Is it time for the Oscars’ to add more acting and directing nominees?

In 2000, the Tony Awards added five slots to acting categories. The directing categories were added just five years later. Since 2009, eight Emmy nominees have been added to the category. This is an increase from five nominees. The Critics Choice Awards were eager to honor as many Oscar nominees possible. They increased their nominations to six actors and directors a few year ago. But this year, they surpassed the directing category by bringing it up to 10.

Hence, the Oscars have largely stayed with their decades-old five-per category stance.

The Academy famously doubled its Best Picture category from 10 to 10 nominees in 2009. It then changed to a variable number (in practise, always eight or 9) two years later. Finally, it returned to a guaranteed 10, last year. Their initial move was largely due to the outcry over the snubbing of critically acclaimed, wide-appeal Hollywood movies, most notably Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” in 2008.

However, it is the only Oscars category to receive that allowance. This is odd considering that there can be years where 200+ movies have been in play. There are also many entries that have received a great deal of performances in post-2009 films.

Also, read:
Can Emma Thompson Reclaim Her Position as True Oscar Contender?

The Golden Globes, who have always had separate Best Picture, lead acting, and dramatization categories, were forced to reduce their number of nominees for directing. After being subject to criticism and expanding its membership, it was again in trouble when it introduced its directing category. didn’t include a single woman, leaving out Sarah Polley for “Women Talking” and Gina Prince-Bythewood for “The Woman King.”

This may explain why Critics Choice Awards suddenly doubled its directing category when it announced its nominees Two days after Globes. Prince-Bythewood as well as Polley were included, which made CCA look very good (even if a little too calculated).

And soon it’ll be the Academy’s turn to sweat out the potential pitfalls of only nominating five directors.

The practice of sticking to a handful of noms in most marquee categories has also created the theory of “The Sixth”, in which never-nominated, much-loved talents are oft-believed to have ever-so-slightly missed out on their shot at Oscar glory. Famous names associated with “The Sixth” include Cameron Diaz (“Being John Malkovich”, “Vanilla Sky”), Steve Buscemi (“Ghost World”), Richard Gere (“Chicago”), Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”), John Leguizamo (“To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar”) Song Kang-ho (“Parasite”), Awkwafina (“The Farewell”) and John Turturro (“Quiz Show”) among many others.

Also, read:
Hey, Oscar Movies: We Get It, Rich People Are Bad

The expansion of nominees per category could also prove useful in elevating the efforts of actors directors who work in sci-fi/horror genres, which except for a precious few titles (“The Exorcist”, and “The Silence of the Lambs” among them) are often completely overlooked. Doing such might have enhanced the visibility of great recent performances, especially by women, such as Essie Davis in “The Babadook”, Toni Collette in “Hereditary” or Amy Adams in “Arrival,” the latter quite possibly the most famous example of “The Sixth”.

(And don’t even get us started on her “Arrival” director Denis Villeneuve’s snub for “Dune” in the directing category last year — again, a terrific example of how the five-per-category cap can sting even the most certain of possible nominees, even when their film earned 10 nominations and lead all movies with six wins.)

Films like Jordan Peele’s “Nope”, Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian” and Halina Reijn’s “Bodies Bodies Bodies” are clever sci-fi/horror entrants released in 2022 that received critical acclaim and Made money at the cinema. They would certainly benefit from reforms in the nominating and voting branches. and maybe even relieve some of the outcry that the Academy is out of touch with movie patrons’ enjoyment.

While the Best Picture category was expanded in 2009, it mainly resulted in more independent films being nominated and not more blockbusters disrupting the party. The Academy might be more open to accepting eligible work from all types of films, regardless of budget or genre. This would lead to some happy surprises at nominations mornings.

Because (sorry, Nicole Kidman), heartbreak does Not Feel good in a place such as this.

Also, read:
As Holidays Arrive, Oscars Screening Room Fills Up With Everything But ‘Avatar’ and ‘Babylon’