Netflix looks like a serious contender at this year’s Academy Awards, with its films receiving 24 nominations — more than any other Hollywood studio.
“The Irishman” received 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Director (Martin Scorsese), Actor in a Supporting Role (Al Pacino and Joe Pesci), Adapted Screenplay (Steven Zaillian) and Visual Effects.
Another Netflix movie, “Marriage Story,” received six nominations — Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Adam Driver), Actress in a Leading Role (Scarlett Johansson), Actress in a Supporting Role (Laura Dern), Original Screenplay (Noah Baumbach) and Original Score (Randy Newman).
Other Netflix films with nominations include “The Two Popes,” “I Lost My Body” and “Klaus.”
However, even “The Irishman” couldn’t match the 11 nods for “Joker,” the most-nominated movie of the year. And despite receiving a number of nominations, Netflix came away relatively empty-handed from this year’s Golden Globes — winning just two awards, one for Dern’s performance in “Marriage Story” and the other for Olivia Coleman in “The Crown.”
Last year, Netflix’s “Roma” received 10 nominations and ultimately won three, including Best Director,. but it lost out on Best Picture, which went to the traditionally distributed “Green Book.”
There were also reports earlier this year of a campaign led by director Steven Spielberg that would have required Netflix and other streaming keep their movies exclusively in theaters for at least four weeks in order to be eligible for Oscars. Ultimately, those changes didn’t happen, but it’s a reminder that there’s some lingering industry skepticism towards streaming.
Beyond the Netflix news, the nominations were also notably disappointing from a diversity standpoint, with all-male nominees for Best Director, and only a single acting nominee of color (Cynthia Erivo for “Harriet”).
