Rabat – The Oscars committee has released the list of nominees for the 2020 awards season, naming Joaquin Phoenix as a nominee in the Best Actor category for his role in “Joker.”
Todd Philips, the film’s director and producer, appeared on the list of nominees in the Best Director category, facing off against Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Bong Joon-ho, and Sam Mendes for the award.
Scorsese is the second-most nominated director history of the Academy Awards, with nine nominations under his belt.
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The Oscars committee has been met with backlash online after nominating exclusively white men in the Best Director and Best Cinematographer categories.
Critics have called out the committee for snubbing female directors Greta Gerwig, Kasi Lemmons, and Lulu Wang, whose films received nominations in other categories.
Cynthia Erivo was the only black actor to receive a nomination for her role in “Harriet.”
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” by Quentin Tarantino, “The Irish Man” by Martin Scorsese, and “1917” by Sam Mendes each received 10 nominations.
“Joker” screened for the first time on Saturday, August 31, 2019, and earned $1 billion at box offices worldwide, Entertainment Weekly reports. The film became the second comic book movie to score a Best Picture nomination, joining “The Black Panther.”
“Joker” has been met with criticism due to its violent content. However, most critics have lauded the film for its perspective on mental health and modern society.
The 92nd Academy Awards will go hostless for the second time in a row and is set to air on Sunday, February 9 on ABC.
