It is, without a doubt, the biggest night in Hollywood and on March 10 some of the movie industry’s most famous faces will descend on the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles in the hope of taking home an Academy Award.
The nominations for the 2024 Oscars were announced back in January, and unsurprisingly, Barbie, Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon dominated the list – with Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller receiving a total of 13 nods.
The impressive total – which includes a best actor nomination for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and bets supporting actress for Emily Blunt, as well as best director for Nolan – is just one nomination short of the all-time record set by Titanic in 1998.
Killers of the Flower Moon received an impressive 10 nominations, including a supporting actor nod for Robert De Niro and best director for Martin Scorsese, but the film’s biggest star Leonardo DiCaprio was noticeably left out of the best actor line-up.
Instead, his co-star Lily Gladstone is in the running for best actress and made history as the first ever Native woman of American descent to be nominated in that category at the Oscars, which sees her go up against the likes of Emma Stone, Carey Mulligan and Annette Bening.
Lily Gladstone has made history as the first ever Native woman of American descent to be nominated in the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards
The 37-year-old actress plays the role of Mollie Buckhart in the western crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon
Lily stars alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the blockbuster, but he failed to receive a nomination for his role as World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart
The Montana-born star, who was raised on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, already made history at the Golden Globes on January 7 as the first Indigenous person to win Best Actress.
‘This is a historic one, and it doesn’t belong to just me,’ Gladstone said in English, after opening their acceptance speech speaking in the Blackfeet language.
‘I’m holding it with all of my beautiful sisters in the film and my mother [in the film], Tantoo Cardinal,’ she continued before pointing out that, in the past, Hollywood would create fictional Native languages instead of portraying them accurately and authentically.
‘I’m so grateful that I can speak even a little bit of my language because in this business, Native actors used to speak their lines in English and then the sound mixers would run them backwards to accomplish Native languages on camera,’ the brunette star explained.
She then thanked Chief Standing Bear and the Osage Nation as well as Scorsese, and her co-stars DiCaprio and De Niro, for being ‘allies’.
‘This is for every little res kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told by ourselves, in our own words, with tremendous allies and tremendous trust with each other.’
And in a recent interview with Refinery29 , Gladstone said that her Oscar nomination shouldn’t be groundbreaking: ‘I just hope people realize that we should be everywhere.’
Lily pictured on the set of Killers of the Flower Moon alongside director Martin Scorsese
Lily already made history at the Golden Globes on January 7 as the first Indigenous person to win Best Actress
The brunette actress poses for a photo with Scorsese and DiCaprio at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ 14th Annual Governors Awards in January
She continued: ‘It shows that we’ve been told for so long that our stories are too myopic or too culturally specific, and they’re not going to appeal to a broad audience.
‘It’s just, pardon my language, but bullsh*t. People are really excited to be seeing stories from us.’
Gladstone then added: ‘It’s absolutely paramount that we are telling our own stories. And if we’re not, like in the case of this film, that Native peoples need to be very much in tandem and in every asset, in every department.’
So, as movie lovers wait with baited breath to see if Gladstone will be the first Native woman of American descent to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, DailyMail.com takes a look at some other impressive Oscar firsts from over the years.
Norma Shearer was the first (and only!) person to present themselves with an Oscar way back in 1930
Norma Shearer, pictured here with Conrad Nagel, was the first and only person to present themselves with an Oscar
Norma won her Academy Award for her role as Jerry Martin in the 1930 movie The Divorcee
The first Academy Awards ceremony took place all the way back in 1929 and the following year, the movie event was held twice – once in April and then again in November.
It was at the third Oscars ceremony on November 5, 1930, that Norma Shearer found herself in the rather awkward position of presenting herself with an accolade.
The Canadian-American actress, who starred in films such as Their Own Desire and The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, found herself presenting the Best Actress award – which saw the likes of Greta Garbo and Nancy Carroll nominated.
Shearer also landed a Best Actress nomination for her role as Jerry Martin in the Robert Z. Leonard directed movie The Divorcee – and she ended up winning the award, which meant she had to awkwardly announce her own name while onstage.
Unsurprisingly, it was the last time that a nominated actor presented an Oscar for his or her own category.
Shearer was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar a grand total of six times, winning only for The Divorcee in 1930.
She was nominated the same year for Their Own Desire, A Free Soul in 1931, The Barretts of Wimpole Street in 1934, Romeo and Juliet in 1936, and Marie Antoinette in 1938.
Harold Russell became the first and only actor ever to win two Oscars for the same role in 1947
Harold Russell (center) became the first and only actor ever to win two Oscars for the same role in 1946
Harold (left) won his Academy Award for his role as Homer Parrish in the 1946 drama film The Best Years of Our Lives
Harold John Avery Russell is the first and only ever actor to win two Academy Awards for the same role.
The American World War II veteran sadly lost both of his hands during his military service, and was then cast in the epic drama film The Best Years of Our Lives – the highest-grossing movie of 1946 – after director William Wyler saw him in a United States War Department documentary.
Russell took on the role of Homer Parrish in The Best Years of Our Lives, which tells the tale of three veterans who meet on a flight to their midwestern hometown of Boone City, and also stars Myrna Loy, Fredric March, and Dana Andrews.
Due to the fact that he wasn’t a professional actor, the Academy Board of Governors considered Russell a long shot to win and gave him an Academy Honorary Award ‘for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance.’
However, Russell ended up winning for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as well, and he remains the only actor to have received two Academy Awards for the same performance.
After the sudden success of The Best Years of Our Lives, Russell went on to make a handful of cameo appearances in feature films and network television dramas, but essentially vanished from the limelight.
In 1992, he sold his Best Supporting Actor statuette at auction for $60,500, which converts to $126,200 in present day, to pay his wife’s medical bills.
Myoshi Umeki was the first Asian actress to win an acting award for her role in Sayonara in 1958
Myoshi Umeki was the first Asian actress to win an acting award for her role in the 1957 film Sayonara
Myoshi starred alongside Marlon Brando and Red Buttons in the romantic drama movie
Miyoshi Umeki was the first Asian actress to be nominated – and to win – an Academy Award for acting for her role in the 1957 film Sayonara.
The Japanese singer played the part of Katsumi Kelly in the romantic drama, which also starred Marlon Brando, Patricia Owens, and Red Buttons.
At the 30th Academy Awards, which were held on March 26, 1958, Umeki took to the stage to collect her statuette and didn’t appear to have planned a winning speech.
‘Thank you. I really don’t know what to say. I wish somebody were to help me right now, ’cause I didn’t expect so I had nothing in my mind,’ she told the star-studded audience.
‘But right now I thank you for everyone who help me, and you, and you, and all American people. Thank you,’ she added.
Over 65 years later, there has only been a handful of Asian winners at the Oscars, including Sir Ben Kingsley who won Best Actor for his role in the 1982 biographical film Gandhi.
Haing S. Ngor won the Best Supporting Actor award in 1985 for his role in The Killing Fields, and Youn Yuh-jung who won Best Supporting Actress in 2021 for her part in Minari.
Most recently, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh won the Oscar for Best Actress in March 2023 for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Lillies of the Field star Sidney Poitier was the first black performer to win the Oscar for Best Actor in 1964
Sidney Poitier was the first black performer to win the Oscar for Best Actor back in 1964
Poitier played the role of traveling handyman Homer Smith in the 1963 comedy drama Lilies of the Field
Sidney Poitier was the first black performer to win an Academy Award back in 1964 for his role in Lilies of the Field.
Prior to this, the Miami born actor was nominated for an Oscar for his part in the 1958 film The Defiant Ones, but it was his role as traveling handyman Homer Smith in the 1963 comedy drama which bagged him the win.
Looking very dapper in his tuxedo, when Poitier took to the stage at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, he gave a rather short and succinct speech.
‘Because it is a long journey to this moment I am naturally indebted to countless numbers of people, principally among whom are Ralph Nelson, James Poe, William Barrett, Martin Baum, and of course the members of the Academy,’ he said.
‘For all of them, all I can say is a very special thank you,’ Poiter added.
Since then, only four black men have gone on to win the Best Actor award, but it took more than 30 years for it to happen.
Denzel Washington scooped the award for his role in Training Day in 2002, then Jamie Foxx won it for Ray three years later, and in 2007, Forest Whitaker won the accolade for his role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.
Most recently, Will Smith won Best Actor after taking on the role of Venus and Serena William’s father in the 2021 biographical sports drama King Richard.
George C. Scott was the first person to refuse an acting Oscar for his role in Patton in 1971
George C. Scott was the first person to refuse an acting Oscar for his role in Patton in 1971
The actor played the role of General George S. Patton Jr. in the war biopic, but wasn’t interested in an award at all
A few years after Poitier’s win, George C. Scott became the first person to refuse an Academy Award for acting and didn’t even attend the 1971 ceremony.
Scott was nominated for his lead role as a General in the 1970 war biopic Patton, but he wasn’t interested in owing the prestigious gold statue at all.
The Virginia born actor had previously been nominated in 1962 for Best Supporting Actor in The Hustler – and had refused that too.
Scott famously called the Oscars ‘a two-hour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons’, and sent a telegram to the Academy telling them that he’d be refusing the award, and didn’t even want his name on the ballot.
The telegram read in part: ‘I respectfully request that you withdraw my name from the list of nominees. My request is in no way intended to denigrate my colleagues.’
Scott ended up winning the award anyway, and the film’s producer, Frank McCarthy, accepted it on his behalf – but returned it to the Academy the following day as Scott had requested.
The other person who refused an Oscar was screenwriter Dudley Nichols, who won for Best Screenplay for the 1935 film The Informer.
Chief Dan George was the first Native American actor to earn an Oscar nomination for Little Big Man
Chief Dan George was the first Native American actor to earn an Oscar nomination for his role in the film Little Big Man
George played the part of Old Lodge Skins in the Arthur Penn directed Western film
George didn’t win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar but he did win at a few other ceremonies and is pictured here at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards
In the same year that Scott refused his award, Chief Dan George became the first Indigenous North American acting nominee in Oscar history.
George, who was chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in British Columbia’s Burrard Inlet from 1951 to 1963, played the role of Old Lodge Skins in the 1970 Western – which was directed by Arthur Penn.
Sadly, George lost out to John Mills at the 1971 Academy Awards, who won the accolade for his role in the romantic drama Ryan’s Daughter.
However, George’s talent didn’t go unnoticed and he won Best Supporting Actor at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the National Society of Film Critics Awards, and the Laurel Awards.
Marlee Matlin was the first deaf actress to win an Oscar for her role in Children of a Lesser God in 1987
Marlee Matlin was the first deaf actress to win an Oscar for her role in Children of a Lesser God at the 1987 Academy Awards
Matlin played the part of Sarah Norman in the romantic drama, which was her first film role
In 1987, Marlee Matlin made history at the Oscars when she won the award for her role in Children of a Lesser God.
Matlin became the first deaf performer to be nominated for, and win, an Academy Award when she was just 21-years-old.
The Illinois born actress played the role of Sarah Norman in the romantic drama, which also starred John Hurt and Piper Laurie.
Matlin took to the stage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in March 1987 and gave her speech via an interpreter.
‘I just want to thank a lot of people. I, to tell you the truth, I didn’t prepare for this speech. But I definitely want to thank the Academy and its members,’ she began.
‘And I want to thank all those special people in the film. And I can name them: Randa Haines, Patrick Palmer, the entire cast and crew, and particularly William Hurt for his great support and love in this film.
‘And I want to thank my mother and father, Eric, Marc, Gloria, Zachary and Liz. They are here tonight with me. And I just want to thank all of you. I love you.’
The only other deaf actor who has won an Oscar is Troy Kotsur, who won Best Supporting Actor in 2022 for his role in Coda.
The first animated movie to ever be nominated for Best Picture was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 1992
The first animated movie to ever be nominated for Best Picture was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 1992
The classic film tells the story of Belle, who falls in love with a prince who is living as a talking beast after being punished by an enchantress
The Disney classic Beauty and the Beast was the first animated movie to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 1992.
Animated movies have their own category at the Academy Awards, but this musical romantic fantasy film was good enough to merit a nomination alongside live-action movies.
Back in the early nineties, the Oscars only accepted five Best Picture nominees so the children’s film really was amongst some of the best.
To date, this has only happened three times with 2009’s Up and 2010’s Toy Story 3 also receiving Best Picture nominations.
Sadly it wasn’t meant to be for Beauty and the Beast and in stark contrast to the heartwarming tale of Belle, who falls in love with a young prince living as a beast – it was actually the terrifying horror film The Silence of the Lambs that won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1992.
The Jonathan Demme directed film tells the story of Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee played by Jodie Foster, who is assigned by her boss to interview the incarcerated Hannibal Lecter, a highly-intelligent former psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer played by Sir Anthony Hopkins.
In 2001, Halle Berry was the first black woman to win Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball
In 2001, Halle Berry was the first black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Monster’s Ball
Halle starred in the film alongside Billy Bob Thornton and played the part of Leticia Musgrove
The actress was understandably very emotional when she took to the stage at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles
Halle Berry made history when she became the first black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress a the 74th Academy Awards.
The Ohio born star bagged the accolade for her role as Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball, which also stars Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger, and Peter Boyle.
Berry was the seventh black actress to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar, and although others have been nominated since, over 20 years later, she remains the only black woman to win the award.
The lengthy speech she gave onstage at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles is certainly memorable, as she spent the first part of it crying and unable to get her words out.
When she was able to speak, the X-Men star began: ‘Oh my God. Oh my God. I’m sorry. This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll.
‘It’s for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it’s for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened.
‘Thank you. I’m so honored. I’m so honored. And I thank the Academy for choosing me to be the vessel for which His blessing might flow.’
Twenty years after her big win, Berry spoke to Vanity Fair in 2022 and she was ‘heartbroken’ about the continued lack of diversity among best actress winners.
‘I would love to sit here today and say that meant something on that night which allowed five others to be standing there next to me in 20 years, right? That would be a huge win.’
The first woman to win Best Director was Kathryn Bigelow in 2010 for her war thriller The Hurt Locker
The first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director was Kathryn Bigelow in 2009 for her war thriller The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker stars Jeremy Renner as Staff Sergeant William James
Fifteen years ago the first ever female won the Academy Award for Best Director.
Kathryn Bigelow scooped the Oscar in 2010 for her war thriller The Hurt Locker which stars Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, and Evangeline Lilly.
The California born filmmaker was up against the likes of James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky, and the Coen brothers – a list which Bigelow described as ‘extraordinary’ when she took to the stage at the Kodak Theatre.
She began her speech: ‘This really is, um, there’s no other way to describe it, it’s the moment of a lifetime.
‘First of all, this is so extraordinary to be in the company of such powerful, my fellow nominees, such powerful filmmakers who have inspired me and I have admired for, some of whom, for decades.
‘And thank you to every member of the Academy. This is, again, the moment of a lifetime,’ Bigelow added.
She finished her speech by saying: ‘And I’d just like to dedicate this to the women and men in the military who risk their lives on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. And may they come home safe. Thank you.;
Since her win, only two other women have one the Best Director Award – and only four other female directors have been nominated in the category.
In 2021, Chloé Zhao won the prestigious accolade for her highly-acclaimed drama Nomadland, and the following year Jane Campion was named Best Director for her Western psychological drama The Power of the Dog, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst.
In 2020, Parasite was the first non-English-language film to scoop the accolade for Best Picture
Bong_Joon-ho pictured at the 2020 Oscars with his awards for Best Director and Best Picture
Bong_Joon-ho’s film Parasite, which stars the late Lee Sun-kyun, was the first non-English-language film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture
Bong Joon-ho’s South Korean movie Parasite made history at the 2020 Oscars as it was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture.
It was also the first South Korean movie ever to have been recognized at the Academy Awards, and Joon-ho also won Best Director as well as Best Original Screenplay – shared with co-writer Han Jin-won.
The filmmaker used a translator when he took to the stage to give a speech, and gave a shout out to all of his fellow nominees, which included Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Sam Mendes.
‘Thank you. After winning best international feature, I thought I was done for the day and was ready to relax,’ he began his heartfelt speech.
‘Thank you so much. When I was young and studying cinema, there was a saying that I carved deep into my heart, which is that, “The most personal is the most creative”.
‘That quote is from our great Martin Scorsese. When I was in school, I studied Martin Scorsese’s films. Just to be nominated was a huge honor. I never thought I would win. When people in the U.S. were not familiar with my films, Quentin [Tarantino] always put my films on his list. He’s here, thank you so much. Quentin, I love you.’
‘And Todd [Phillips] and Sam [Mendes], great directors that I admire. If the Academy allows, I would like to get a Texas chainsaw, split the award into five and share it with all of you. Thank you. I will drink until next morning, thank you,’ he then joked.