(Reuters) – Nominations were announced on Monday for the Academy Awards, the highest film honors. The awards will be presented on April 25.
Following are reactions from key nominees, in statements or posted on social media:
GARY OLDMAN, NOMINEE FOR BEST ACTOR FOR ‘MANK’
“After such a stressed pandemic year, there is a kind of comfort and reassurance in knowing that we soldier on in many ways with important traditions. In our industry there is nothing more traditional than the Academy Awards, which hopefully sends a sign of hope that we will get out of this. … Not to trivialize the current state of the world, it is a source of great pride and an honor to be recognized alongside these other tremendous, wonderful artists.”
RIZ AHMED, NOMINEE BEST ACTOR FOR ‘SOUND OF METAL’
“Wow! I’m honoured to be nominated by my fellow actors alongside such inspiring performances, and am grateful to the Academy for their support and encouragement. … ‘Sound of Metal’ is about how a health crisis can cut you off from your life and loved ones, and force you to grow in unexpected ways. In a challenging year for so many, I hope this story can inspire us to forge new and deeper connections with ourselves and others.”
DANIEL KALUUYA, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEE FOR ‘JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH’
“Chairman Fred Hampton was a light, a beacon of a being who would illuminate all he touched with his incredible message. With the ability to command any stage and robbed of his opportunity to captivate a global audience. He created strategies that supported and uplifted the black community but also unified other communities with his laugh, his mind, his passion and his love.
“Today, I am humbled to be nominated for portraying a man whose principles I deeply respect and for guiding me to walk in his footsteps.”
THOMAS VINTERBERG, BEST DIRECTOR NOMINEE FOR ‘ANOTHER ROUND’
“This is wonderful news. Thank you very much to the Academy, and congratulations to my fellow nominees. I’m honored to be in your company. I’ve made some films over the years, but none of them have meant so much to me as this one. During a long journey like this, it matters most to be surrounded by great collaborators who are also great friends. … Thank you from Denmark.”
MARIA BAKALOVA, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINEE FOR ‘BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM’
“Wow Wa We Waa! Thank you to the Academy for this honour! I really can’t believe this – to hear my name in the company of these remarkable women and their breath-taking performances is a dream come true!”
LESLIE ODOM JR., BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEE FOR ‘ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI’
“Sam Cooke means a lot to a lot of people, not just me, I found out. He’s been one of my teachers. I feel like I had this deeply personal relationship with Sam. … When you look at stories concerning Black life in America, there were a handful of films that got added to that canon this year, got added to those images. ‘One Night in Miami’ was a part of that, so it’s very meaningful to me.”
ALEXANDER NANAU, NOMINEE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AND BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM FOR ‘COLLECTIVE’
“This is a win for independent investigative journalists and whistleblowers, guardians of our societies, who can hold corrupt authorities accountable. Most of all, ‘Collective’ is a cinematic tribute to the victims and survivors who had the courage to let us into their most private moments.”
DANIEL PEMBERTON AND CELESTE WAITE, BEST ORIGINAL SONG NOMINEES FOR ‘HEAR MY VOICE’ FROM THE ‘TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7’
“What an amazing journey a song can have. … From being in lockdown, stuck at home, yet somehow still managing to write, collaborate and record over phone calls, text messages and video chats to create something from nothing that is now nominated for an Oscar is just, well, mind-blowing!
Compiled by Patricia Reaney; editing by Jonathan Oatis
