Leslie Jordan and Tracee Ellis Ross announced the nominees for the 94th Academy Awards and The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion's western drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch, led the way with a total of 12 nominations. The final 10 nominees across the Best Actor and Best Actress categories featured some surprises as well as several frontrunners.
Most of the recognized lead performers are not first-time nominees, but Kristen Stewart earned her first Academy Award nomination for her performance in Spencer after failing to secure nominations at the BAFTAs and SAG Awards. But how do the nine films represented via their leads rank on Letterboxd, a social media platform for film lovers?
Nicole Kidman And Javier Bardem - Being The Ricardos (2.97)
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As Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Academy Award winners Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem lead Aaron Sorkin's drama Being the Ricardos. The two seasoned actors bring these television stars to life in a film that focuses on a particularly hectic week in their personal and professional lives.
Nicole Kidman's become a frontrunner in the Best Actress race, winning a Golden Globe for her performance as the late Hollywood legend. For his turn as Desi, Bardem became a 4-time Academy Award nominee and received nominations at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
Jessica Chastain - The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (3.33)
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2021's The Eyes of Tammy Faye follows the life of the upbeat titular televangelist, brought to life by Jessica Chastain and a talented hair and makeup team. Alongside her husband Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye became a star and pioneered the world's largest religious broadcast network, PTL.
Michael Showalter's drama explores the rise and fall of the late Tammy Faye, whose glamourous persona and support of the LGBTQ+ community put her at odds with her conservative colleagues. For her performance, Chastain's earned critical praise, including nominations at the SAG Awards and Golden Globes.
Olivia Colman - The Lost Daughter (3.56)
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Academy Award winner Olivia Colman stars as Leda Caruso, a woman who observes and infiltrates a young family while on a solo vacation in The Lost Daughter. Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, based on the Elena Ferrante novel, is an electric psychological drama that explores motherhood and the fogginess of memories.
The Lost Daughter earned Colman the third Oscar nomination of her career, as well as her eighth SAG Award nomination. Jessie Buckley, who plays the younger version of Leda in flashbacks, also earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Penélope Cruz - Parallel Mothers (3.56)
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Penélope Cruz's nomination for her incredible performance in Pedro Almodóvar's drama Parallel Mothers was one of the biggest surprises. The actress plays Janis, an unmarried photographer who becomes pregnant. While sharing a hospital room, Janis befriends Ana, a scared teenage mother-to-be. After they give birth, the lives of Janis and Ana become intricately entangled.
At the Venice Film Festival, Cruz won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance as Janis. Cruz also earned nominations at the Satellite and Goya Awards. But her impactful and layered performance had mostly gone unrecognized until Oscar nominations were announced.
Will Smith - King Richard (3.72)
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Will Smith took home the Golden Globe for his performance as Richard Williams in the biographical sports drama King Richard. As the dad and coach of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, Richard will stop at nothing to help his daughters achieve their dreams.
But behind this powerful drive, Richard is a tender family man and Smith gives a nuanced performance in the titular role. He earned the third and fourth Oscar nominations of his career thanks to King Richard. Along with the Best Actor nomination, Smith's also nominated for Best Picture as one of the film's producers.
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power Of The Dog (3.75)
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Benedict Cumberbatch plays a brutish, wealthy rancher in Jane Campion's western drama The Power of the Dog. After his brother marries a local widow, Phil Burbank makes his new sister-in-law and her son the targets of his cruel treatment. While the charismatic cowboy isn't a likable man, Phil's complexities make him one of the film's best characters.
Phil is one of Cumberbatch's more complicated roles, and the actor has earned critical praise for his performance. He's also earned nominations from the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Critics' Choice, and SAG Awards. Along with Cumberbatch's lead nomination, three members of The Power of the Dog's supporting cast received nominations.
Denzel Washington - The Tragedy Of Macbeth (3.83)
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His compelling performance in The Tragedy of Macbeth earned Denzel Washington the seventh Best Actor Academy Award nomination of his career. Joel Coen's minimalistic and surreal take on the famous William Shakespeare tragedy follows a Scottish lord who receives a prophecy that one day, he'll be King of Scotland.
His ambitions and the goading of his wife push Macbeth to kill the current king and claim the throne for himself. Washington is already a 2-time Oscar winner for his performances in Glory and Training Day. For his portrayal of the titular Macbeth, he's earned nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics' Choice, SAG, and Satellite Awards.
Kristen Stewart - Spencer (3.83)
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As the late Princess Diana in Pablo Larrín's Spencer, Kristen Stewart gives one of the best performances in her career and earned her first Academy Award nomination. Set around Christmas 1991, Spencer follows Diana as she chooses to end her marriage to Prince Charles after his affair and leaves the royal family.
For her performance, Stewart has earned critical acclaim and numerous awards from critics' associations. After she didn't receive BAFTA and SAG Award nominations, some worried Stewart wouldn't be part of the final five Best Actress nominees at the Academy Awards. Stewart, who is the first openly LGBTQ+ nominee in the Best Actress category, received the film's only Oscar nomination.
Andrew Garfield - Tick, Tick...BOOM! (3.91)
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Now a 2-time Academy Award nominee, Andrew Garfield brings Jonathan Larson to life in the film adaption of Larson's semi-autobiographical musical tick tick...BOOM! The film follows a week in the life of the late composer as he's on the cusp of turning 30 and preparing for the workshop of his newest musical, Superbia.
Garfield's performance as Larson, along with his newly discovered musical talents, has been praised by critics and audiences. The actor, who previously earned an Oscar nomination for his lead role in Hacksaw Ridge, won the Golden Globe for Best Actor — Musical or Comedy and received nominations at the SAG, Critics' Choice, and Satellite Awards.