Oscar nominations are in, and by the looks of it, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are loving “Lion,” which received a Best Picture nod and another for Dev Patel, in the Supporting Actor category.
Patel, an Indian English actor who first rose to fame in 2008 in “Slumdog Millionaire,” has been nominated for several awards — including a Golden Globe and a SAG Award — for his portrayal of Saroo Brierley in “Lion.”
The pic, directed by Garth Davis, features a multi-cultural cast and tells a story of home and family through the eyes of a five-year-old Indian boy who is adopted by an Australian couple.
This year’s nominations list shows the inclusion of several African American-themed projects and black nominees — among them Best Picture nods for “Fences” and “Hidden Figures” and acting nods for Denzel Washington, Mahershala Ali, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer — following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that plagued last year’s awards.
“Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Moana” (starring Disney’s first Polynesian princess) and “The Red Turtle” (co-produced by legendary Japanese animation giant Studio Ghibli) also received nominations in the Animated Feature category.
