Enter the Oscars thunderdome, if you dare. Here, not even the most seasoned gladiators are safe from upstart thespians fighting their way to the top.
In 2023, the Academy Awards boasted a record number of first-time nominees in the acting categories, filling 16 out of 20 competitive spots. This year, there are only 10 rookies—but the fresh blood in this slate is formidable. From Hollywood newcomers to long-snubbed vets, all pose a threat to established Oscars royalty.
Before the curtain rises on March 10 at the Dolby Theatre, let’s take a look at what each first-time nominee is bringing to the showdown.
Actor in a Leading Role
Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
His weapon: Explosive prestige
Murphy deftly translates the chilling presence he brought to genre films like Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later” and Wes Craven’s “Red Eye” to the historical horrors of “Oppenheimer”—those trademark baby blues projecting haunted obsession. Christopher Nolan’s atomic-bomb biopic was just the dose of prestige the actor needed to push him into the Academy Awards conversation. Perhaps the sheer scope of the story can help him edge out the competition, particularly fellow Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”). A Murphy victory would also honor an enduring collaboration: “Oppenheimer” marks the actor’s sixth film with Nolan.
Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures
Colman Domingo, “Rustin”
His weapon: History
In this George C. Wolfe biopic, Domingo’s portrayal of civil rights firebrand Bayard Rustin boldly counters Bradley Cooper’s turn as Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro.” (This year marks Cooper’s fifth Oscars acting nod.) Both real-life figures were queer men, but Bernstein hid his desires from the public eye, whereas Rustin was an out-and-proud freedom fighter. If the Academy favors the latter, it will mean rewarding a spiky, iron-willed performance that pulled a complex hero out from the shadows of history. Domingo is only the second openly gay man to be nominated for playing a gay character—and if he takes home the gold, he would be the first one to win.
Credit: David Lee/Netflix
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
His weapon: A ticket with his number on it
Almost 30 years after his breakout performance as the titular artist in Julian Schnabel’s “Basquiat,” Wright delivered another leading turn that the Oscars couldn’t ignore. He’s the epitome of the “Hey, I love that guy!” actor, classing up auteur projects and tentpole franchises alike. The Academy loves to reward journeymen who have worked their way up to capstone roles (think J.K. Simmons’ 2015 win for “Whiplash”). In Cord Jefferson’s satire, Wright is hubristic and self-isolating as Monk, an author who creates a literary alter ego. But the actor also brings devastating vulnerability to the role as his character comes to grips with family tragedy, and relatable exasperation as a Black man coping with professional indignity. He doesn’t waste his moment in the spotlight.
Credit: Claire Folger
Actress in a Leading Role
Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Her weapon: scene-stealing
Gladstone’s biggest edge over previous leading actress winner Emma Stone (“Poor Things”)? She’s the face of iconic director Martin Scorsese’s behemoth passion project. After the credits roll, you can’t stop thinking about Mollie Burkhart—her eye rolls at the flirtations of Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio), her bemused “sheesh,” the delirium she experiences in her sickbed, and the creeping betrayal on her face when she discovers her husband’s treachery. This uniquely American tragedy needed Gladstone’s earthy humanity to bring it to life. A win for the actor would be historic (she’s the first Indigenous woman to be nominated in the category) and would also honor an exceptional performer emerging from indie obscurity.
Courtesy Apple TV+
Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
Her weapon: A critically acclaimed doubleheader
There’s no doubt that this German actor is a dark horse. Apart from spoiling the Gladstone vs. Stone bout, she’d also need to maneuver past three-time nominee Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and eternal Oscar bridesmaid Annette Bening (“NYAD”). But just look at the year Hüller’s having: Her gripping performance in Justine Triet’s crime drama “Anatomy of a Fall” and her breathtakingly horrific turn in Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest”—both nominated for best picture—have made her a competitor twice over. She earned a best actress nod for the former, playing a steely, mysterious widow who delivers the kind of monologue that makes a clip reel sing. Considering Triet is also nominated for best director, there’s plenty of love for “Anatomy” that could swing the verdict in Hüller’s favor.
Courtesy NEON/Cinetic Media
Actor in a Supporting Role
Sterling K. Brown, “American Fiction”
His weapon: An underdog’s luck
None of our gladiators are facing more lions than Brown, who will fight a quartet of Oscar powerhouses: Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), and Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”). Of these performers, only De Niro has won an acting Oscar, and not since 1981 for Scorsese’s “Raging Bull.” But who doesn’t love an underdog? As the troubled brother of Wright’s protagonist in “American Fiction,” Brown deftly balances pathos and humor atop his washboard abs. Considering the actor has taken home more than a few Emmys for his TV work, might the Academy canonize his successful crossover to cinema?
Credit: Claire Folger
Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”
Her weapon: A powerful résumé
Blunt rides into battle armed with name recognition; but like Murphy, it’s for the kind of films the Academy doesn’t typically embrace: comedy (“The Devil Wears Prada”) horror (“A Quiet Place”), and action (“Edge of Tomorrow”). As Oppenheimer’s long-suffering wife, Kitty, Blunt finally scored a role that fits the Oscar mold. She’s the biggest female presence in Nolan’s movie, and she uses every second of screentime to sketch a sharp, sorrowful portrait of a woman whose love is sidelined by her husband’s obsession with his career. Blunt also does some of the talky film’s best chin-wagging in a combative interrogation scene.
Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures
Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”
Her weapon: That Juilliard juice
This multihyphenate is the sole nominee from Blitz Bazawule’s musical film—the latest of many adaptations of Alice Walker’s seminal novel. But the strength of Brooks’ turn as Sofia (a role that also earned Oprah Winfrey an Oscar nod for Steven Spielberg’s 1985 movie) means that she simply couldn’t be left out. The actor’s performance is full of brio and self-possession, as her character drags everyone around her into a brave new world where women can say “Hell, no!” to a life not lived on their own terms. The Juilliard-trained actor also played Sofia in the 2015 revival of the Broadway musical. She’s the kind of artist whose win would vouch for the value of raw, show-stopping talent.
Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
America Ferrera, “Barbie”
Her weapon: A fantastic, plastic phenomenon
Ferrera rides into the arena on a wave of discourse about major snubs for Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster. And as the only female actor nominated for the movie, Ferrera’s inclusion carries considerable weight. But since she’s backed by the power of a candy-colored, billion-dollar phenomenon, she doesn’t need to worry about that storyline. Ferrera’s grounded take on audience point-of-view character Gloria keeps Gerwig’s fantastical film tethered to reality. Her monologue about the demands placed on women has its lovers and haters, but there’s no denying that the biggest film of 2023 lived and died by the actor’s delivery.
Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
Her weapon: A winner’s narrative
Considering she cleaned up at the Golden Globes and earned multiple awards from critics’ associations, Randolph is a solid bet. In Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” she plays Mary Lamb, a cafeteria manager who tends to the wayward souls left behind at a boarding school over Christmas break—while also mourning the loss of her son. In the midst of a bitter New England winter, Randolph stokes the fires of Mary’s love with pain and a few too many stiff drinks. Every gesture and expression signals an assured, indelible performance. The actor is the warm pulse of this best picture nominee and a major threat to the other supporting actress contenders, including the category’s sole previous winner, Jodie Foster (“NYAD”).
Credit: Seacia Pavao/Focus Features
This story originally appeared in the Feb. 22 issue of Backstage Magazine.