Oscars Make Strides in Diversity Beyond the Acting Categories
variety.comAngelique Jackson Following a record-breaking year for diversity at the Academy Awards, with nine actors of color nabbing nominations in 2021, the 2022 lineup featured just four actors of color: Ariana DeBose, Aunjanue Ellis, Will Smith and Denzel Washington.With this latest nomination for “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” Washington extended his lead as the most-nominated Black actor at the Oscars, with a total of 10 nods and two wins.
Smith earned his third best actor nomination and his first nod as a producer for “King Richard.” The sports drama landed six nominations in all, as Ellis represented the film in the supporting actress category, where she was joined by fellow first-timer “West Side Story” star DeBose, who becomes the first Afro-Latina actor (and the first openly queer woman of color) ever nominated.
Also representing the Latino community is two-time Oscar winner Guillermo Del Toro, who added another best picture nomination to his resume with “Nightmare Alley.” Meanwhile, Lin-Manuel Miranda finds himself one step closer to becoming an EGOT recipient after nabbing an original song nom for “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto.” With an animated feature nod, “Encanto” producer Yvett Merino becomes the first Latina ever nominated in the category.
Composer Germaine Franco — the first Latina ever accepted into the Academy’s music branch — matches that milestone in the original score category.
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