The 2022 Academy Awards are shaping up to be an inspiring and groundbreaking event. Director Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) becomes the first woman to be nominated two times for the Best Director award. For the same film, Ari Wegner is the second woman to ever be nominated for Best Cinematography. Ariana DeBose, who plays Anita in West Side Story, is the first Afro Latina actor to ever be nominated. Troy Kotsur’s nomination for Best Supporting Actor in CODA is also amilestone: he is the first deaf actor to be nominated in 35 years.
To celebrate, we’re sharing these stories from Guideposts.org that give us more insight into these films, which are all up for multiple nominations.
King Richard
The film follows American tennis coach Richard Williams’ journey to helping daughters Serena and Venus Williams become global tennis stars. King Richard has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Will Smith) and Best Supporting Actress. Many hope this will be two-time nominee Smith’s first Oscar win! Aunjanue Ellis, who plays the Williams’ mother, Oracene “Brandy” Williams, is up for Best Supporting Actress. She talked with Guideposts.org about the new biopic and the importance of faith in the film.
READ: ‘King Richard’ Demonstrates the Power of Resilience, Faith and Family
CODA
This heartwarming family drama breaks new ground with a story about a child of deaf adults. CODA stars Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Eugenio Derbez. It is nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Kotsur), and Best Adapted Screenplay. Kotsur becomes the first deaf actor to be nominated in 35 years (Matlin won best actress for the 1987 movie Children of a Lesser God). We talked with Siân Heder, the film’s director who also wrote the screenplay, about why she knew this story was important to tell.
READ: The New Film ‘CODA’ Shines a Spotlight on the Deaf World
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Denzel Washington picked up his 10th nomination, this time for best actor in The Tragedy of Macbeth. The retelling of William Shakespeare’s famous Scottish play is also up for Best Production Design and Best Cinematography. In our Guideposts Classic from 2007, Washington discusses the vital role parents, teachers, coaches and role models played in his life.
READ: Denzel Washington, Inspired to Be Great
Encanto
This Academy Awards marks yet another year when a Disney film is up for Best Animated Feature Film. Encanto tells the story of the magical Madrigal family, who live hidden away in the mountains of Columbia. The film is filled with lively music by award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. Inn fact, if Miranda wins for Best Original Song, he will have claimed the coveted title of EGOT (winner of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards). Check out our Guideposts Classic from 1949 with Walt Disney himself, as he shares how his faith informed his life and career.
READ: Walt Disney on Divine Inspiration
