The 2020 Oscar nominations were announced Monday morning, and they gave us one of the most frustrating lists of honorees on public record in recent history. But on the other hand, you might be happy to learn that South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s magnificent film Parasite has managed to clear any foreign language barriers and reigns as one of the most nominated films of the year. So, as the Bible says, the Academy giveth, and it taketh away.
Let’s unpack it all.
5 | BUT NONE OF THE ACTORS IN PARASITE WERE NOMINATED. CHARLIZE THERON AND CYNTHIA ERIVO SOMEHOW WERE.
The actors who played both families in Ho’s fabulous film could have actually filled up the acting nominees lists (kind of like how The Irishman, Marriage Story, and Little Women did). That certainly would have made things more interesting, justified, and significantly less white. Instead, not one but two actresses from the misguided and borderline cartoonish Bombshell get nominated; Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie in the best lead and supporting categories, respectively. Obviously, director Jay Roach assembled a cast of wonderful actresses, but the movie does each of its leading ladies a disservice.
A similar thing can be said of Cynthia Erivo’s nomination for Harriet. Like Theron and Robbie, Erivo is a fine actress. But the mediocre Harriet is not a good indication of her talent. These slots should have gone to Awkwafina, Lopez, Lopez’s Hustlers costar Constance Wu, and/or anyone from Parasite. This is just more proof that, especially when it comes to nominating women, the Academy makes uninformed choices.
Glen Wilson
