Oscars nominations 2020: Margot Robbie nominated for an Academy Award

The Oscar nominations are in and while it was a good day for Margot Robbie a few other Australian big names missed out.

Margot Robbie has scored her second Oscar nomination.

The 29-year-old Australian was nominated for best supporting actress for her role as a sexually harassed journalist in Bombshell.

The Aussie star was nominated two years ago for her stunning turn as disgraced ice skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, which she also produced.

Robbie, however, will face stiff competition in her category with Laura Dern picking up a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice award for her scene-stealing role as a divorce lawyer in the story of a relationship gone awry, Marriage Story.

Margot Robbie (far right) and Charlize Theron (far right) were nominated for an Oscar for Bombshell but Nicole Kidman missed out. Picture: Supplied

But it wasn’t a great day for Robbie’s fellow Australians; while Charlize Theron was also nominated for her role in Bombshell, Nicole Kidman missed out.

Toni Collette (Knives Out) and Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) were longshots for supporting actress nods, but didn’t make the cut.

In a bigger surprise, another Australian, Lee Smith, also no stranger to Oscar ceremonies, was expected to get the fourth nod of his career for his extraordinary work on the World War I war epic 1917. But he was an unexpected omission.

Margot Robbie carries Australia’s hopes at Oscars. Picture: AP

New Zealand has plenty to celebrate with Taika Waititi’s comedy-drama Jojo Rabbit up for best picture. Waititi also scored a nomination for best adapted screenplay, but missed out in the directing category.

Todd Phillips’ controversial Joker led the nominations with 11, while Martin Scorsese’s crime epic, The Irishman, scored 10.

New Zealand director Taika Waititi’s film Jojo Rabbit was nominated for best picture. Picture: AP

Quentin Tarantino’s 1960s Los Angeles dark fairytale Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood and Sam Mendes’ World War I tale 1917 also scored 10 nods apiece. Those four were among the nine films nominated for best picture. The others were: Parasite, Little Women, Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit and Ford v Ferrari.

Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson made Oscars history after being nominated in not one but two acting categories.

Scarlett Johansson has been nominated in two acting categories. Picture: Getty Images

The 35-year-old has been nominated for both her leading role in Marriage Story, as well as her supporting role in director Taika Waititi’s WWII comedy, Jojo Rabbit.

She’s the first actor in over a decade to pick up a double nomination since Aussie actress Cate Blanchett in 2008, and just the 12th ever to make the elite club.

Also nominated in the leading role category was rising British star Cynthia Erivo, who nabbed her first nomination for her role as abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet, Saoirse Ronan was recognised for Little Women, Charlize Theron for Bombshell and Renee Zellweger for her stunning turn as Judy Garland in Judy.

Parasite director Bong Joon-ho received a best director nomination. Picture: Getty Images

Martin Scorsese added another Oscar nomination to his name. Picture: AFP

Joaquin Phoenix, who has dominated the awards season so far, was nominated for lead actor in a category that also includes Antonio Banderas for Pain and Glory, Leonardo DiCaprio for Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, rising star Adam Driver for Marriage Story, and veteran Jonathan Pryce for The Two Popes.

While Joker was expected to do well, the academy’s overwhelming support for a movie that was far from a critical favorite was unexpected. The film’s nominations included best actor for Joaquin Phoenix and best director for Phillips.

Brad Pitt could finally win his first Academy Award for his stellar performance in Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood. Picture: Sony

For the 87th time, the academy selected all-male directing nominees despite a year in which women made historic gains behind the camera. The most likely candidate was Greta Gerwig (Little Women), who was the last woman nominated, two years ago for Lady Bird.

“Congratulations to those men,” said Insecure star and creator Issa Rae, who presented the nominees alongside John Cho.

The director nominees included South Korean director Bong Joon Ho for Parasite, Sam Mendes for 1917, Todd Phillips for Joker, Martin Scorsese, for The Irishman, and Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood.

Director Noah Baumbach was nominated for Marriage Story, but his partner Greta Gerwig missed out for her adaptation of Little Women. Picture: Getty Images for Netflix

There were some surprises. Awkwafina, who was poised to become just the second Asian American nominated for best actress (the first, 1936 nominee Merle Oberon, hid her South Asian heritage), wasn’t nominated for her acclaimed leading performance in The Farewell. Also overlooked was Frozen 2, the highest grossing animated film ever; Beyonce, for her Lion King song; or the hit documentary Apollo 11.

Most glaringly, Jennifer Lopez, long considered a supporting actress front- runner for her performance in Hustlers, was also denied her first Oscar nomination.

Scarlett Johansson scored two acting nods, while her Marriage Story co-star Adam Driver was also recognised. Picture: AP

Those oversights left the Oscars with their least diverse field since the fallout of #OscarsSoWhite pushed the film academy to diversify its membership. The only actor of colour nominated was Cynthia Erivo for Harriet.

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Cynthia Erivo was the only actor of colour nominated. She was recognised for her role of abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet. Picture: AP

The 92nd Academy Awards will be held on February 9 in Hollywood.

Best Picture

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood

Parasite

the South Korean film, Parasite, is up for best picture: Picture: Supplied

Lead Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Joaquin Phoenix is a favourite to take home the Oscar for his performance in Joker.

Lead Actress

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

Renee Zellweger’s Golden Globes win bodes well for her Oscar chances. Picture: AP

Supporting Actor

Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

Al Pacino, The Irishman

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood

Joe Pesci, with Robert De Niro, was nominated for his role in The Irishman. Picture: AP

Supporting Actress

Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Laura Dern, Marriage Story

Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Scarlett Johansson, JoJo Rabbit

Laura Dern, left, and Scarlett Johansson both received nominations for Marriage Story. Picture: AP

Director

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman

Todd Phillips, Joker

Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Sam Mendes, 1917

The World War I epic 1917 is up for multiple awards. Picture: AP

Animated Feature

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Dean DeBlois

I Lost My Body, Jeremy Clapin

Klaus, Sergio Pablos

Missing Link, Chris Butler

Toy Story 4, Josh Cooley

Animated Short

Dcera, Daria Kashcheeva

Hair Love, Matthew A. Cherry

Kitbull, Rosana Sullivan

Memorable, Bruno Collet

Sister, Siqi Song

Taika Waititi was nominated for adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit. Picture: AP

Adapted Screenplay

The Irishman, Steven Zaillian

Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi

Joker, Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Little Women, Greta Gerwig

The Two Popes, Anthony McCarten

Little Women is up for best picture, but director GretaGerwig missed out on a directing nod. Picture: AP

Original Screenplay

Knives Out, Rian Johnson

Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach

1917, Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino

Parasite, Bong Joon-ho, Jin Won Han

Cinematography

The Irishman, Rodrigo Prieto

Joker, Lawrence Sher

The Lighthouse, Jarin Blaschke

1917, Roger Deakins

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, Robert Richardson

Originally published as Oscars nominations 2020: Margot Robbie nominated for an Academy Award