‘Wicked’ Named Best Picture by National Board of Review, Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman Among Acting Winners
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Universal Pictures’ blockbuster musical “Wicked” has been named best picture by the National Board of Review, the organization announced on Wednesday, in addition to taking home the directing prize for Jon M.
Chu and a special award for the collaboration of stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Over the last 40 years, most of the winners of NBR’s best film has gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture, with the exception of films like 1998’s “Gods and Monsters,” 2000’s “Quills” and 2014’s “A Most Violent Year.” In the 1980s, there were technically two misses with 1987’s “Empire of the Sun” and 1983’s “Betrayal,” the latter of which won in a tie with “Terms of Endearment.” So far this decade, Spike Lee’s war drama “Da 5 Bloods” (2020) is the only film to fail to achieve Oscar recognition.
Notably, since the Academy expanded the best picture lineup from five to 10 in 2009, NBR and the Oscars have only matched once with “Green Book” (2018).
Daniel Craig took home the best actor prize for his work in Luca Guadagnino’s period drama “Queer.” Two NBR best actor winners in the last decade have translated to Oscar wins: Casey Affleck for “Manchester by the Sea” (2016) and Will Smith for “King Richard” (2021).
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