As previously reported by REVOLT, nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards were announced today (Jan. 24). The ceremony, also widely referred to as The Oscars, was designed in 1928 to celebrate achievements in the film industry. However, many are calling out the organization after The Woman King failed to receive recognition in any category.
The Woman King was released on Sept. 16, 2022 and sees Emmy Award-winning actress Viola Davis as the star of the film. In the movie, viewers are taken back to the 1800s and follow a fierce all-female colony of warriors called the Agojie who protect their African kingdom of Dahomey. Their skills, bravery and commitment are unparalleled by any tribe. The film takes from actual historical events as the Agojie existed as one of the few female tribes in modern times. Their reign lasted from the 17th century until the late 19th century. Despite raking in over $94 million at the box office, the Oscars did not deem the project worthy of any nominations.
“It honestly pains me that The Woman King got shut out in every category. I can forgive snubbing Viola Davis — she already has her Oscar gold, but they recreated the Kingdom of Dahomey circa 1820. It deserved Best Costume Design and Best Production Design at the very least,” one disappointed person tweeted. Last week, before the nominations, an admirer of the film shared their thoughts on Twitter: “The journey of IZOGIE [and] NAWI. Probably THEE highlight of The Woman King for me. Probably my favorite on-screen duo EVER as well. An inescapable story of mentorship, sisterhood [and] love, transmitted by the physical [and] emotional excellence of Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu. Agojié!” The post contained moving scenes from the film.
Following today’s announcement, another person wrote, “When The Woman King hits streaming, a lot of people are going to be confused about why it was completely shut out of the Academy Awards. Feels like a missed opportunity.” One nomination that stood out, in particular, was actress Ana de Armas being acknowledged for her role as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. “The Woman King didn’t get a single nom, but y’all nominating Blonde for [an] award?! Y’all so unserious!” a post read. Another mentioned a recurring theme when it comes to representation: “Danielle Deadwyler for Till and Viola Davis for The Woman King, both Black nominees who were front-runners all season, being snubbed in Best Actress, is diabolical. There are zero Black nominees in that category for a second year in [a] row.”
See more tweets on the discussion below.