John Williams Becomes Oldest-Ever Oscar Nominee; Plus, More Wizarding World Alumni Nominated

by · January 25, 2023

If you’re like us, John Williams has made up the soundtrack of your life since hearing the first few notes of “Hedwig’s Theme.” The legendary composer, whose talents produced the scores for the first three Harry Potter films, is making news now for becoming the oldest nominee to ever compete for an Oscar.

 

 

Williams, 90, is no stranger to Oscar nominations, having now experienced the honor 53 times. The sizable total means that the composer currently holds more Oscar nominations than any other living person and has received the second-most nominations of any artist. He’s won in the Music (Original Score) category for his work on Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Schindler’s List.

This latest nomination comes for his work on The Fabelmans, which is the 31st film of Steven Spielberg’s that Williams has scored in his career. “I’m very grateful to the Academy for their kind recognition,” commented the composer, “and I’m enormously grateful to Steven Spielberg for offering me the opportunity to compose the score for this very special and personal film.”

Other Wizarding World alumni are getting a crack at an Oscar this season as well. Colin Farrell (Percival Graves) and Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour) have received nominations in the Actor in a Leading Role category for their work in The Banshees of Inisherin and Living, respectively. Brendan Gleeson (Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody), who also starred in The Banshees of Inisherin, earned a nomination in the Actor in a Supporting Role category. Le pupille scooped a nomination for the Short Film (Live Action) award. The film was produced by Alfonso Cuarón, who directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher.

 

 

Alumni projects made up a fair percentage of the list of nominees, with The Banshees of Inisherin getting the most attention in the form of nine nominations. Overall, it received two nominations in the Actor in a Supporting Role category, as well as one nomination each in the Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Supporting Role, Directing, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Best Picture, and Writing (Original Screenplay) categories.

The Fabelmans received quite a few nominations overall as well. Aside from the aforementioned nomination for Music (Original Score), the film is currently competing for awards in the Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress in a Leading Role, Directing, Best Picture, Production Design, and Writing (Original Screenplay) categories.

Living, which features Bill Nighy, is up for an award in the Writing (Adapted Screenplay) category, while Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, starring Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), is competing for an award for Costume Design. The Whale, in which fans might recognize Samantha Morton (Mary Lou Barebone), is nominated in the Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Supporting Role, and Makeup and Hairstyling categories.

Starring the winning combination of Colin Farrell, Zoë Kravitz (Leta Lestrange), and Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory), The Batman is a nominee in the Makeup and Hairstyling category as well. It also scored nominations for the Sound and Visual Effects awards. Unfortunately, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which was short-listed in the Visual Effects category, did not receive a nomination.

Finally, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, in which David Bradley (Argus Filch) voices Geppetto and Ron Perlman (Gnarlak) voices Podesta, is a nominee for the Animated Feature Film category. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows composer Alexandre Desplat composed its score.

The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12, 2023. The ceremony will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.