Oscar nominations 2023: Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh and more react to their nominations
The 95th Academy Awards will be held Sunday, March 12.
Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett and Jamie Lee Curtis were among those reacting to their 2023 Oscar nominations on Tuesday.
The nominees for the 95th Academy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's Samuel Goldwyn Theater by Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed and "M3gan" star Allison Williams.
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" came out on top with the most nominations, snagging 11 in total. "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" followed closely behind with nine nods apiece and rounding out the top five were "Elvis" with eight and "The Fabelmans" with seven.
This year's Academy Award winners will be announced during the Jimmy Kimmel-hosted ceremony at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 12, airing live on ABC.
Keep reading to see how the biggest names in film reacted to their Oscar nominations this week.
Brendan Fraser
Fraser shared a statement expressing gratitude for his best actor nomination for "The Whale."
"I'm absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau's beautiful performance and Adrien Morot's incredible makeup," he said. "I wouldn't have this nomination without Darren Aronofsky, Samuel D. Hunter, A24 and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie. A gift I certainly didn't see coming, but it's one that has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!"
Austin Butler
Austin Butler spoke to "Good Morning America" about his best actor Oscar nomination for "Elvis," saying it "feels like a dream."
"It's very surreal," he added, going on to honor the late Lisa Marie Presley.
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal shared a statement in response to his best actor nomination for his role in Charlotte Wells' "Aftersun."
"This is truly a special moment for everyone involved in Aftersun," he said. "To be recognised by the Academy is such an insane honour and I'm so utterly grateful. I want to dedicate this nomination to my two friends Charlotte and Frankie who I love dearly! This is bananas, thank you!"
Hong Chau
Hong Chau shared a statement in response to her best supporting actress nomination for her role in "The Whale."
"l am overjoyed by this morning's news," she said. "Being a part of this film was an unforgettable experience, and I share this nomination with the creative and talented people alongside whom I worked on this project. And a big congrats to Brendan, my co-star and dear friend, as well as our amazing hair and makeup team on their nominations this morning. Thank you so much to the Academy for this recognition and a special thank you to Darren, A24, and the entire cast and crew of THE WHALE."
Angela Bassett
Bassett, who is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," reacted to her nomination by explaining what has drawn her to playing powerful women like Queen Ramonda of Wakanda.
"This morning is a little extra special in the Bassett Vance household with news of my Oscar nomination. What has drawn me to each of the women I've portrayed throughout my career is their strength, compassion, resilience, and power," she said in a statement. "Wakanda Forever's Queen Ramonda is a character that touched my spirit because she is a mother and a leader who must care for her grieving nation as much as she cares for her family in mourning. Ramonda is a love letter that reflects and acknowledges what we women do everyday. There was so much to unpack as an actress because it's brilliant storytelling, alongside a wealth of talent in front of and behind the camera."
"I'm thankful to the Academy for including me amongst a wonderful group of actresses," she added, also congratulating her "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" family for their nominations. "I look forward to March 12 as we cheer for and celebrate with one another."
Michelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh shared a statement on Tuesday in response to her best actress nomination for "Everything Everywhere All at Once."
"I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with happiness! Every single person who worked on this film poured their heart and soul into it, and we are all so grateful to the Academy for recognizing so many from our EEAAO family," she said.
"Playing Evelyn Wang has been one of the great privileges of my 40 year career," she continued. "It is truly the role of a lifetime. Thank you to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for seeing me and for this opportunity, I will forever cherish this moment."
Ke Huy Quan
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Ke Huy Quan reacted to his best supporting actor Oscar nomination, his first ever, in an interview with "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.
"It feels incredible. I always love watching the Oscars. Every single year, I would imagine what it feels like to be in that room," he said, noting how "that dream only existed in my imagination."
"So for this to be really happening, I am ecstatic," Quan continued. "What a true honor."
Jamie Lee Curtis
After decades in the industry, the actress, who is the daughter of Hollywood icons Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, received her first Oscar nomination Tuesday.
Curtis, nominated for best supporting actress for "Everything Everywhere All at Once," took to Instagram to express what the recognition meant to her.
"It was never even in my wildest dream box," she said. "I have always felt very much like an outsider looking in and yet always so grateful for any and all opportunities I have had. Being a part of this beautiful movie, which just received so many acknowledgments for our talented, motley crew of artists, is the highlight of my professional life."
"As this is a movie about a family of immigrants and their struggles through life, immediately I'm thinking of my parents, children of immigrants from Hungary and Denmark, whose families came here and sacrificed for their children to achieve their dreams," she continued. "I can only imagine what it would feel like for them and their parents to hear that their daughter/granddaughter was nominated this morning for an Oscar. I am stunned and humbled and excited for our little movie that could and did and based on today's nominations, continues to do and do and do."
Curtis also shared a series of photos her friend took of her reacting to her Oscar nomination in the moment.
Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell, a first-time Oscar nominee, reacted to his nomination for best supporting actor for "The Banshees of Inisherin," saying in a statement, "Just so grateful to the Academy for all the love it's shared with the 'Banshees' cast and crew. Also, beyond honored to be lumped together with my fellow nominees. A heartfelt congratulations to all the lads!"
Brendan Gleeson
"What an amazing wake-up call!" Brendan Gleeson, also a first-time Oscar nominee up for best supporting actor for "The Banshees of Inisherin," said in a statement. "I'm so proud and grateful to be part of 'The Banshees of Inisherin' on a personal and professional level. I'm absolutely thrilled for the whole brilliant cast and everyone at home. What a day for the Irish film industry on a world stage! Feels like a huge family outing on the cards! Thank you Academy. Thank you Martin! Thank you all!"
Stephanie Hsu
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Stephanie Hsu spoke to "Good Morning America" to discuss her best supporting actress nomination, saying all the love for the film feels "like this is a big hug for us."
"I love our movie so much. I love every single person who has poured so much of their hearts into this project," she said. "...We're the scrappy little ones in the corner that put together this big, insane thing and I feel like everyone is really cheering us on. So I feel very honored."
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg reacted to his best director nomination for "The Fabelmans" in a statement, saying, "Making 'The Fabelmans' was a once-in-my-lifetime experience, and it wouldn't have happened without the love, encouragement and support of my family of collaborators, as well as my real family, particularly my wife Kate and my sisters -- Anne, Sue and Nancy."
"To be nominated by the Academy is always an incredible honor -- but for this film even more so because of its deeply personal roots, and the only thing missing from my leaping heart is not being able to have my parents in the room for how much they'd be freaking out right now," he added.
Jerry Bruckheimer
First-time Oscar nominee Jerry Bruckheimer reacted to the best picture nomination for "Top Gun: Maverick" in a statement, saying, "On behalf of Tom, all the filmmakers, cast, Paramount and everyone who worked on 'Top Gun: Maverick,' we are so honored by this recognition from the Academy. This being my first ever Oscar nomination makes it that much more special. Congratulations to all the nominees. We look forward to celebrating with you."
Domee Shi
Domee Shi, director of "Turning Red," reacted to the film's nomination for best animated feature film in a statement.
"Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor. While 'Turning Red' is a very personal story, inspired by my life as a Chinese-Canadian tween struggling with the messiness of adolescence, it also represents a universal struggle of what it means to come into your own person," she said. "For me, that meant an entire feature film dedicated to figuring out my own relationship with my own mother -- but making it relatable to everyone else. And though I realize not everyone out there is exactly like me, my hope is that people can realize that growing up is weird for EVERYBODY! So I share this nomination with my entire cast and crew at Pixar, and with all the kids out there who are full of so much angst while finding their own way to being an adult -- magical puberty not required!"
Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro, whose film "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" is nominated for best animated feature at this year's Oscars, reacted in a statement Tuesday, saying, "We are so grateful to the Academy and honored that the medium of animation is accepted for the art form that it truly is. We made this film to reaffirm what it means to be human and to share a fable about life, love and loss. We thank all of our collaborators, our amazing cast and dedicated family of crew & animators who have painstakingly given their all throughout the many years it took to bring our Pinocchio to life."
Edward Berger
Edward Berger, the director, co-writer and producer behind Germany's "All Quiet on the Western Front," reacted to the film's nine nominations in a statement this week.
"When I asked my daughter if I should make 'All Quiet On The Western Front' she said I should, so… here we are," he said. "Making a film is alchemy and if the right people and circumstances come together, if you are lucky enough, then somehow, miraculously, audiences connect to the experience. Thank you to everyone who has watched the film. Thank you to the Academy for this recognition. And thank you to my happy band of incredible collaborators. We are so very humbled by these nominations."
John Williams
Legendary composer John Williams reacted to his nomination for best original score for "The Fabelmans" in a statement, saying, "I'm very grateful to the Academy for their kind recognition, and I'm enormously grateful to Steven Spielberg for offering me the opportunity to compose the score for this very special and personal film."
Brian Tyree Henry
Brian Tyree Henry shared a statement on Tuesday in reaction to his best supporting actor nomination for "Causeway."
"I am beyond honored to be nominated!!!!! And in such amazing company!!! I'm so grateful," he said. "And to the random man in the elevator who saw me scream at the news, thank you for hugging me and not freaking out!!!!!!"
Judd Hirsch
Hirsch shared a statement reacting to his best supporting actor nomination for "The Fabelmans."
"In truth, I am surprised, humbled and thankful to be deserving of such an honor," he said. "And Steven Spielberg….what can I say."
Diane Warren
Diane Warren reacted to her 14th Oscar nomination, a nod for best original song for "Applause" from the film "Tell It Like a Woman," in a statement, saying, "Wow! This is so amazingly cool. It's my 14th nomination but it feels like the first. I'm truly grateful for the recognition for this song."
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