New and upcoming Nominees for Academy Awards 2023

Starting in 1929, the Academy Awards has become one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in the film industry. The very first Oscar ceremony was hosted by the legendary film star Douglas Fairbanks, alongside William C. de Mille, brother of Cecil B. de Mille and father of Tony Award-winning choreographer Agnes de Mille. Every year, actors and filmmakers alike eagerly await the announcement of the nominees. With the 2022 awards ceremony behind us, it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2023 Academy Awards. In this article, we will discuss the new and upcoming nominees who are being celebrated for the performances in best movies from this year.

The Nominees are?

Ana de Armas, Blonde

Born in 1988, Ana de Armas is a Cuban-Spanish actress who got her start at the tender age of 16 when she starred in Una rosa de Francia in Havana, Cuba. She moved to Spain when she was 19 where she continued to excel in film and television with roles in The Boarding School (e.g. El Internado). After moving to Los Angeles, de Armas would go on to star in films like Knock Knock and War Dogs. Her recent string of hits include Blade Runner 2049 with Ryan Gosling, Knives Out with Chris Evans and No Time to Die with Daniel Craig.  

In 2022, de Armas starred in the Netflix movie Blonde, a biographical drama film that tells the story of the iconic actress Marilyn Monroe. Armas played the lead role of Marilyn Monroe, and her performance has generated a lot of buzz in the industry. She is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Michelle Ingrid Williams, The Fabelmans

Star of the small screen, from bit parts in Baywatch, to starring roles in Dawson’s Creek, Michelle Ingrid Williams has is an American actress who is best known for her roles in dark independent features. Throughout her career, Williams has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards in films such as Brokeback Mountain (2005), Manchester by the Sea (2016), Blue Valentine (2010), and My Week with Marilyn (2011). 

In 2022, she starred in the movie The Fabelmans, a semi-autobiographical drama film on Steven Spielberg directed by Spielberg himself. The movie tells the story of a young man growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. Williams played the lead role of Mitzi Fabelman, the matriarch of the family. She is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie

Born Andrea Louise Riseborough in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, the British actress is best known for her roles in films such as Birdman starring Michael Keaton and Mandy starring alongside Nicholas Cage. Riseborough made her film debut in the 2006 British comedy Venus directed by Roger Michell. Before getting her start in film, Riseborough got her start in the entertainment industry by working as a member of the Young People’s Theatre for five years in her younger years. 

In 2022, she would star as the titular character of Leslie in the hit film To Leslie, a drama film directed by Michael Morris. The movie tells the story of a West Texas single mother and recovering addict who wins the lottery and squanders it just as fast. Upon doing so, she would leave behind a world full of heartbreak. Riseborough has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Austin Butler, Elvis

Born Austin Robert Butler in Anaheim, CA, the actor was discovered at the young age of 13 while walking around the Orange County Fair by a background acting management company representative. Butler is known for his roles in TV shows such as The Carrie Diaries and The Shannara Chronicles. He got his start on popular Disney shows like Hannah Montana and Wizard’s of Waverly Place, as well as Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 and Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide. Some of Butler’s best loved films include Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure, The Intruders, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. 

In 2022, Butler took a chance and starred in the movie Elvis, a biographical drama film that tells the story of the legendary musician Elvis Presley. With the blessing of the singers ex ex-wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie, Butler would go on to play the lead role of Elvis, a role that is being celebrated in the industry with the highest honor. Austin would go on to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, an award in which Priscilla and Lisa Marie would celebrate with him. He is currently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2023.

Bill Nighy, Living

One of three British stars on this list, Bill Nighy is a British actor who has been nominated for multiple BAFTA Awards throughout the years. . Bill has been gracing our screens, both big and small, since the mid 1970s with roles in Heidi: Queen of the Mountain, Fat, and Curse of the Pink Panther to more recent roles in films like Shaun of the Dead, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Ever the consumate professional, Nighy has also been featured on the soundtracks to several films and has served as a producer on a 2 films since 2011.

In 2022, he starred in the movie Living, a drama film directed by Oliver Hermanus. The movie tells the story of Rodney Williams, a man who after receiving a grim diagnosis of cancer, decides to quit his job and go on a trip to a quiet seaside resort town where he plans to commit suicide by taking a lethal amount of sleeping pills. When he is unable to go through with his plan, Williams decides to give his pills to an insomniac and head back to London in an effort to reconnect with his estranged family. For his portrayal of Williams, Nighy has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Paul Mescal, Aftersun

The youngest nominee on this list, Paul Mescal is an Irish actor who got his start as an actor when he studied acting at The Lir Academy where he would go to perform in plays in many Dublin theatres. His big break in Hollywood came when he starred in the TV Mini-Series Normal People alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones. Paul’s first major film role came in the form of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s 2021 psychological thriller The Lost Daughter where he starred as Will.

In 2022, Mescal starred as Calum in the movie Aftersun, a drama film directed by Charlotte Wells. Aftersun follows eleven year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio), as she embarks on a vacation with her father to Turkey for the summer. Throughout the film we see the Sophie and her father dealign with their own struggles, from Calum’s occupational and financial struggles to Sophie’s struggles with sex and romance. Mescal is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Ke Huy Quan is a Vietnamese-American actor who, despite being in the industry since the 1980s, has a relatively small number of films and television shows to his roster. Quan first came to prominence when he starred as Short Round opposite Harrison Ford in 1984s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The film also starred director Steven Spielberg’s future wife Kate Capshaw. Quan would follow-up this role with his role in the Richard Donner hit The Goonies, co written by Christopher Columbus and Steven Spielberg. 

After taking a break from acting from 2002 to 2021, Quan would go on to star in the 2022 Oscar nominated movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, a science fiction comedy film directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. The movie tells the story of a woman who discovers she has the ability to travel between parallel universes. Quan played a supporting role of Waymond Wang, husband to Michelle Yeoh’s titular character Evelyn Wang in the film.

And The Oscar Goes To!

From Ana de Armas to Michelle Williams, the 2023 Academy Awards are proving to be one for the ages. With so many amazing films and stars, narrowing down our list to just the top 7 was one of the toughest decisions. Ana de Armas captured the grace and beauty of Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. She has the incredible honor of being the first Cuban Spanish actress to ever be nominated for an academy award. Her nomination has us chomping at the bit to see the outcome of this category that sees only the best of the best. 

Next, from Austin Butler to Paul Mescal, our pick for best actor would have to go to king himself, Austin Butler. As one of the two youngest nominees, Austin went the extra mile for his turn as Elvis and made it a point to perfect his performance by studying the singers mannerisms and vocal performance. Finally, making his comeback to acting, Ke Huy Quan is amazing as the supportive husband to the multiverse hopping Michelle Yeoh. Do you agree with our picks? You can see who the Oscar goes to on Sunday Mar 12, 2023.