List of Indigenous Academy Award winners and nominees

Last updated

Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for her acting debut in 2018's Roma. Yalitza Aparicio (31374009897).jpg
Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for her acting debut in 2018's Roma .

This is a list of Indigenous people who have won or been nominated for Academy Awards . It includes those of provable Indigenous descent regardless of whether they passed as white at the time of their nomination, such as Merle Oberon. [1]

Contents







Best Picture

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
2019
(92nd)		 Taika Waititi
Chelsea Winstanley 		Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 Jojo Rabbit Nominated
  • Winstanley is the first Māori of Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous people to be nominated for Best Picture.
  • Husband-wife team.
  • Shared with Carthew Neal.
 [2]

Best Actor

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
1999
(72nd)		 Russell Crowe Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 The Insider Nominated
  • First Māori of Ngāti Porou descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to be nominated for Best Actor.
 [3] [4]
2000
(73rd)		 Gladiator Won
  • First Pacific Islander to win an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to win Best Actor.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to receive multiple nominations.
 [3] [5]
2001
(74th)		 A Beautiful Mind NominatedNinth actor to receive three consecutive nominations. [3] [6]
2018
(91st)		 Rami Malek Flag of the United States.svg Coptic Bohemian Rhapsody WonFirst Copt to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award. [7] [8]

Best Actress

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
1935
(8th)		 Merle Oberon British Raj Red Ensign.svg
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg 		Māori
(Polynesian)		 The Dark Angel NominatedFirst person of Indigenous descent to be nominated for an Academy Award. [1] [9]
2003
(76th)		 Keisha Castle-Hughes Flag of New Zealand.svg Whale Rider Nominated
  • Debut performance.
  • First Māori of Tainui and Ngāpuhi descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • At the time of nomination, she was the youngest ever nominee in the category. She is the now the second youngest after Quvenzhané Wallis.
 [10]
2018
(91st)		 Yalitza Aparicio Flag of Mexico.svg Mixtec & Trique
(Native Mexican)		 Roma Nominated [8]
2023
(96th)		 Lily Gladstone Flag of the United States.svg Piegan Blackfeet & Nez Perce
(Native American)		 Killers of the Flower Moon NominatedFirst Native American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. [11]

Best Supporting Actor

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestones/NotesRef.
1970
(43rd)		 Chief Dan George Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tsleil-Waututh
(First Nations)		 Little Big Man Nominated
  • First North American Indigenous person to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
 [12]
1987
(60th)		 Sean Connery Flag of Scotland.svg Irish Traveller The Untouchables Won
  • First person of European Indigenous descent to be nominated for an Academy Award, along with Nils Gaup for Pathfinder .
  • First person of European Indigenous descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to win Best Supporting Actor.
 [13] [14]
1990
(63rd)		 Graham Greene Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Oneida
(First Nations)		 Dances With Wolves NominatedFirst Oneida to be nominated for an Academy Award. [15]

Best Supporting Actress

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestones/NotesRef.
1966
(39th)		 Jocelyne LaGarde Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahitian
(Polynesian)		 Hawaii Nominated
  • Debut performance.
  • First Tahitian to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
 [16]

Best Adapted Screenplay

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
2019
(92nd)		 Taika Waititi Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 Jojo Rabbit Won
  • First Māori of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for and to win Best Adapted Screenplay.
 [17]

Best Original Score

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
1987
(60th)		 Jonas Gwangwa Flag of South Africa.svg Northern Ndebele Cry Freedom Nominated
  • First African Indigenous person to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Original Score.
  • Shared with George Fenton.
 [18] [14]
2023
(96th)		 Robbie Robertson Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cayuga & Mohawk
(First Nations)		 Killers of the Flower Moon Nominated
  • First Cayuga and first Mohawk to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Posthumous release.
 [11]

Best Original Song

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmSongStatusMilestones/NotesRef.
1982
(55th)		 Buffy Sainte-Marie Flag of the United States.svg
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 		English & Italian,
culturally adopted by the Piapot First Nation [19] 		An Officer and a Gentleman "Up Where We Belong"Won
  • Thought to have been the first Indigenous person to win an Academy Award, it was later discovered through a CBC documentary released in 2023 that she may have lied about her claims to Indigenous ancestry. Her title as the first Indigenous Academy Award winner is still under review until allegations made by CBC are accepted as fact or not.
  • Shared with Jack Nitzsche and Will Jennings.
 [20] [21]
1987
(60th)		 Jonas Gwangwa Flag of South Africa.svg Northern Ndebele Cry Freedom "Cry Freedom"Nominated [18] [14]
2023
(96th)		 Scott George Flag of the United States.svg Osage Nation
(Native American)		 Killers of the Flower Moon "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)"NominatedFirst member of the Osage Nation to be nominated for an Academy Award. [11] [22]

Best Production Design

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
2012
(85th)		 Ra Vincent Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Nominated [23] [24]
2019
(92nd)		 Jojo Rabbit NominatedShared with Nora Sopková. [23] [2]

Best Sound

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
2001
(74th)		 Hammond Peek Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Nominated [25] [6]
2002
(75th)		 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers NominatedShared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges. [25] [26]
2003
(76th)		 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Won
  • First Māori of Ngāi Tahu and Te Āti Awa descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to win Best Sound.
  • Shared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges.
 [25] [10]
2005
(78th)		 King Kong Won
  • First Indigenous person to win multiple Academy Awards.
  • Most nominated Indigenous person, with four nominations.
  • Shared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges.
 [25] [27]

Best Short Film, Live Action

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
2004
(77th)		 Taika Waititi
Ainsley Gardiner 		Flag of New Zealand.svg Māori
(Polynesian)		 Two Cars, One Night Nominated
  • First Māori of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Gardiner is also the first Māori of Ngāti Pikiao and Ngāti Awa descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous people to be nominated for Best Short Film, Live Action.
 [28]
2023
(96th)		 Misan Harriman Flag of Nigeria.svg
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 		Itsekiri The After Nominated
  • First Itsekiri to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Shared with Nicky Bentham.
 [29] [30]

Best Foreign Language Film

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)FilmStatusMilestone / NotesRef.
1987
(60th)		 Nils Gaup Flag of Norway.svg Sámi Pathfinder Nominated [14]

Honorary Award

Year
(Ceremony)		NameCountryEthnic group(s)Milestone / NotesRef.
2019
(92nd)		 Wes Studi Flag of the United States.svg Cherokee Nation
(Native American)		First and only Indigenous person to be awarded an Honorary Award. [31]

Related Research Articles

The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted from the Art Directors' branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) being renamed the Designers' branch. Since 1947, the award is shared with the set decorators. It is awarded to the best interior design in a film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy Award for Best Animated Feature</span> Film category of the Oscars

The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is given each year for the best animated film. An animated feature is defined by the academy as a film with a running time of more than 40 minutes in which characters' performances are created using a frame-by-frame technique, a significant number of the major characters are animated, and animation figures in no less than 75 percent of the running time. The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature was first awarded in 2002 for films released in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy Award for Best Visual Effects</span> Academy Award given for the best achievement in visual effects

The Academy Award for Best Visual Effects is presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for the best achievement in visual effects. It has been handed to four members of the team directly responsible for creating the film's visual effects since 1980.

The Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film is an award for documentary films. In 1941, the first awards for feature-length documentaries were bestowed as Special Awards to Kukan and Target for Tonight. They have since been bestowed competitively each year, with the exception of 1946. Copies of every winning film are held by the Academy Film Archive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy Award for Best Film Editing</span> Annual award for best film editing

The Academy Award for Best Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. For 33 consecutive years, 1981 to 2013, every Best Picture winner had also been nominated for the Film Editing Oscar, and about two thirds of the Best Picture winners have also won for Film Editing. Only the principal, "above the line" editor(s) as listed in the film's credits are named on the award; additional editors, supervising editors, etc. are not currently eligible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffy Sainte-Marie</span> American musician

Buffy Sainte-Marie, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and social activist.

The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film. The performers of a song are not credited with the Academy Award unless they contributed either to music, lyrics, or both in their own right. The songs that are nominated for this award are typically performed during the ceremony and before this award is presented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Tsang</span> Hong Kong filmmaker and actor

Derek Tsang Kwok-cheung is a Hong Kong filmmaker and actor. The son of actor Eric Tsang, Tsang got his start in the Hong Kong film industry working for director Peter Chan after graduating from University of Toronto Scarborough in 2001. He made his acting debut in Men Suddenly in Black (2003) and directorial debut with Lover's Discourse (2010), sharing the directing credit with Jimmy Wan Chi-man. The duo was nominated for Best New Director at the 47th Golden Horse Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay</span> Best screenplay not based upon previously published material

The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the Oscars for 1957, the two categories were combined to honor only the screenplay.

References

  1. 1 2 Lawrence, Andrew (2023-03-07). Viner, Katharine (ed.). "'She had to hide': the secret history of the first Asian woman nominated for a best actress Oscar". The Guardian . eISSN   1756-3224. ISSN   0261-3077. OCLC   60623878 . Retrieved 2023-12-01. Her mother, believed to have been of Sri Lankan and Māori ancestry, was just 14 when she gave birth in 1911. After centuries of intermixing, babies born from biracial relationships had evolved into a quiet shame – shunned by Britons and Indians alike.
  2. 1 2 "2020 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  3. 1 2 3 Russell Crowe [@russellcrowe] (July 6, 2013). "Born NZ, live Australia, 1 Welsh grandad, 1 Scottish, also Italian, Norwegian & Maori heritage, also English in there but I don't mention that" (Tweet). Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Twitter.
  4. ↑ "2000 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2000-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  5. ↑ "2001 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2001-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  6. 1 2 "2002 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2002-03-24. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  7. ↑ Gross, Terry (2018-11-21). "'You Better Own This': How Rami Malek Came To Embody Freddie Mercury". NPR . Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  8. 1 2 "2019 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  9. ↑ "1936 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1936-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  10. 1 2 "2004 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2004-02-29. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  11. 1 2 3 Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (23 January 2024). "Oscar Nominations 2024: 'Oppenheimer' Dominates With 13 Nods, 'Poor Things' Follows With 11". Variety. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "1971 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1971-04-15. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  13. ↑ "Connery's Wexford roots are revealed". Irish Independent . 2005-12-01. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "1988 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1988-04-11. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  15. ↑ "1991 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1991-03-25. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  16. ↑ "1967 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1967-04-10. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  17. ↑ Brown, Tracy (10 February 2020). "Taika Waititi makes Oscars history as first Maori Academy Award winner". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  18. 1 2 Ledwaba, Lucas (2021-01-29). "How Jonas Gwangwa used his music to preserve his mother tongue". Mail & Guardian . Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  19. ↑ "Who is the real Buffy Sainte-Marie?". CBC News. October 27, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  20. ↑ "1983 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1983-04-11. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  21. ↑ Warner, Andrea (2018-09-29). "Buffy Sainte-Marie's Authorized Biography Serves As A 'Map Of Hope'". NPR. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  22. ↑ Maupin, Jennifer (23 January 2024). "'Killers of the Flower Moon' nominated for 10 Oscars". KJRH. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  23. 1 2 Ligia (2020-02-14). "Ka whiti mai te rā!". Library Blog. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  24. ↑ "2013 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Double Oscar Winner". Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  26. ↑ "2003 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2003-03-23. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  27. ↑ "2006 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2006-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  28. ↑ "2005 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2005-02-27. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  29. ↑ "Misan Harriman: Nigerian who played a role in Prince Harry, Meghan love story". P.M. News . 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16. Harriman was born in Calabar, in 1977. He is the son of Chief Hope Harriman, the colourful Itsekiri chief, who died in 2012 at the age of 79.
  30. ↑ "2024 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  31. ↑ Bahr, Linsey (26 October 2019). "Wes Studi to make Oscars history for Native American actors". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
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