LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Dark Western “The Power of the Dog” led this year’s field of Academy Awards contenders on Tuesday with 12 nominations for the Netflix Inc film, outpacing the 10 nods for sci-fi epic “Dune” in the hunt for the industry’s highest honors.
Both will compete in the Oscars’ 94th edition for the prestigious best picture trophy against “Belfast,” Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical story of a family living amid sectarian conflict in late 1960s Northern Ireland, and Steven Spielberg’s remake of classic musical “West Side Story.” Those films earned seven nominations each.
The strong showing for “Power of the Dog” — with four acting nominations — provided Netflix with another chance to win best picture, an accolade that has never been awarded to a streaming service.
Netflix earned 27 nominations overall. Apple TV+ also scored a best picture nod for “CODA,” the story of a hearing woman in a deaf family. “Being the Ricardos,” on Amazon.com Inc’s Prime Video, received three acting nominations.
“Every year we talk about how the streamers are getting more and more powerful when it comes to the Oscars,” said Marc Malkin, senior culture and events editor at Variety. “This year really proves it.”
Japanese-language drama “Drive My Car,” about a widowed theater actor, earned a surprise slot in the best picture category.
Other best picture contenders included “King Richard,” about the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams; coming-of-age tale “Licorice Pizza,” thriller “Nightmare Alley” and “Don’t Look Up,” a darkly comic allegory about climate change.
Jane Campion became the first woman nominated twice for best director with her nod for “Power of the Dog.” She was a contender for her 1993 film “The Piano,” but lost out that year to Spielberg, who won for “Schindler’s List.” Only two women, Kathryn Bigelow and Chloe Zhao, have taken home the directing honor.
“Power of the Dog” received nominations for stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kodi Smit-McPhee and real-life couple Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons. The movie, based on a 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, tells the story of a charismatic and domineering Montana rancher in the 1920s.
Most of the nominations for “Dune,” from AT&T Inc’s Warner Bros. studio, came in technical categories such as visual effects and production design. The movie was based on Frank Herbert’s classic, best-selling 1965 novel, which spawned a series of sequels and a 1984 film that was panned by critics.
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem were nominated for playing TV comedy couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in “Being the Ricardos.”
Bardem said he was thrilled by his nomination but waited to react until he learned that his wife, Penelope Cruz, also received a nod for “Parallel Mothers.”
“The fact that this happened at the same time is magical and that her nomination is for a Spanish-speaking role is truly extraordinary,” Bardem told reporters in Madrid.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences added more women and people of color to its ranks after the #OscarsSoWhite uproars of 2015 and 2016, and have increased membership from outside the United States.
Black nominees this year included Will Smith for the title role in “King Richard,” Aunjanue Ellis as his wife, and Denzel Washington for “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
Kristen Stewart received her first Oscar nomination, for her portrayal of Princess Diana in “Spencer.” Competitors include Olivia Colman in “The Lost Daughter.”
Voters passed over Lady Gaga’s widely praised role in “House of Gucci,” about the drama behind the famed fashion family.
Winners will be revealed at a ceremony that will be broadcast live on ABC on March 27.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine;Additional reporting by Gabriella Borter, Rollo Ross, Nathan Allen and Corina Pons; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Jonathan Oatis)
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