The 2026 Oscar nominations delivered a landmark moment for a new cohort of performers, as a striking number of actors earned their first-ever Academy Award nods, signalling a generational shift alongside the industry’s familiar awards-season heavyweights.
At the forefront is Michael B Jordan, finally recognised by the Academy for his dual performance as twin brothers in Ryan Coogler’s segregation-era vampire thriller ‘Sinners’. Long regarded as overdue, Jordan’s best actor nomination crowns a career that has balanced blockbuster appeal with increasingly ambitious dramatic choices.
The first-time nominee list also includes Jacob Elordi, whose transformation into the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ secured him a supporting actor nomination. Known primarily for television and youth-driven cinema, Elordi’s recognition marks a decisive step into prestige filmmaking.
Teyana Taylor earned her inaugural Oscar nod for supporting actress for ‘One Battle After Another’, turning a brief but emotionally charged performance into a standout moment of the season, following earlier Golden Globe success.
Veteran actor Delroy Lindo, despite decades of acclaimed work, also joined the first-time nominees with a supporting actor nomination for ‘Sinners’, a reminder of the Academy’s tendency to arrive late to some careers rather than early.
In the best actress race, Rose Byrne secured her first Oscar nomination for ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’, a demanding lead role that has been praised for its raw portrayal of maternal exhaustion and psychological strain.
International cinema is similarly represented, with Wagner Moura landing his first nomination for best actor for Brazilian political thriller ‘The Secret Agent’, and Renate Reinsve earning a maiden best actress nod for Norwegian drama ‘Sentimental Value’.
Supporting actress nominations for Wunmi Mosaku and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas further underline the Academy’s growing openness to global performances.
Together, the first-time nominees of 2026 reflect an Academy cautiously expanding its embrace, rewarding bold performances across genres, geographies and career stages, while reminding Hollywood that recognition, however delayed, still carries symbolic weight.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneNews DeskRead More