{"id":256304,"date":"2026-01-21T15:15:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/256304\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T15:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:15:19","slug":"is-jessie-buckley-a-dead-cert-for-a-nomination-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/256304\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Jessie Buckley a dead cert for a nomination? \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The nominations for the 2026 Oscars<\/a> will, when they arrive at lunchtime on Thursday, certainly have an Irish presence. <\/p>\n

It involves no spoiler to reveal that Jessie Buckley<\/a>, searing in Hamnet<\/a>, is runaway favourite for best actress. Paul Mescal<\/a>, her costar, will probably sneak into the supporting-actor race. Two Irish titles, Retirement Plan and \u00c9iru, are on the shortlist of 15, announced before Christmas, for best animated short film.<\/p>\n

Andrew Scott<\/a> has an outside chance of a supporting-actor nod for his turn as Richard Rodgers in the Irish coproduction Blue Moon<\/a>. Richard Baneham<\/a>, from Tallaght, will surely be again up in the visual-effects category for his work on the Avatar sequence. The producers Ed Guiney<\/a> and Andrew Lowe<\/a>, of Element Pictures<\/a>, could be listed in best picture for Bugonia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Away from parochial concerns, watch out for a possible (if not quite probable) shattering of the record for most nominations by a single title. Either One Battle After Another<\/a> or Sinners<\/a> \u2013 or both \u2013 could beat the current ceiling of 14. The record, set in 1950 by All About Eve, was subsequently equalled by Titanic and La La Land.<\/p>\n

\"OscarsOscars 2026: Michael B Jordan in Sinners. Photograph: Warner Bros <\/p>\n

Whatever the total, Sinners and One Battle After Another will surely be at the top of this year\u2019s nomination table. Frankenstein<\/a> and Hamnet look likely to come in second and third, with about 12 for the horror epic and 10 for the bereavement saga. <\/p>\n

It is also worth pondering how many films not in English will make it into the best-picture category. As in 2024, three such titles could land, so confirming a shift towards a more internationally inclined electorate. <\/p>\n

The Oscars take place in Hollywood on Sunday, March 15th. Here are 14 intriguing categories out of the full 24. All entries are listed in descending order of likely inclusion.<\/p>\n

Donald Clarke\u2019s Academy Award nomination predictionsBest pictureOne Battle After AnotherSinnersHamnetMarty SupremeFrankensteinSentimental ValueThe Secret AgentIt Was Just an AccidentTrain DreamsBugonia<\/p>\n

The top six seem certain. Waiting just outside the 10 are three commercial hits: Wicked: For Good<\/a>, Weapons<\/a> and F1<\/a>. Avatar: Fire and Ash<\/a> looks dead in its blue ditch, however. One Battle After Another has the momentum of a big film on a wide canvas, but Hamnet should not be ruled out for the win. Everywhere it goes it gathers fans among \u201cordinary viewers\u201d. Potential shock nominee: \u00d3liver Laxe\u2019s Sirat (see the best-international-feature category below). <\/p>\n

Best director\"OscarsOscars 2026: Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Photograph: Warner Bros Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After AnotherRyan Coogler, SinnersChlo\u00e9 Zhao, HamnetJafar Panahi, It Was Just an AccidentGuillermo del Toro, Frankenstein<\/p>\n

You could reasonably argue that only Anderson and Coogler are safe. Don\u2019t rule out Josh Safdie for the much-admired Marty Supreme<\/a>. Panahi, Iranian winner of the Palme d\u2019Or, gets the nod for It Was Just an Accident<\/a>, as the directors\u2019 branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has always been more open to colleagues from outside the United States. <\/p>\n

Best actressJessie Buckley, HamnetRose Byrne, If I Had Legs I\u2019d Kick YouRenate Reinsve, Sentimental ValueEmma Stone, BugoniaKate Hudson, Song Sung Blue<\/p>\n

Four nailed down. Then it\u2019s a toss-up between the veteran Hudson and the newcomer Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another. Buckley can probably reserve a place on the mantelpiece already, but Byrne, a popular actor, has won with a clutter of critics\u2019 groups. Then again, this will probably be the only nomination for her film. <\/p>\n

Best actorTimoth\u00e9e Chalamet, Marty SupremeLeonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After AnotherWagner Maura, The Secret AgentMichael B Jordan, SinnersEthan Hawke, Blue Moon<\/p>\n

Maura missed with the Bafta longlist, but his win at the Golden Globes confirms growing strength. Chalamet has been working the publicity circuit hard and will probably end up in a head to head with DiCaprio. This could well be the five. Hawke was liked in Blue Moon, and he does now count as a veteran.<\/p>\n

Best supporting actressTeyana Taylor, One Battle After AnotherAmy Madigan, WeaponsInga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental ValueWunmi Mosaku, SinnersAriana Grande, Wicked: For Good<\/p>\n

I\u2019m betting that Grande, unlike her costar Cynthia Erivo, will survive the critical mauling that dulled the Wicked sequel\u2019s chances. If not, then Odessa A\u2019zion from Marty Supreme is waiting. Wunmi Mosaku looks solid after a nomination at the Actor Awards (formerly the Screen Actors Guild gongs).<\/p>\n

Best supporting actor\"OscarsOscars 2026: Jacob Elordi with Oscar Isaac in Frankenstein. Photograph: Ken Woroner\/Netflix Stellan Skarsgard, Sentimental ValueBenicio Del Toro, One Battle After AnotherJacob Elordi, FrankensteinSean Penn, One Battle After AnotherPaul Mescal, Hamnet<\/p>\n

Forget about it. Nobody else is getting in here. Tight competition. Anyone bar (sorry) Mescal could plausibly take the prize. If hurricanes strike and he doesn\u2019t get nominated then his fellow Irishman Andrew Scott could score for Blue Moon. <\/p>\n

Best adapted screenplayOne Battle After AnotherHamnetTrain DreamsBugoniaFrankenstein<\/p>\n

One Battle After Another, as a boss front-runner, will compete in every big category, but Hamnet has an undeniably \u201cwriterly\u201d quality. If anything breaks this five it might be a rogue non-English-language title such as Park Chan-wook\u2019s No Other Choice. <\/p>\n

Best original screenplay\"OscarsOscars 2026: It Was Just an Accident, directed by Jafar Panahi SinnersSentimental ValueMarty SupremeIt Was Just an AccidentSorry, Baby<\/p>\n

Maybe a sentimental pick here for Eva Victor\u2019s ingenious, moving Sorry, Baby<\/a>. Kleber Mendon\u00e7a Filho\u2019s The Secret Agent, a best-picture probable, is just as likely. <\/p>\n

Best international featureThe Secret AgentSentimental ValueIt Was Just an AccidentSiratThe Voice of Hind Rajab<\/p>\n

The first four were prize winners at Cannes. The Voice of Hind Rajab<\/a>, a docudrama about the death of that Palestinian girl, won enormous ovations at Venice. The rising film here is \u00d3liver Laxe\u2019s thrilling, disturbing Sirat. Only Sentimental value<\/a> won more at last weekend\u2019s European Film Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Best animated feature\"OscarsOscars 2026: K-Pop Demon Hunters. Photograph: Netflix K-Pop Demon HuntersZootopia 2ArcoElioLittle Am\u00e9lie or the Character of Rain<\/p>\n

No other Netflix title has been streamed more than K-Pop Demon Hunters. It is surely going to score big here. Zootopia 2, meanwhile, looks to have been the highest-grossing English-language release of 2025.<\/p>\n

Best castingOne Battle After AnotherSinnersMarty SupremeHamnetWeapons<\/p>\n

The fear was that this new category would simply reflect the voting for best picture. On the basis of little evidence, that is what we are here predicting. To be fair, One Battle After Another and Sinners did promote younger talent across the board in films with a huge array of characters. <\/p>\n

Best animated short\"OscarsOscars 2026: \u00c9iru. Photograph: Cartoon Saloon \u00c9iruSnow BearButterflyForevergreenAutokar<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an interesting prospect. Cartoon Saloon<\/a>, based in Kilkenny, has been nominated for four Oscars, but it has yet to win. Its best chance yet, perhaps, comes with \u00c9iru, tale of an Iron Age warrior. <\/p>\n

Best film editingOne Battle After AnotherMarty SupremeSinnersF1A House of Dynamite<\/p>\n

This has always been unofficially the award for \u201cmost editing\u201d (as well as another stealth best-picture vote). F1 and House of Dynamite<\/a> satisfy that dubious requirement: racing cars and the end of the world. One Battle After Another is, however, still hectic enough to win. <\/p>\n

Best cinematographySinnersOne Battle After AnotherTrain DreamsHamnetFrankenstein<\/p>\n

Big and beautiful (or menacing, in Frankenstein<\/a>\u2019s case) tends to dominate here. Yet five potential best-picture nominees? There\u2019s usually something from outside the pack. As above, the speeding vehicles in F1 may sneak in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The nominations for the 2026 Oscars will, when they arrive at lunchtime on Thursday, certainly have an Irish…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":256305,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[5116,127651,127652,309,127650,14165,93,61,60,312,2625,5042,127649],"class_list":{"0":"post-256304","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-andrew-scott","9":"tag-andrew-lowe","10":"tag-cartoon-saloon","11":"tag-chloe-zhao","12":"tag-ed-guiney","13":"tag-element-pictures","14":"tag-entertainment","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-jessie-buckley","18":"tag-oscars","19":"tag-paul-mescal","20":"tag-richard-baneham"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256304\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}