberbatch and Will Smith are the only two actors in the category whose film is also nominated for Best Picture. The other nominees include Javier Bardem, Andrew Garfield, and Denzel Washington. All five of these nominees have been previously nominated for an Academy Award, but only Bardem and Washington have won.
Javier Bardem - Being the Ricardos
Bardem has received his fourth Oscar nomination for his role as Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos. In the film, Bardem stars opposite Nicole Kidman to bring moments of Lucille Ball and Arnaz's romance to the big screen. Bardem gives a tremendous performance as Arnaz. One of the most memorable scenes in Being the Ricardos relies solely on his delivery. After Ball has been accused of being a Communist, Arnez sends himself out to confront the live studio audience to explain the situation to them, in hopes that he will save his and Ball's careers.
As Arnez, Bardem is playing many roles. He is not only portraying the man but the facades that he attempts to convince Ball are true. Arnez tries to reason that he is being faithful and that certain things do not bother him. Ball attempts to see through this but has difficulty because of her own wishes for things to get better. Bardem delivers these layers of Arnez beautifully, nearly making him a more likable character than Kidman's Ball.
Being the Ricardos is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog
Cumberbatch is one of the favored choices to take home the Oscar. In The Power of the Dog, Cumberbatch plays Phil Burbank, a wealthy ranch owner who is the complete opposite of his kind-hearted brother George. Phil is not an outright evil character, but he's not necessarily ideal company either. He's a rather volatile, lonesome man that finds joy in making people uncomfortable. Phil is not meant to be a likable character, but none of The Power of the Dog's characters is without fault.
To this degree, Cumberbatch plays the part beautifully. There's an underlying element of masculine confidence that Cumberbatch brings to Phil's character, which also gives the rancher a depth that his supporting cast does not have. The fear and discomfort Peter and Rose experience because of Phil is a testament to the persona Cumberbatch brings to life. It's not easy to create a character whose presence is felt on camera, even when they're not there, and yet, Cumberbatch pulls it off effortlessly.
The Power of the Dog is now streaming on Netflix.
Andrew Garfield - tick, tick...BOOM!
Garfield has earned his second Academy Award nomination for his performance as Jonathan Larson in the Lin Manuel-Miranda directed production of tick, tick...BOOM! The role is unlike anything fans of Garfield would have seen in his previous performances on film. As Larson, Garfield delivers a stunning performance as he presents the events from Larson's life that inspired the musical with a passion that jumps out of the screen.
Garfield's fondness is a reflection of Larson's own passion for his work. Garfield acts not only as Larson performing his musicals (Superbia and tick, tick...BOOM!) but as Larson in events of his day-to-day life, and some of the experiences that inspired some of his work and its characters. Garfield is not an underdog in this Oscar race, as he took home the Golden Globe for Best Performance in a Musical or Comedy for his role as Larson.
tick, tick...BOOM! is now streaming on Netflix.
Will Smith - King Richard
This nomination marks Smith's third in the Best Actor category. In King Richard, Smith delivers a raw performance as Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena Williams at the start of their young careers. As Richard, Smith powerfully advocates for the success of his children as they are routinely treated as outcasts in the predominantly white world of tennis. After years of being overlooked, Richard puts his all into guaranteeing that the outcome for his children will be different.
Smith won the Golden Globe for Best Performance in a Drama at this year's ceremony for his performance in King Richard. He defeated fellow Academy Award-nominees Bardem, Cumberbatch, and Washington to take home the award, which makes him a viable candidate to take home the Oscar. Smith is not unaccustomed to delivering a raw, heartwarming, and equally heartbreaking performance, but he delivers one of the best of his career in King Richard​​​​​​.
King Richard is now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
Denzel Washington - The Tragedy of Macbeth
Washington is considered one of the greatest actors of this generation, and rightfully so. He has received 7 Oscar nominations in the Best Actor category and has won the award twice. As Lord Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth, Washington delivers another stellar performance and adds to his impressive list of roles and accomplishments. Washington embodies all the sophistication of a ruler and its burdens as Macbeth slowly unravels throughout the film. The Tragedy of Macbeth is nothing short of spectacular thanks not only to Washington but his fellow castmates and the direction of Joel Coen.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is now streaming on Apple TV.
When it comes to the Academy Awards, in every category, it is anyone's game. All five of these men deliver performances that no amount of awards could properly convey their brilliance. The likely outcome of this category is that it will be a first-time Oscar winner taking home the award. This narrows the race down to Cumberbatch, Garfield, and Smith. Of the five nominees, Cumberbatch or Smith will likely end up taking home the award. The success and acclaim of not only their individual performances but the praise their films have seen, only adds to the beauty of their work. If Cumberbatch or Smith were to win, it would be their first Oscar win. Cumberbatch was previously nominated in the Best Actor category for The Imitation Game, while Smith has been nominated twice for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
The winners of the 94th Academy Awards will be announced on ABC on March 27, 2022.
