2021 Academy Award nominees: See their reactions

The Academy Award nominations are out! In anticipation of Hollywood's biggest night on April 25, 2021, many stars spoke out about the honor of being nominated on March 15. See what they all said, starting with history-making nominee Viola Davis — who, with her 2021 best actress in a leading role nod, became the most nominated Black actress in history, with four career noms. She's also the only Black woman with two career best actress nominations. "Absolutely thrilled!! Congratulations to the whole @MaRainerfilmteam! Deserved!" she wrote on social media.

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"Wow! I'm honoured to be nominated by my fellow actors alongside such inspiring performances, and am grateful to the Academy for their support and encouragement. I'm equally thrilled for our visionary writer-director Darius Marder and the brilliant Paul Raci, as well as our editor Mikkel, sound designer Nicolas, and co-writer Abe Marder. These nominations represents the time, generosity and talents of so many — all of our incredible cast, crew, producers, and in particular I'd like to thank my mentors in the drumming, addiction recovery, and D/deaf communities.⁣ Sound of Metal is about how a health crisis can cut you off from your life and loved ones, and force you to grow in unexpected ways. In a challenging year for so many, I hope this story can inspire us to forge new and deeper connections with ourselves and others" –Riz Ahmed, who was nominated for best actor and is the first Muslim performer to score a lead actor nod

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"Working with David Fincher on 'Mank' has been the highlight of my career, and being recognized by the Academy for an experience that brought me this much joy and fulfillment feels surreal. I won't be able to thank David enough for trusting me with this role and for the honour of reintroducing the world to the Marion Davies that I've come to know. To get to study this brilliant, humble woman and help restore her legacy has been a true privilege. Congratulations to David, Gary, and the whole cast and crew of 'Mank' today – your brilliance has not gone unnoticed and I am humbled to share this recognition with you." —Amanda Seyfried, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role

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"Congratulations to all my fellow nominees. I'm beyond thrilled and deeply grateful for Netflix's brilliant support of their artists. I owe so much to Ron Howard, Amy Adams, Owen Asztalos and my genius hair and make-up team. This wouldn't have happened without them. I dedicate this honour to all the grandmothers in the world who fight to give their children a better life." –Glenn Close, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role

"I'm incredibly humbled and grateful to the Academy for both nominations! First, to the team of 'Trial of the Chicago 7' — acting is a team sport, and I would not be in this position if it were not for the brilliance of Aaron Sorkin and the incredibly talented actors and crew that he surrounded us with and who lifted us up every day. Thank you, also, to the Academy for nominating Borat for the second time for Adapted Screenplay and for giving us the award for hiring the most WGA members in one movie. And, of course, congratulations to the sensational Maria Bakalova for her nomination! As a cast and crew, we took insane risks because we believed so deeply in the message of this movie — exposing the dangers of the last administration, but also celebrating the underlying goodness of ordinary people. Because underneath it all, we're all the same, as Rudy Giuliani so very nearly demonstrated in that hotel room." —Sacha Baron Cohen, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor

"After such a stressed pandemic year, there is a kind of comfort and reassurance in knowing that we soldier on in many ways with important traditions. In our industry there is nothing more traditional than the Academy Awards, which hopefully sends a sign of hope that we will get out of this. The Oscars are such a sign that normalcy still exists. In my case today marks my third Academy Award Nomination. Not to trivialize the current state of the world, it is a source of great pride and an honor to be recognized alongside these other tremendous, wonderful artists." –Gary Oldman, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role

"I'm absolutely elated this morning, and I am so honored to be in such esteemed company across all categories. Thank you to the Academy for embracing this story which means so much to me. It's all thanks to my dear friend — the fearless, hilarious, bold writer and director Emerald Fennell and the incredible cast and crew she assembled. We all signed on because we believed wholeheartedly in her vision, and I'm so grateful to her for inviting me to be a part of it." —Carey Mulligan, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role

"It is the greatest honor to be recognized by the Academy and for a film I care so much about, and is so deeply in my heart. Thank you to Kornel and Katafor so bravely telling your story and for trusting me to be your Martha, to Kevin Turin and Ashley and Sam Levinson for believing in me, the cast and crew who I share this with, and to my family at Netflix for supporting and championing our story. I am so honored that this story has been shared; it is one of so many women, and of their babies. This belongs to them." –Vanessa Kirby, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role

"Chairman Fred Hampton was a light, a beacon of a being who would illuminate all he touched with his incredible message. With the ability to command any stage and robbed of his opportunity to captivate a global audience. He created strategies that supported and uplifted the black community but also unified other communities with his laugh, his mind, his passion and his love. Today, I am humbled to be nominated for portraying a man whose principles I deeply respect and for guiding me to walk in his footsteps. With the blessing of Chairman Fred Hampton's family, and the unwavering support from Ryan Coogler, Shaka King and Charles King, and the cast led by LaKeith Stanfield and Dominique Fishback, I became a vessel for Chairman Fred's spirit at a time when we need his rally cry for equality and justice more than ever. I commend my fellow nominees for their impressive work. To be seen and celebrated by my peers in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences is beautifully humbling and I am deeply grateful. Thank you." –Daniel Kaluuya, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role

"Never in my dreams did I ever think a Korean actress would be nominated for an Oscar, and I can't believe it's me! I am incredibly humbled by the honor. Thank you so much AMPAS, A24, Plan B, my 'Minari' family and our entire cast and crew. We made this film with love, and I thank you for loving us back. And thank you, Isaac. This is all because of you!" –Steven Yeun, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role

"I left the Broadway stage four or five years ago and I started this journey in film. I wanted to learn how to be on camera, I wanted to learn if I could be useful in this medium, and thanks to [director] Regina King and [screenwriter] Kemp Powers and this film, I really do feel like I'm on my way. It feels like a good beginning." –Leslie Odom, Jr., who was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role

"Wow Wa We Waa! Thank you to the Academy for this honour! I really can't believe this – to hear my name in the company of these remarkable women and their breath-taking performances is a dream come true! I am so grateful to Sacha Baron Cohen and my Borat family and congratulations to them for their Adapted Screen play nomination." –Maria Bakalova, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role

"I'm nominated for an Oscar" –LaKeith Stanfield, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role

"WOKE UP TO AN OSCAR NOMINATION WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!" –H.E.R., who was nominated for Best Original Song

"Never in my dreams did I ever think a Korean actress would be nominated for an Oscar, and I can't believe it's me! I am incredibly humbled by the honor. Thank you so much AMPAS, A24, Plan B, my Minari family and our entire cast and crew. We made this film with love, and I thank you for loving us back. And thank you, Isaac. This is all because of you!" –Yuh-jung Youn, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role

"Thank you to the Academy for this honor. During my 40-something-year acting career, I have always been about the work. I've continued to work in small theater houses, like Deaf West Theatre, doing what I was trained to do from my Chicago Theater years, but to be validated in this way is gratifying on a level that I can only describe as heavenly. I'm so grateful to Darius Marder for directing and writing a script and a character seemingly for me without even knowing me that changed my life, and to Amazon for the love and support they have provided me. My heart is full, and as always, I look forward to the work and am grateful for the stillness." –Paul Raci, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role

"We are incredibly honoured to have two of our scores recognized this year by the Academy. We are truly humbled and grateful… THANK YOU!" –Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, who were nominated for Best Original Score

"I'm so thrilled for our nominations! Thank you to the Academy. I'm grateful to have gone on this journey with our talented team of filmmakers and to have met so many wonderful people who generously shared their stories with us. Thank you so much to my academy peers for recognizing this film that is very close to my heart." –Chloe Zhao, who was nominated for Best Director

"So proud and grateful to every amazing person who worked on this film. Never going to stop crying." –Emerald Fennell, who was nominated for Best Director

"It took fourteen years to make 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' and I'm thankful for all of them. We thank the Academy for recognizing so much individual achievement this morning, but our biggest thanks is for including our film among the extraordinary movies nominated for Best Picture. We learned a lot of hard lessons last year, but a nice one was that people will find a way to go to the movies, even if they can only go as far as their living rooms. 'Chicago 7' is a very modern period piece. It takes place in 1968 but it's about today. It's a Valentine to the patriotism of protest, and to the courage of ordinary people who stand toe-to-toe with power. Jerry Rubin called the trial 'the Academy Awards of protest.' Well this is the Academy Awards of Academy Awards, and it's an honour to be nominated." –Aaron Sorkin, who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay

"This is wonderful news. Thank you very much to the Academy, and congratulations to my fellow nominees. I'm honored to be in your company. I've made some films over the years, but none of them have meant so much to me as this one. During a long journey like this, it matters most to be surrounded by great collaborators who are also great friends. My actors, Mads, my co-writer Tobias, Sturla my DOP, my producers from Zentropa and the amazing behind the scenes talent were all on this journey with me and gave all they had. Thank you from Denmark." –Thomas Vinterberg, who was nominated for Best International Feature Film

"Sound of Metal was made by a group of artists who poured their hearts into this entire process. To have our cast and crew's intentions reflected in six first-time nominations has been overwhelming to say the least, especially on the back of something that everyone involved in the film did out of pure artistic passion. Thank you to Amazon Studios and the Academy for this extraordinary morning." –Darius Marder, who was nominated for Best Director

"Thank you to the Academy for recognizing 'The White Tiger' – it is an honor to be named among such brilliant writers. I want to thank Ted Sarandos, Scott Stuber and everyone at Netflix for their support; my producing partners Mukul Deora, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and Ava Duvernay; my incredible cast, including Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka, for making the dialogue sing; my Indian crew for welcoming me with such warm hearts and tremendous talent; and my main collaborator of fifteen years, Bahareh Azimi. Most of all, I want to thank my college friend and author Aravind Adiga – this nomination is as much his as it is mine. Thank you all for helping me tell a story about an oppressed man who will do anything to be free." –Ramin Bahrani, who was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay

"What a dream come true for Over the Moon to be recognized by the Academy today! We share this incredible honor with our entire cast and crew, who came together during this highly unusual time, to create something truly beautiful. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to share Fei Fei's extraordinary journey of love, loss and healing with the world. We are also forever indebted to our screenwriter and friend, the late Audrey Wells, for entrusting us with this most precious love letter to her daughter. We hope our film moves and inspires those who may be trying to find their own way, and helps to make our world feel a little smaller and more connected. On behalf of the entire Over the Moon family, a huge thank you to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for this recognition!" –Glen Keane, who was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film