The nominations are in for the 96th Academy Awards. And wow, 13 nominations for “Oppenheimer,” which of course has been racking up awards at all of the awards shows this season.
But the big story for us is the Best Lead Actor category, where Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”) is up against Colman Domingo Rustin. This is the first time in Oscar history where two Black men have been nominated in this category that weren’t named Denzel Washington and Will Smith. And these guys are up against some tough competition with Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers.”
My next big hoorah goes to the ladies in the Best Supporting Actress category: Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), America Ferrera (“Barbie”), and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”). Both of these categories really represent in terms of diversity.
But the talk of the town, of course, is the big snub for “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig and the star Margot Robbie. Both were snubbed for Best Director and Best Actress nods. But I’m very excited for Sterling K. Brown’s nomination — his first for the Best Supporting Category — also for “American Fiction,” which got a nod for Best Picture. I’ve got to tell you, it is really my favorite for this year.
We’ll have a lot more on the Oscars as we march on to the date when it airs on ABC. That will be, of course, March 10th. Stay tuned for that.
Dexter Scott King, son of MLK, passes away after battle with prostate cancer
And by now, you may have heard the sad news that Dexter Scott King has passed away at age 62 after a battle with prostate cancer. Dexter is the son of the late Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
Dexter, who looked very much like his dad, was only seven when MLK was assassinated, but he too was a champion of justice like his father and president of the King Estate. I’ve known Dexter for many, many years, and I’ve got to tell you, we have lost a great man.
And for all these stories and a whole lot more, don’t forget to follow Tanya Hart on social media @tanyahollywood and @aurnonline.
Click play to hear the Hollywood Live report from Tanya Hart:
