With nominations for Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Hong Chau, the number of Asian acting nominees has reached the most recognized in a single year ever at four nominations. The film Everything Everywhere All At Once, written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, was the top film with 11 nominations, many of which held historical significance.
The Daniels are the fifth duo nominated for directing, with Kwan’s nominations for directing and original screenplay marking the 13th occurrence of Asian filmmakers recognized in each category. One of the rare times a filmmaker is nominated for a “hat trick” (picture, director, and screenplay), Kwan is the third Asian person ever after Bong Joon Ho and Chloé Zhao.
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Until Tuesday, Merle Oberon was the sole Asian woman nominated in the lead actress category, holding that title since 1935. Now, Yeoh joins the list, as the Malaysian veteran actor earned her first career nod for her performance as laundromat owner Evelyn. Yeoh, at 60, is the second-oldest Asian acting nominee, behind Yuh-Jung Youn, who was 73 when she was nominated and eventually won best supporting actress for Minari.
Other Asian talent recognized this year includes director Domee Shi, whose Turning Red was among the five nominated animated movies. It marks the 10th consecutive year that an Asian filmmaker was nominated in the category, the longest run of Asian representation in any category. With a nomination for best-adapted screenplay, Living scribe Kazuo Ishiguro is the first Asian person and the sixth Nobel Prize winner to be an Oscar nominee.
BIPOC Representation in Academy Award Nominations
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In the acting categories, of the ten nominated for lead and supporting actress, five belong to women of color: Ana de Armas, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, Hong Chau, and Stephanie Hsu. It’s been 30 years since Bassett was nominated for playing Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It? and she’s returned as the first MCU actor nominated by the Academy for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Cuban star de Armas is only the fifth Latina nominated for best actress, a category that has yet to produce a winner in 95 years.
Quan and Brian Tyree Henry represent men of color in the supporting actor race, both picking up their first nominations. Henry is the lone Black male actor recognized by the Academy, with actors of color completely shut out of the lead actor race and Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler as key snubs in lead actress.
