The Best Actors Nominated For Oscars 2023

Seven weeks until the Oscars! On Tuesday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed their nominees. Many big names were expected, but there were also a few unexpected additions.

One of the biggest surprises was the number of first-time Oscar nominees for best actor. Five actors -- Brendan Fraser ("The Whale"), Austin Butler ("Elvis"), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Bill Nighy ("Living") and Paul Mescal ("Aftersun") are all first-time nominees.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is a two-time Oscar winner who has starred in some of cinema's classic films. Her roles as Elizabeth (1998) and Blue Jasmine (2013) received widespread critical acclaim, and she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004).

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, she attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. Her breakthrough role as Queen Elizabeth in 1998's Elizabeth earned her an Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination, BAFTA Award nomination, and Tony Award win for Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2007).

Her career has been marked by a constant presence, transcending genres and delving deep into human emotion. Recently, she earned praise for her role as Thor in Thor: Ragnarok, a dark fantasy film which follows the journeys of Norse god of thunder Thor as he strives to save Earth from itself.

She has also starred in comedies, such as Ocean's 8 with Sandra Bullock and The House with a Clock in Its Walls based on John Bellairs' 1973 novel. Additionally, she can be seen in Don't Look Up and Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley, both black comedies.

Blanchett not only acts, but she also produces and directs her own films. Together with husband Andrew Upton, she formed Dirty Films which produced several movies and television shows over the years; such as Mrs. America (2017) with Phyllis Schlafly; and Stateless (2017) which was inspired by Cornelia Rau's mandatory detention case.

Her latest film, Tar, is a character study about the life of an iconic conductor. She has earned critical acclaim for her powerful performance and Todd Field's exquisite script, which seamlessly transitions between genres while reveling in moral ambiguity.

The film has been nominated for multiple awards, including Best Actress and Original Screenplay. Ana de Armas for Blonde, Andrea Riseborough for To Leslie and Michelle Williams are up against her in The Fabelmans.

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh is a Hollywood stuntwoman who achieved success after appearing in several Hong Kong action films. Her most renowned role was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which proved both critically and commercially successful. Additionally, Michelle was nominated for Best Actress at the BAFTAs, Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes.

She had no formal training in martial arts, but her flexibility enabled her to perform the roles. She learned her moves on set and in the gym, with English, Malay, and Cantonese spoken fluently.

After a career in Hong Kong, she relocated to Los Angeles and achieved stardom with the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. Additionally, Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon remains one of the most beloved and critically acclaimed films of all time.

Her most recent film is the critically acclaimed science fiction adventure Everything Everywhere All at Once, which has been nominated for 11 Oscars this year. In it, Evelyn Wang (Yeoh) accidentally crosses over into another dimension and inhabits around 70 different versions of herself in a fascinating variety of what-might-have-beens from put-upon wife to action hero to glamorous star.

Yeoh's performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once was so remarkable that she earned herself the title of Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards - making history by becoming the first Asian actress ever to win such an honor. On the red carpet she donned a stunning Schiaparelli gown featuring bold detailing down the front. Her hair was styled into a "sculptural pony," and she finished off the look with Moussaieff high jewelry.

On March 12, 2023, Jimmy Kimmel will host the 95th Academy Awards from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and present nominees and presenters across various categories such as Best Actress, Supporting Actor and Best Director.

Competition in this category is fierce, with actresses from around the world competing for top honors. The favorites to win are likely to be lead actors from The Whale, The Fabelmans and Elvis; Brendan Fraser may win for his work in The Whale.

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett is an accomplished American actress renowned for her work in film, television and on stage. Her role in What's Love Got To Do With It earned her both an Emmy nomination and Golden Globe Award nomination; additionally she appeared in Malcolm X, The Jacksons: An American Dream and Notorious.

Bassett was born in New York City on August 16, 1958 and raised with her mother and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida. While attending Boca Ciega High School, she developed an interest in debate as well as student government work.

She then attended college, majoring in theatre and performance arts. After earning her degree, Bassett worked as an actor and dancer in New York and Los Angeles. Additionally, she continued acting professionally on television and film projects, portraying various roles.

Bassett is best known for her roles as civil rights activist Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X (1992) and singer Tina Turner in What's Love Got To Do With It?. Additionally, she starred in the biopic of Rosa Parks entitled The Rosa Parks Story.

Her other notable screen work includes Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. She played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Hamlet and served as a top-level presidential adviser in Contact.

Her most recent appearance on screen was in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she stars as Queen of Wakanda - an African nation hidden away. The movie earned several awards including an Oscar for Best Costume Design and a nomination for Rihanna's 'Lift Me Up' as Best Original Song.

At the 95th Academy Awards, Bassett donned a violet Moschino gown that showcased her age-defying figure and winning smile. Her look featured an effervescent neckline and sweeping trumpet silhouette which showcased her cleavage. To finish it off, she added a snake-shaped diamond-encrusted necklace for added effect.

Bassett remains nominated for Best Supporting Actress despite the passing of her costar, Chadwick Boseman. Her performance as Ramonda, Queen of Wakanda, pays a poignant tribute to both her late husband and co-star.

Judd Hirsch

Judd Hirsch is one of the most experienced actors in Hollywood. With decades under his belt, he's had a chance to showcase his gruff yet poignant style in a range of roles.

The 86-year old actor has starred in multiple television series and feature films. For his role as Taxi, he received an Emmy award nomination and a Golden Globe nod for Dear John.

He has earned a reputation for consistently producing quality performances, appearing in movies such as Independence Day, A Beautiful Mind and This Must Be the Place.

This year, he was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role as Timothy Hutton's psychiatrist in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans. This marks his first nomination since 1981 when Robert Redford nominated him for Ordinary People.

Even at 88 years, the veteran actor has yet to win an Academy Award. But he remains active in the industry and shows no signs of retiring anytime soon.

After ten years of acting in stage plays, he was recruited by Paramount Television to star in their comedy series Taxi as Alex Reiger - an elderly taxi driver who has lost custody of his child. For his role on the show, he earned both a Best Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

His other notable television roles include his roles on the sitcoms Dear John and George & Leo, where he collaborated with Bob Newhart. Additionally, he was a cast member of the short-lived police procedural Numb3rs.

The New York native was born in The Bronx borough of New York City, the son of Sally (nee Kitzis) and Joseph Sidney Hirsch. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School before attending City College of New York.

He began his career in television in the 1970s and featured on several popular shows during the 1980s. His most renowned performances were for Taxi, where he played a bitter taxi driver who lost custody of his child; Dear John; and George and Leo.