The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, is on tomorrow — with the ceremony kicking off at 11am AEDT.
The definition of a "good movie" is entirely subjective but many use the Oscars as a benchmark for excellence in film — with the ceremony viewed as the grand final of Hollywood's awards season.
And while there are a bunch of trophies handed out on the night, there are a few categories that get the most attention:
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
While we wait for the official Oscars envelopes to be opened live on stage tomorrow morning, all we can do is speculate.
So until then, let's look at three metrics for success — how many other awards they've won, how much money they made and what average movie fans think of them.
How many other awards have they won?
Let's look at each film, director and actor up for the big awards and see how many awards they've already won.
There are many film awards around the world, so we've focused on four of the most talked-about ones for the purposes of this article.
So far, we've had the:
- British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards
- Critics Choice awards
- Golden Globes awards
- Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards
We also included the Directors Guild of America Awards for the director category, in place of the SAG awards, which are only for actors and don't have a director category.
They all have slightly different categories, but we've matched them up to the Oscars ones as best we can.
Best Picture
Tap on the icons to read more about each film's award history.
13 wins: Everything Everywhere All at Once
BAFTA:
- Film Editing: Paul Rogers
Critics Choice:
- Best Picture
- Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
- Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan
- Best Editing: Paul Rogers
- Best Original Screenplay: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Directors Guild of America:
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Golden Globes:
- Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Michelle Yeoh
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Ke Huy Quan
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Ke Huy Quan
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jamie Lee Curtis
7 wins: All Quiet on the Western Front
BAFTA:
- Best Film
- Best Director: Edward Berger
- Best Cinematography: James Friend
- Film not in the English Language
- Best Sound: Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler and Lars Ginzel
- Adapted Screenplay: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell
- Original score: Volker Bertelmann
7 wins: The Banshees of Inisherin
BAFTA:
- Outstanding British Film
- Best Supporting Actor: Barry Keoghan
- Best Supporting Actress: Kerry Condon
- Best Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh
Golden Globes:
- Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy
- Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Collin Farrell
- Best Original Screenplay — Motion Picture: Martin McDonagh
6 wins: Elvis
BAFTA:
- Best Leading Actor: Austin Butler
- Costume Design: Catherine Martin
- Makeup and Hair: Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, Louise Coulston and Shane Thomas
- Casting
Critics Choice:
- Best Hair and Makeup
Golden Globes:
- Best Leading Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama: Austin Butler
4 wins: Tár
Golden Globes:
- Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: Cate Blanchett
BAFTA:
- Best Leading Actress: Cate Blanchett
Critics Choice:
- Best Leading Actress: Cate Blanchett
- Best Score: Hildur Guðnadóttir
2 wins: Avatar — The Way of Water
BAFTA:
- Special Visual Effects: Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
Critics Choice:
- Best Visual Effects: Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
2 wins: The Fabelmans
Golden Globes:
- Best Director: Steven Spielberg
- Best Drama
2 wins: Top Gun — Maverick
Critics Choice:
- Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda
Screen Actors Guild:
- Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
1 win: Women Talking
Critics Choice
- Best Adapted Screenplay: Sarah Polley
0 wins: Triangle of Sadness
- No wins yet
Best Lead Actor
Tap on the icons to read more about each nominee.
Elvis: Austin Butler
This is Butler's first Oscar nomination.
Before starring in Buz Lurman's Elvis, he appeared in Once Upon a time… in Hollywood, The Carrie Diaries and Zoey 101.
Major awards won:
BAFTA Film
- Best Leading Actor: Elvis, 2023
The Banshees of Inisherin: Colin Farrell
This is Farrell's first Oscar nomination.
Among his other film credits are The Lobster, S.W.A.T. and Phone Booth.
He was also in The Batman, but you may not have recognised him as he was wearing prosthetic facial features for his role as The Penguin.
He also worked with the Banshees of Inisherin co-star Brendan Gleeson and director Marin McDonagh before, in the cult favourite In Bruges.
Major awards won:
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: In Bruges, 2009
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023
The Whale: Brendan Fraser
This is Fraser's first Oscar nomination.
He had a string of hit films in the late 90s and 2000s, including George of the Jungle, The Mummy franchises and Dudley Do-Right.
Fraser has also done a few guest stints on a bunch of animated series, with voice credits including The Simpsons and The Fairly Odd Parents.
Major awards won:
Critics Choice Awards:
- Best Actor: The Whale, 2023
Screen Actors Guild Awards:
- Outstanding Performance by the Cast in a Motion Picture: Crash, 2006
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor: The Whale, 2023
Aftersun: Paul Mescal
This is Mescal's first Oscar nomination.
He's best known for his role in the 2020 television series Normal People, which captivated audiences going through the first round of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Among his film credits are The Lost Daughter and God's Creatures, and he's also appeared in a music video for Phoebe Bridgers as well as The Rolling Stones.
Major awards won:
BAFTA:
- Best Leading Actor (Television): Normal People, 2020
Living: Bill Nighy
This is Nighy's first Oscar nomination.
One of his most iconic roles was the washed-up rockstar in Love Actually, having also appeared in About Time, Emma and Sometimes, Always, Never.
He's been in a Florence + The Machine music video, turned into a zombie in Shaun of the Dead and was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
Major awards won:
BAFTA:
- Best Supporting Actor: Love Actually, 2003
- Best Actor (Television): State of Play, 2004
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: Gideon's Daughter, 2005
Best Lead Actress
Tap on the icons to read more about each nominee.
Tár: Cate Blanchett
One of Australia's most lauded acting exports, Blanchett has been nominated for an Oscar eight times, having won two.
She's got a long list of epic and dramatic silver screen roles including films such as Carol, Blue Jasmine, Elizabeth, The Aviator and Paradise Road.
Blanchett played Galadriel in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings franchises, was a villain in Thor: Ragnarok and appeared in an episode of the cult classic Australian television series Rake.
Major awards won:
Academy Awards:
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role: The Aviator, 2005
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Blue Jasmine, 2014
BAFTAs:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Elizabeth, 1999
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: The Aviator, 2005
- Best Leading Actress: Blue Jasmine, 2014
- Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film: 2018
- Best leading Actress: Tár, 2023
Critics Choice:
- Best Actress: Elizabeth, 1999
- Best Acting Ensemble: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2004
- Best Actress: Blue Jasmine 2014
- Best Actress: Tár, 2023
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama: Elizabeth, 1999
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: I'm Not There, 2008
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama: Blue Jasmine, 2014
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama: Tár, 2023
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2004
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: The Aviator, 2005
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Blue Jasmine, 2014
Blonde: Ana de Armas
This is de Armas's first Oscar nomination.
Before donning the wig to play Norma Jean in Blonde, she appeared in films including Blade Runner 2049 and James Bond: No Time to Die.
She also won Best Supporting Actress at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film award for her role in Knives Out.
To Leslie: Andrea Riseborough
This is Riseborough's first Oscar nomination.
She's had a wide variety of film roles, having appeared in Birdman, The Grudge and Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical.
Riseborough starred in a TV movie about Margaret Thatcher, played Wallis Simpson in a film about the American socialite and King Edward VIII and appeared in an episode of Doc Martin.
Major awards won:
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Birdman, 2015
The Fabelmans: Michelle Williams
This is Williams's fifth Oscar nomination.
Another actor with a wide spectrum of roles, Williams appeared in Brokeback Mountain, Manchester by the Sea, Venom: Let There be Carnage and played a teenager responsible for bringing down President Richard Nixon in a fictional retelling of the Watergate scandal in Dick.
She's also got a string of TV credits to her name, including Dawson's Creek, two episodes of Baywatch and a cameo in Cougar Town.
Major awards won:
Critics Choice:
- Best Supporting Actress: Brokeback Mountain, 2006
- Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television: Fosse/Verdon, 2020
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: My Week with Marilyn, 2012
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Fosse/Verdon, 2020
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Fosse/Verdon, 2020
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Michelle Yeoh
This is Yeoh's first Oscar nomination.
She's got a long list of film credits to her name, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 and Crazy Rich Asians.
Yeoh played Santa in the festive romantic comedy Last Christmas and appeared in four episodes of The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Major awards won:
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Best Supporting Actor
Tap on the icons to read more about each nominee.
The Banshees of Inisherin: Brendan Gleeson
This is Gleeson's first Oscar nomination.
He's perhaps best known for his role alongside his Banshees of Inisherin co-star Collin Farrell in the Marin McDonagh film In Bruges.
But he's got a varied list of film credits to his name including The Guard, Calvary, Braveheart, Suffragette and Gangs of New York.
Younger movie fans might also recognise him as the actor who played Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody in the Harry Potter film franchise and Knuckles McGinty in Paddington 2.
He also won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his role as Winston Churchill in Into The Storm.
Causeway: Brian Tyree Henry
This is Henry's first Oscar nomination.
He's perhaps best known for his role in the critically acclaimed TV series Atlanta.
But he's got a varied CV, appearing in Joker, Bullet Train, eight episodes of the cartoon series Big Mouth and Child's Play — an R-rated slasher movie about a killer doll.
He was also in the original Broadway production of the musical Book of Mormon.
In 2019, he won the Columbus Film Critics Association Actor of the Year award for an exemplary body of work, having roles in Hotel Artemis, If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Widows in a single year.
The Fabelmans: Judd Hirsch
This is Hirsch's second Oscar's nomination.
Hirsch has more than 90 film and TV credits to his name in IMDb.
On the silver screen, he's been in Ordinary People, Independence Day, A Beautiful Mind and Uncut Gems.
Among his television roles are Taxi and Hunters, with cameos in shows including Big Mouth, Family Guy and The Big Bang Theory.
Major awards won:
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Comedy or Musical: Dear John, 1989
The Banshees of Inisherin: Barry Keoghan
This is Keoghan's first Oscar nomination.
He appeared in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dunkirk, Calm With Horses and The Green Knight.
Keoghan also appeared in two episodes of the highly acclaimed 2019 miniseries Chernobyl.
Major awards won:
BAFTA:
- Best Supporting Actor: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Ke Huy Quan
This is Quan's first Oscar nomination.
His first film role was in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when he was 12, backing that up with a role in The Goonies.
Quan also featured in six episodes of the TV series Loki.
Major awards won:
Critics Choice:
- Best Supporting Actor: Everything, Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Everything, Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Best Supporting Actress
Tap on the icons to read more about each nominee.
Black Panther — Wakanda Forever: Angela Bassett
This is Bassett's second Oscar nomination.
Her first Oscar nomination was for her role as Tina Turner in What's Love Got to do With it in 1993.
Bassett has been in a wide range of roles, including How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Soul, Waiting to Exhale, Avengers: Endgame, Malcolm X and, of course, the first Black Panther film.
She's also got a series of TV credits to her name, including ER, Bojack Horseman, American Horror Story, 9-1-1 and voiced Michelle Obama in an episode of The Simpsons.
Major awards won:
Critics Choice:
- Best Supporting Actress: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, 2023
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, 2023
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical: What's Love Got to do With it, 1994
Screen Actors Guild:
-
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Black Panther, 2019
The Whale: Hong Chau
This is Chau's first Oscar nomination.
She's had roles in hit TV shows including BoJack Horseman, Big Little Lies, Homecoming and Watchmen.
Last year she featured in the films The Menu and Showing Up.
In 2017, she was named one of Variety Magazine's 10 Actors to Watch for her work in Downsizing.
The Banshees of Inisherin: Kerry Condon
This is Condon's first Oscar nomination.
She's probably best known for her role in the TV series Better Call Saul and Rome, having also featured in films including Missouri, Angela's Ashes and Ned Kelly.
She previously worked with Banshees of Inisherin Director Martin McDonagh on the movie Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Condon also voiced the artificial intelligence program F.R.I.D.A.Y in the Marvel superhero film franchise.
Major awards won:
BAFTA:
- Best Supporting Actress: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Jamie Lee Curtis
This is Curtis's first Oscar nomination.
She's best known for her performances in horror films, including the Halloween franchise, Prom Night and The Fog.
Outside of the horror genre, she's been in the My Girl films, a Freaky Friday remake and, more recently, Knives Out.
She's also dabbled in television, with roles on Scream Queens, New Girl and voiced a character in two episodes of Archer.
Major awards won:
BAFTA:
- Best Supporting Actress: Trading Places, 1984
Golden Globes:
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Comedy or Musical: Anything But Love, 1990
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical: True Lies, 1995
Screen Actors Guild:
-
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Stephanie Hsu
This is Hsu's first Oscar nomination.
She's been in television series including The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, the Path and Poker Face.
In 2017, she won the Leading Actress in the Best Shorts Competition for her role in Undergrads.
Major awards won:
Screen Actors Guild:
- Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, 2020
Best Director
Tap on the icons to read more about each nominee.
The Banshees of Inisherin: Martin McDonagh
McDonagh has been nominated for eight Oscars — three for Banshees of Inisherin — and won one.
He previously worked with The Banshees of Inisherin stars Collin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in the cult classic In Bruges.
McDonagh also wrote and directed Six Shooter, Seven Psychopaths and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Major awards won:
Academy Awards:
- Best Short Film, Live Action: Six Shooter, 2004
BAFTAs:
- Best Original Screenplay: In Bruges, 2009
- Best Original Screenplay: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018
- Best Film: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018 — shared with Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin
- Outstanding British Film in 2018: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018 — shared with Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin
- Outstanding British Film in 2023: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023 — shared with Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin
- Best Original Screenplay: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023
Golden Globes:
- Best Screenplay — Motion Picture: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018
- Best Screenplay — Motion Picture: The Banshees of Inisherin, 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Kwan and Scheinert had their first three Oscar nominations this year — one for directing, one for writing and one for Best Picture.
The duo, collectively known as Daniels, have made a string of music videos together for artists including Passion Pit, Foster the People and The Shins but are perhaps best known for the film clip for Dj Snake and Lil Jon's Turn Down For What.
They've done a bunch of short films and commercials together, with their first feature film being Swiss Army Man.
Major awards won:
Critics Choice:
- Best Director: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
- Best Screenplay: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Directors Guild of America:
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2023
Steven Spielberg: The Fabelmans
Spielberg has been nominated for an Oscar 22 times and won three.
But before winning a single Oscar statue, the director won the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award, which is voted on by the Academy's Board of Governors for "creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production".
He has 58 director credits to his name on IMDb with films including Jaws, Close Encounters of a Third Kind, The Colour Purple, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me If You Can.
Spielberg was also behind the Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park film franchises as well as childhood classics including Hook and ET.
Major awards won:
Academy Awards:
- Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award: 1986
- Best Director: Schindler's List, 1994
- Best Picture: Schindler's List, 1994
- Best Director: Saving Private Ryan, 1999
BAFTAs:
- Best Film: Schindler's List, 1994
- David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction: Schindler's List, 1994
- Fellowship: 1986
Critics Choice:
- Best Director: Saving Private Ryan, 1999
- Best Picture: Saving Private Ryan, 1999
- Best Director: Catch Me if You Can and Minority Report, 2003
Directors Guild of America
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: The Colour Purple, 1986
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: Schindler's List, 1994
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: Saving Private Ryan, 1999
- Lifetime Achievement Award: 2000
Golden Globes:
- Best Director — Motion Picture: Schindler's List, 1994
- Best Director — Motion Picture: Saving Private Ryan, 1999
- Cecil B DeMille Award: 2009
- Best Director — Motion Picture: The Fabelmans, 2023
Todd Field: Tár
Field has been nominated for six Oscars — three for writing.
He's worked in front of and behind the camera, having acted in films including Eyes Wide Shut and Twister.
Field has also written and directed Little Children and In the Bedroom.
He's already won a Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Screenplay for Tár, with the London Critics Circle Film Awards naming him Director of the Year this year.
Ruben Östlund: Triangle of Sadness
Östlund had his first two Oscar nominations this year — one for directing the other for writing.
He wrote and directed The Square, Force Majeure and Involuntary.
His films have been described by the Cannes Film Festival as "humorous and accurate observations of human social behaviour".
He's won four Cannes Film Festival awards, taking out the festival's highest honour twice.
How much money have they made?
Let's have a look at the box office takings for each of the films up for best picture.
This data came from Box Office Mojo, a service of IMDb.
Here are the films up for best picture ranked in terms of global box office takings.
- 1.Avatar: The Way of Water: $US2.267 billion — released December, 2022
- 2.Top Gun: Maverick: $US1.488 billion — released May, 2022
- 3.Elvis: $US278 million — released June, 2022
- 4.Everything Everywhere All at Once: $US107 million — released March, 2022
- 5.The Banshees of Inisherin: $US43 million — released October, 2022
- 6.The Fabelmans: $US33 million — November, 2022
- 7.Triangle of Sadness: $US23 million — released in October, 2022
- 8.Tár: $US16 million — October, 2022
- 9.Women Talking: $US5 million — released in December, 2022
There are no IMDb figures for All Quiet on the Western Front, which was made for streaming service Netflix but was screened in cinemas in October 2022.
But what do punters think about them?
It's all well and good for a critic to like a movie, but what about the everyday person?
Obviously, it's difficult to come up with a representative score for what the average layperson thinks about a film.
So we've looked at the Audience Score on popular film review website Rotten Tomatoes.
That's a score that reflects the percentage of Rotten Tomatoes users who rated the film positively.
However, it's important to point out that these aren't standardised ratings, with more verified Rotten Tomatoes users rating some films than others.
So keep that in mind when perusing the list:
- 1.Top Gun: Maverick: 99 per cent
- 2.Elvis: 94 per cent
- 3.Avatar: The Way of Water: 92 per cent
- 4.All Quiet on the Western Front: 90 per cent
- 5.Everything Everywhere All at Once: 88 per cent
- 6.Women Talking: 80 per cent
- 7.The Fabelmans: 83 per cent
- 8.The Banshees of Inisherin: 75 per cent
- 9.Tár: 73 per cent
- 10.Triangle of Sadness: 70 per cent
But will audience popularity, box office earnings and previous accolades have much of an impact on Oscars night?
We'll just have to wait until Monday.
