The 93rd Academy Awards sets a diversity record with nine actors of color earning nominations, including many firsts amongst talents of Asians decent.
For the first time in the Oscars’ 93-year history, performers of color comprise the majority in both actor categories, with Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottoms”) and Steven Yeun (“Minari”) in the best actor category. In the supporting category, Leslie Odom Jr. (“One Night In Miami”) is competing with Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield from “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
Riz Ahmed is the first actor of Pakistani decent and the first Muslim actor to receive an Oscar nomination in Best Actor category. Previously, Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar when he took home the statuette for supporting actor for “Moonlight”.
Steven Yeun is the first actor of Asian decent to receive a Best Actor nomination. Yeun’s “Minari” co-star Youn Yuh-jung also received a nomination in the supporting actress category. Youn becomes the first actress of Korean decent to be nominated in the category.
Producer Christina Oh of “Minari” becomes the first Asian American woman to receive a nomination for Best Picture. “Minari” filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung becomes the second Asian American nominated for Best Actor. Previously, M. Night Shyamalan became the first director of Asian decent to win Best Director.
Awards season top-runner Chloé Zhao made Oscars history as the first woman of color nominated for Best Director. Additionally, she is also the first woman of color up for adapted screenplay, and best picture. Between her and Emerald Fennell of “Promising Young Woman”, the roster of Oscar-nominated female directors has instantly expanded by 40 percent.
The drastic shift towards a more diverse crowd came last summer when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended invitations to 819 artists and executives. The A2020 initiative was aimed to double the number of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities. The Academy surpassed its original goal to reach double the number of women and underrepresented ethnic/racial communities with the 2020 class breakdown of 45% women, 36% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49% international from 68 countries.
The Academy Awards will take place April 25th at downtown Los Angeles’ Union Station and Hollywood’s Dolby Theater.
