Photo Credit: Getty Images / Zoey Mcconnel, Variety / Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom / Corbis
The Oscars have consistently been a major source of entertainment to audiences everywhere, from the outrageous outfits to the record-breaking winners to the mishaps and the attendee’s reactions, there’s always a buzz about the Oscars.
In a year when we’ve all watched a fair share of movies thanks to a heap of indoor quality time with our televisions and tablets, there’s quite a bit of excitement for the awards season. To celebrate, VOIR takes a look at the exciting 2021 nominations and some of the most iconic Oscar’s moments over the years.
Since 1927, the Oscars have continually provided us with both reasons for excitement and outrage. With some iconic moments over the years alongside some huge oversights, the Oscars has never failed to get people talking. One of those memorable moments occurred in 1969 when the first-ever split-win occurred. After both receiving 3,030 votes, huge icons Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Streisand both picked up the Oscar for best actress for their roles in Funny Girl and The Lion in The Winter.
Only Streisand was in attendance that night, and so collected the Oscar alone in an equally memorable sheer black flared embellished suit by Arnold Scaasi.
Another iconic yet frankly long-overdue moment occurred in 2002 when Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win an award for Best Actress. Berry picked up the award for her role in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. Her speech was incredibly moving, and her well-deserved win was celebrated by audiences internationally.
This year’s Oscar nominees have finally been revealed and despite the Oscar’s aforementioned long-running issues with diversity and inclusivity, after 93 years it appears as though things may have finally begun to progressively change.
The 2021 Oscar nominations have for the first time, included more than one woman in the running for best director. Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell are the women making history in this category for their films Nomadland and Promising Young Woman.
This is clearly a step in a more promising direction considering that the nominations for this category have only ever in 93 years included five women, whilst Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) remains the only woman to have ever actually picked up the award for best director.
Zhao’s film Nomadland which is centred around a woman in her sixties traveling around American West is also a contender for best picture. Fennell’s Promising Young Woman is also in the running for best original screenplay, best film, and best actress (Carey Mulligan).
Viola Davis, the best-supporting actress winner for her role in Fences in 2017 has this year been nominated for best actress for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Viola Davis’ incredible talent has many fans incredibly excited to potentially see her pick up an award that recognises her stellar contribution to the industry.
Davis’ co-star, the late Chadwick Boseman has received a posthumous best actor nomination also for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Chadwick Boseman, who passed away aged 43 last August had shockingly never been nominated for an Academy Award before despite his roles in ‘Black Panther’, ‘42’ and ‘Get on Up’. His role as a spirited trumpeter has finally earned Boseman the recognition he deserves and this nomination has warmed the hearts of many fans who are still mourning the loss of a great talent.
There’s plenty to be excited about after hearing this year’s nominations, but something else we’re looking forward to is the iconic outfits that the Oscars normally provide us with.
Over the years, we’ve seen iconic fashion moments on the red carpet, like Cher in her incredible showgirl-themed outfit in ‘86. After being snubbed for her role in Mask, Cher explained to Vogue that her outfit had been an answer to her belief that the academy didn’t take her seriously. The Bob Mackie-designed midriff-baring dramatic black sequinned look was certainly the focus of the red carpet that year, and still remains one of the most iconic Oscar outfits of all time.
In 2014, Lupita Nyong’o blessed the red carpet with her plunging princess Prada dress in a stunning blue. The gown was the perfect fit for Nyong’o and did justice to her incredible talents. It’s another red-carpet moment that lives rent-free in our heads.
Whilst we’re eagerly awaiting to see which of this year’s Oscar outfits will make us swoon, this year more than ever, we’re excited to hopefully see these more inclusive Oscar nominations translate into something that only grows and improves over time. Though it may have taken some 90 something years, the Oscars are finally starting to more accurately represent the actual range of talent that the world has to offer, and it makes things far more exciting to watch.
Though we’re yet to find out how this year’s Oscars will operate in terms of live and virtual forms of streaming, the confirmed date of which the winners will be announced is (the later date of) April 25th. The ceremony will air at 1 AM in UK time.
The excitement for this years Oscars is ramping up and rightly so, because the outpour of talent recognition, hilarious celebrity reactions and iconic outfit inspiration is never short during awards season.
Words By Megan Selway, Graphics By Millie Pollok
