{"text":[[{"start":12.98,"text":"History could not have failed to be made by the 2021 Oscar nominees. "},{"start":17.997,"text":"It duly has, twice over. "},{"start":20.402,"text":"For a start, Chinese film-maker Chloé Zhao has become the first woman of colour ever nominated for the prize of Best Director. "},{"start":28.344,"text":"Her nomination alongside British director Emerald Fennell also makes this the first time two women will contest the category. "}],[{"start":36.55,"text":"Equally, after a year almost without cinemas and with enforced changes to eligibility rules, the contenders reflect 12 months in which streaming has come to define the film business. "},{"start":48.391999999999996,"text":"In multiple categories, the winner on the night of April 25 is likely to be Netflix. "},{"start":54.309,"text":"Many would argue the biggest victory is already theirs. "}],[{"start":58.28999999999999,"text":"The single largest haul of nominations — 10, including Best Picture — went to Mank, an inky Hollywood Valentine produced by the streaming giant and directed by David Fincher. "},{"start":70.19399999999999,"text":"Zhao’s Nomadland, meanwhile — the story of an American woman building a new life off-grid — picked up six nominations, also including Best Picture as well as Best Actress for star Frances McDormand. "},{"start":83.274,"text":"Six nominations were also secured by Minari, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Father and Sound of Metal. "}],[{"start":93.36999999999999,"text":"That even field might be put down to a year in which blockbuster release plans and awards campaigns have been upended by the pandemic. "},{"start":101.42399999999999,"text":"A new accommodation with streaming is one result. "},{"start":104.704,"text":"As far back as last April, the Academy was moved to relax eligibility rules that insisted Oscar contenders must screen first in a cinema and play for at least seven days in Los Angeles. "},{"start":116.972,"text":"By then LA cinemas had already been closed for a month; some, not all, reopen this week.) The pandemic has rendered moot previous frictions between the Academy and Netflix. "},{"start":128.689,"text":"As well as Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and the 1920s-set Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom were released by the company, which claimed a total of 35 nominations. "}],[{"start":140.63,"text":"Recent years have also seen the Oscars dogged by complaints over shortfalls in diversity. "},{"start":146.597,"text":"Last year, an all-male list for Best Director caused dismay. "},{"start":151.014,"text":"The Academy will hope a page has been turned with the nominations of Zhao and Fennell, who was shortlisted for her debut Promising Young Woman. "}],[{"start":160.01999999999998,"text":"Acting categories too have previously caused upset with a perceived exclusion of performers of colour. "},{"start":166.487,"text":"Not so this year. "},{"start":168.154,"text":"Best Actor nominees include the late Chadwick Boseman for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) and Stephen Yeun (Minari). "},{"start":178.80899999999997,"text":"Boseman’s co-star Viola Davis is nominated for Best Actress alongside Andra Day, the breakout star of The United States vs Billie Holiday. "},{"start":188.552,"text":"Best Supporting Actor nominees include two performers from Judas and the Black Messiah, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield, as well as Leslie Odom Jr for One Night in Miami. "}],[{"start":200.73,"text":"In a typical year, the Oscars tend to spotlight one unfamiliar name above all others. "},{"start":207.084,"text":"In 2021, Day and Fennell aside, novelty surrounds the Best Supporting Actress nomination of Maria Bakalova, who managed the impossible by upstaging Sacha Baron Cohen in the raucous Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. "},{"start":221.26399999999998,"text":"Still, shed no tears for Baron Cohen. "},{"start":224.557,"text":"Not only did his sequel also receive a nod for Best Original Screenplay, the star himself will compete for Best Supporting Actor for The Trial of the Chicago 7. "}],[{"start":234.98,"text":"Now comes the next phase of campaigning, a deeply political process usually centred on undistanced Hollywood schmoozing. "},{"start":242.84699999999998,"text":"At some point before April 25, the Academy will also reveal how many — if any — of the nominees will be able to physically attend the ceremony. "},{"start":252.189,"text":"Covid is not ready for its closing credits yet. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

---

"}],[{"start":256.36,"text":"The nominees in the four main awards categories are as follows: "}],[{"start":261.34999999999997,"text":"

Best Picture

"}],[{"start":263.53,"text":"The Father\nAnthony Hopkins stars as a man with dementia in Florian Zeller’s adaptation of his own play "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":270.96999999999997,"text":"Judas and the Black Messiah\nAn FBI informant infiltrates the Black Panthers in Shaka King’s truth-based movie starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":282.24999999999994,"text":"Mank\nGary Oldman plays screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz in Netflix’s true-ish Citizen Kane origin story "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":290.1499999999999,"text":"Minari\nLee Isaac Chung’s drama about a Korean-American family starting a new life on an Arkansas farm "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":297.86999999999995,"text":"Nomadland\nFrances McDormand stars in Chloé Zhao’s film about a woman going it alone and a hidden American subculture "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":306.81999999999994,"text":"Promising Young Woman\nCarey Mulligan turns the tables on predatory men in Emerald Fennell’s black comedy of revenge and retribution "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":315.53999999999996,"text":"Sound of Metal\nRiz Ahmed plays a hard-rock drummer who begins losing his hearing in Darius Marder’s movie "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":323.35999999999996,"text":"The Trial of the Chicago 7\nAaron Sorkin’s starry Netflix drama is a courtroom-set story of 1960s activism "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":332.49999999999994,"text":"

Best Director

"}],[{"start":334.67999999999995,"text":"Lee Isaac Chung, Minari "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":338.25999999999993,"text":"Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":341.97999999999996,"text":"Chloé Zhao, Nomadland "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":345.35999999999996,"text":"David Fincher, Mank "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":348.42999999999995,"text":"Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":352.00999999999993,"text":"

Best Actress

"}],[{"start":354.18999999999994,"text":"Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":358.50999999999993,"text":"Andra Day, The United States vs Billie Holiday "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":363.44999999999993,"text":"Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":367.0999999999999,"text":"Frances McDormand, Nomadland "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":370.9599999999999,"text":"Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":374.67999999999995,"text":"

Best Actor

"}],[{"start":376.28999999999996,"text":"Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":379.65,"text":"Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":383.98999999999995,"text":"Anthony Hopkins, The Father "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":386.78,"text":"Gary Oldman, Mank "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":389.84999999999997,"text":"Steven Yuen, Minari "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":393.07,"text":"Full list of nominees in all categories at Oscars.org "}],[{"start":398.18,"text":"Did the Academy get it right this year? "},{"start":401.034,"text":"Share your views — and your personal picks — in the comments section below "}],[{"start":405.82,"text":""}]],"url":"https://creatives.ftacademy.cn/album/001091852-1616229770.mp3"}