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9 Inspiring First-Time Oscar Nominees

From Dev Patel to Ruth Negga, here are nine first-time Oscar nominees to watch out for. 

The Oscars mark the pinnacle of the awards season and being nominated for a golden statue is often the highlight of an actor’s career. This year marks the first time some of Hollywood’s most promising talent have been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. From Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of a war hero to Dev Patel’s heartbreaking journey home and a director who quietly just made history, here are nine first-time Oscar nominees to watch out for. 

Barry Jenkins Director for "Moonlight"

1 of 9 Barry Jenkins – Best Director for 'Moonlight'

Barry Jenkins garnered his first Oscar nomination this year and he quietly made history while doing it. The Moonlight director became the first Black writer-director to be nominated for Best Director, Picture and Screenplay. If you’ve seen his beautiful coming-of-age film about a young gay man struggling with his identity while growing up on the violent streets of Miami, you’d understand why everyone is praising Jenkins’ work. The story is personal for the director – he grew up in the same neighborhood the film is set in – and it’s a moving look at how we’re constantly trying to find our place in the world. 


Andrew Garfield in "Hacksaw Ridge"

2 of 9 Andrew Garfield – Best Actor for 'Hacksaw Ridge'

In Garfield’s relatively short career, he’s played some memorable characters but none as inspiring as Desmond Doss – a World War II medic who risked his lives to save others. The true story of Doss – a conscientious objector who fought for the right to serve his country without wielding a weapon – is one filled with faith, courage and hope. Garfield brought a determined commitment and a sense of humility to his role in Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge and his outstanding performance is being recognized at this year’s awards.  

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Ruth Negga in "Loving"

3 of 9 Ruth Negga – Best Actress for 'Loving'

Ruth Negga is a relative newcomer but her name is about to become recognizable thanks to her work in director Jeff Nichols’ Loving. The film is based on the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple who fought the law prohibiting legal unions between couples of different races during the 1960s. Their battle would make it all the way to the Supreme Court, in the landmark case Loving v. Virginia. Negga brings Mildred’s quiet strength and commitment to her family to life on screen, making Loving an emotional powerhouse film to see. 


Mahershala Ali in "Moonlight"

4 of 9 Mahershala Ali – Best Supporting Actor for 'Moonlight'

Mahershala Ali has been putting in award-winning work for the past decade but it’s his role in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight that might just be career defining. Ali plays Juan, a Miami drug dealer who takes the film’s protagonist, Chiron, under his wing, essentially becoming a father figure to the young boy. Ali’s presence lingers throughout and that’s in large part due to the actor’s incredibly nuanced, thought-provoking performance. 


Dev Patel in "Lion"

6 of 9 Dev Patel – Best Support Actor for 'Lion'

Dev Patel knows what it’s like to be a part of an award-winning film – his 2008 drama Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars nearly ten years ago – but this year marks the first individual nomination for Patel who plays a young man searching for his roots in Lion. The stirring film based on a true story follows a young Indian boy named Saroo who is separated from his family by accident and adopted by a wealthy Australian couple. Years later, as a grown man, Saroo (played by Patel) searches for the family he lost and discovers more about himself through the process. Patel’s heartbreaking portrayal is the emotional core of this film and his nomination is well-deserved. 

Naomie Harris in "Moonlight"

7 of 9 Naomie Harris – Best Supporting Actress for 'Moonlight'

In Moonlight, Naomie Harris had to stretch far to play Paula, the abusive, crack-addicted mother to the film’s main protagonist, Chiron. Harris has said her own research into women suffering from addiction helped her to sympathize and ultimately find things to love about her character who does unfathomable things that scar her son deeply. Her performance is emotionally raw and integral to the film and it portrays addiction in an honest, and human light. 

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Justin Timberlake in "Trolls"

8 of 9 Justin Timberlake – Best Original Song for 'Trolls'

Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” became the song of the summer last year so it’s only right that it’s nominated for an Oscar. The feature song of Dreamworks animated Trolls movie – which Timberlake also starred in – is catchy, fun and a reminder to enjoy life to its fullest. 


Lucas Hedges in "Manchester by the Sea"

9 of 9 Lucas Hedges – Best Supporting Actor for 'Manchester by the Sea'

Lucas Hedges may be one of the younger actors nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category this year but that doesn’t mean his work in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea is any less noteworthy. The 20 year-old Hedges stars as Patrick Chandler, a young teenager who’s just lost his father and is now in the care of his sullen, absentee uncle (played by Casey Affleck). The film – which is a study on loss and the ties of family – would’ve been even more melancholy without Hedges’ character who brings a bit of comic relief to the movie. 

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