2022 Oscar Nominations for Best Actress
The 2022 Oscar nominations were announced earlier today, with Kristen Stewart finally receiving recognition after decades of work. Stewart secured her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role as Princess Diana in the biopic Spencer.
Many people were surprised by the absence of Lady Gaga’s name on this year’s list of nominees, feeling she was snubbed for her outstanding performance as Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci. Others believe Jennifer Hudson was snubbed for her stellar portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect — especially after landing a SAG Award nomination last month.
Other 2022 Oscar nominees for Best Actress include Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos), Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), and Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers).
Here is a look at the women currently up for Best Actress at the 94th Academy Awards next month.
Kristen Stewart, Spencer
Kristen Stewart has received an #Oscar nomination for her performance in ‘Spencer.’
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) February 8, 2022
This is her first Academy Award nomination. pic.twitter.com/Y4qEZloHVR
In addition to West Side Story nominee, Ariana DeBose, Stewart is one of the first openly queer actors nominated for a major acting category since 2002.
The actress’s nomination for “Spencer” comes as no shock considering the consistent buzz around her spot-on depiction of Princess Diana in the grueling biopic. While the film failed to receive Academy recognition in any other category, Stewart’s front-runner status is still quite the accomplishment.
Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
“This was the hardest role I’ve ever done and to be honored this way is deeply appreciated,” Kidman shared in a statement earlier today. Kidman’s portrayal of I Love Lucy’s Lucille Ball in the biographical drama Being the Ricardos landed the actress her fifth Oscar nod to-date.
“Lucille Ball is one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. She was ahead of her time,” Kidman said. “From actress to producer to studio head, mother and wife, she’s an extraordinary inspiration! Thank you Lucille Ball.”
Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
Olivia Colman is no stranger to Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. In fact, The Lost Daughter star won an Oscar for the category in 2019 for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite.
‘The Lost Daughter’ stars Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley join a small group of actors who’ve been nominated for Oscars for playing the same character in the same movie. https://t.co/JjmD9LKP6E
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) February 8, 2022
And to make things even more interesting, Colman’s co-star Jessie Buckley received a nomination for playing the younger version of the same character — which is a very rare occurrence in Hollywood.
Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Jessica Chastain’s last Oscar nomination was 10 years ago for her role in the American thriller Zero Dark Thirty. And coincidentally, it was around that time she received the rights to produce the story of Tammy Faye.
“It really feels so full circle,” she told Variety. “I was thinking about Tammy Faye for such a long time. And so to be acknowledged for this is really — I mean, I’m surprised, I’m really shocked.”
This is Chastain’s second nomination for Best Actress, and third nomination overall.
Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
Congratulations to #ParallelMothers for receiving two Academy Award nominations including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Penélope Cruz and Best Original Score for Alberto Iglesias! #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/8oAfuuye7k
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) February 8, 2022
Today’s Oscar nomination does not mark the first time Penélope Cruz has been recognized for her performance as Janis in Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers. In fact, Cruz already won Best Actress for the role when she received the Volpi Cup at the 78th Venice International Film Festival last September.
Even more, Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem go down in history as they become the sixth married couple to be nominated for an acting category in the same year at the Academy Awards. Bardem was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos.
