Jordan Peele, Guillermo Del Toro, Greta Gerwig, and more respond to their Oscar nominations
Thanks in great part to co-host Tiffany Haddish, today’s Oscar nomination announcements were a lively affair despite having kicked off before the end of most nominees’ REM cycles. But once these actors and auteurs did wake up, they were greeted with some of the best news.
Jordan Peele, whose directorial debut Get Out scored four nominations including a Best Actor nod for Daniel Kaluuya, referenced the frightening locale he introduced last year.
When reached for comment, Kaluuya told Deadline, “It makes me happy that a film that empowers people that feel marginalized, people actually saw and wanted to see again and again. For it to be recognized is reflective of how people feel.”
Elsewhere on Twitter, Kumail Nanjiani tweeted faux-obliviousness before extending kudos to his Big Sick co-writer (and wife) Emily V. Gordon.
The Shape Of Water has been one of the front-runners this awards season, suggesting that there might be something to the “ancient god” theory about the sexy merman played by Doug Jones. Director Guillermo Del Toro, who was previously nominated for Pan’s Labyrinth, accepted the nominations with typical vigor. And Octavia Spencer, who’s nominated in Best Supporting Actress, was equally impressed.
Greta Gerwig, who wrote and directed one of the best coming-of-age stories The A.V. Club has seen in a while, had a typically heartwarming response to the accolades Lady Bird has received.
This is an unbelievable honor and I am beside myself with joy and gratitude. The entire team who made Lady Bird poured their heart and soul into it, and I am so deeply grateful to the Academy for their recognition. I couldn’t be prouder of my brilliant women who led the cast, Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf, and I am so thrilled that they were nominated for their beautiful performances. I am struggling to find the words to express how much the nomination for best director and best screenplay means to me — in a year where there are so many brilliant films by so many of my heroes of cinema — all I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Christopher Nolan, who was already a three-time Oscar nominee for Memento and Inception, picked up his first Best Director nod for the sweeping Dunkirk, an honor he accepted with co-producer Emma Thomas: “We are thrilled that the Academy has recognized the craft and talent of so many of the incredible people that brought the story of Dunkirk to life. But most of all, this recognition helps us to believe that we have done some justice to honouring all those whose lives were affected by the real life events at Dunkirk.”
Kobe Bryant, already a seven-time basketball champ, reacted to his first-ever Oscar nomination (for the animated docu-short Dear Basketball) with shock, while Hugh Jackman took some time to thank his Greatest Showman collaborators.
James Franco was left out of the Best Actor category, but The Disaster Artist was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, news that co-writer Michael H. Weber took very well, along with Haddish playfully butchering his name.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 will represent the MCU in this year’s visual effects race, which director James Gunn celebrated with the Baby Groot clip we’ve had on our minds since the release of his film.
Meryl Streep picked up her 21st nomination for her role in The Post, and even though she could probably recycle previous responses, she shouted out the press when reached for comment: “I am honored beyond measure by this nomination for a film I love, a film that stands in defense of press freedom, and inclusion of women’s voices in the movement of history- Proud of the film, and all her filmmakers. Thank you from a full heart.”
Allison Janney’s been sweeping the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in I, Tonya, which made the Academy’s recognition of Laurie Metcalf’s subtly superb work in Lady Bird in the same category all the more welcome. The actress, who’s already gearing up for a stage production, responded to her nomination in an emotional interview with Good Morning America.