If I Had an Oscars Ballot 2024: American Fiction, Origin, Spider-Verse

Awards Circuit Column: It’s decision time.

More from Variety

• Jeffrey Wright on 'Waiting Patiently' for 'Batman 2' Script and Tearing Up Over His Son's Reaction to 'American Fiction'

• 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' Wraps Up Top Feature Prize at 51st Annie Awards

• 'American Fiction' Oscar Nominee Jeffrey Wright Admits He Once Slept Through His 'Angels in America' Entrance

After months of campaigning, festivalgoing, splashy premieres, magazine profiles and morning-show appearances, Academy voters will finally get their ballots this week (Thursday, Jan. 11). Hopefully, the organization’s nearly 10,000 members did their homework and watched as many of 2023’s offerings as possible.

It’s hard to distill an entire year of cinema — particularly one overflowing with so much great work — into a mere five (or, in the case of best picture, 10) achievements. I love many of the films that the Academy will almost certainly nominate for top prizes, such as Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” And who could resist the phenomenon of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” forever linked in pop culture history as “Barbenheimer.”

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.

But for me, nothing can beat Cord Jefferson’s audacious debut, “American Fiction,” which boasted sharp writing, an invigorating ensemble and smart social satire. Jefferson is the real deal, a filmmaker whose boundless future I cannot wait to watch unfold. I can only hope the Academy recognizes his brilliance.

Then there’s Ava DuVernay’s emotionally stirring “Origin,” which ranks as the finest directorial achievement of her career. If I controlled the Oscars, DuVernay would be running away with the directing prize, alongside her lead actress, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

As for lead actor, there’s an embarrassment of riches, topped by Colman Domingo’s searing work as civil rights leader Bayard Rustin in “Rustin.” While studios campaign for their stars in specific categories, Oscar voters can make their own decisions about which roles qualify as leading ones and which are supporting. For me, “BlackBerry’s” Glenn Howerton and the “May December” duo of Charles Melton and Julianne Moore feel better suited for lead recognition than for the supporting categories in which they are likely to appear if they score a nod. At the same time, Lily Gladstone, unforgettable in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Laurie Metcalf, under-heralded for “Somewhere in Queens,” seem better fits for supporting salutes.

John Magaro’s heartbreaking and understated turn in Celine Song’s “Past Lives” has been unjustly ignored this season, despite the film being a sure-fire best picture contender. A supporting actor lineup without the journeyman actor just feels wrong.

Here’s what my Oscar ballot would look like if I were a voter.

The full list is below.

Best Picture

1. “American Fiction” (MGM)
   Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair

2. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)
   Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Christina Steinberg

3. “Origin” (Neon)
   Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes

4. “Monster” (Well Go USA)
   Megumi Banse, Minami Ichikawa, Taichi Itô, Ryo Ota, Hijiri Taguchi, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Hajime Ushioda, Kenji Yamada, Tatsumi Yoda

5. “Robot Dreams” (Neon)
   Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Díaz, Angel Durández

6. “American Symphony” (Netflix)
   Matthew Heineman (director, producer), Lauren Domino, Joedan Okun

7. “The Zone of Interest” (A24)
   Ewa Puszczynska, James Wilson

8. “The Iron Claw” (A24)
   Sean Durkin, Juliette Howell, Angus Lamont, Tessa Ross

9. “Past Lives” (A24)
   David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon

10. “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids)
    Toshio Suzuki

Winner: “American Fiction”

Runner Up: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios); “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon); “Beyond Utopia” (Roadside Attractions); “BlackBerry” (IFC Films); “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures); “The Holdovers” (Focus Features); “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures); “May December” (Netflix); “Memory” (Ketchup Entertainment); “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures); “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)

Director

• Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson – “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)

• Ava DuVernay – “Origin” (Neon)

• Cord Jefferson – “American Fiction” (MGM)

• Hirokazu Kore-eda – “Monster” (Well-Go USA)

• Celine Song – “Past Lives” (A24)

Winner: Ava DuVernay, “Origin”

Runner Up: Cord Jefferson, “American Fiction”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Sean Durkin — “The Iron Claw” (A24); Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest” (A24); Matthew Heineman, “American Symphony” (Netflix); Hayao Miyazaki, “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids); Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures)

Actor

• Colman Domingo – “Rustin” (Netflix)

• Glenn Howerton — “BlackBerry” (IFC Films)

• Charles Melton – “May December” (Netflix)

• Andrew Scott – “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures)

• Jeffrey Wright – “American Fiction” (MGM)

Winner: Colman Domingo, “Rustin”

Runner Up: Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Bradley Cooper, “Maestro” (Netflix); Michael Fassbender, “The Killer” (Netflix); Jamie Foxx, “The Burial” (Amazon MGM Studios); Jesse Garcia, “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures); Soya Kurokawa, “Monster” (Well Go USA); Tee Yoo, “Past Lives” (A24)

Actress

• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor – “Origin” (Neon)

• Greta Lee – “Past Lives” (A24)

• Julianne Moore – “May December” (Netflix)

• Teyana Taylor – “A Thousand and One” (Focus Features)

• Emma Stone – “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)

Winner: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, “Origin”

Runner Up: Emma Stone, “Poor Things”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Jessica Chastain, “Memory” (Ketchup Entertainment); Abby Ryder Fortson, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate); Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon); Trace Lysette, “Monica” (IFC Films); Natalie Portman, “May December” (Netflix);

Supporting Actor

• Jamie Bell – “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures)

• Sterling K. Brown – “American Fiction” (MGM)

• Ryan Gosling – “Barbie” (Warner Bros.)

• Milo Machado Graner – “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon)

• John Magaro – “Past Lives” (A24)

Winner: John Magaro, “Past Lives”

Runner Up: Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Robert DeNiro, “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures); Holt McCallany, “The Iron Claw” (A24); Chris Messina, “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios); Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures); Peter Sarsgaard, “Memory” (Ketchup Entertainment)

Supporting Actress

• Danielle Brooks – “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.)

• Lily Gladstone – “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures)

• Audra McDonald — “Origin” (Neon)

• Laurie Metcalf – “Somewhere in Queens” (Roadside Attractions)

• Da’Vine Joy Randolph – “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Winner: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Runner Up: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Erika Alexander, “American Fiction” (MGM); America Ferrera, “Barbie” (Warner Bros.); Annie Gonzalez, “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures); Sandra Huller, “The Zone of Interest” (A24); Carey Mulligan, “Maestro” (Netflix)

Original Screenplay

• “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon) — Justine Triet, Arthur Harari

• “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids/Toho) — Hayao Miyazaki

• “Memory” (Ketchup Entertainment) — Michel Franco

• “Monster” (Well Go USA) — Yuji Sakamoto

• “Past Lives” (A24) — Celine Song

Winner: “Monster”

Runner Up: “Anatomy of a Fall”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios); “The Holdovers” (Focus Features); “The Iron Claw” (A24); “May December” (Netflix); “Somewhere in Queens” (Roadside Attractions)

Adapted Screenplay

• “American Fiction” (MGM) — Cord Jefferson (based on “Erasure” by Percival Everett)

• “Dumb Money” (Sony Pictures) — Rebecca Angelo, Lauren Schuker Blum (based on the book by Ben Mezrich)

• “Origin” (Neon) — Ava DuVernay (based on “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson)

• “Robot Dreams” (Neon) — Pablo Berger (based on “Robot Dreams” by Sara Varon)

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Dave Callaham (based on the character created by Marvel Comics)

Winner: “American Fiction”

Runner Up: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate); “Barbie” (Warner Bros.); “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studios); “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures); “The Zone of Interest” (A24)

Animated Feature

• “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids) — Hayao Miyazaki (director), Toshio Suzuki (producer)

• “Elemental” (Pixar) — Peter Sohn (director), Denise Ream (producer)

• “Robot Dreams” (Neon) — Pablo Berger (director, producer), Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Díaz, Angel Durández (producers)

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson (directors), Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Christina Steinberg (producers)

• “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Paramount Pictures) — Jeff Rowe (director), Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kevin Eastman (producers)

Winner: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Runner Up: “The Boy and the Heron”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Migration” (Illumination); “Nimona” (Netflix); “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Illumination/Universal Pictures); “Trolls Band Together” (DreamWorks Animation); “Wish” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Production Design

• “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jack Fisk (production designer), Adam Willis (set decorator)

• “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Shona Heath, James Price (production designer), Szusza Mihalek (set decorator)

• “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Suzie Davies (production designer), Charlotte Dirickx (set decorator)

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Patrick O’Keefe (production designer)

• “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studio) — Toma Baqueni (production designer)

Winner: “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Runner Up: “Poor Things”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Barbie” (Warner Bros.); “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures); “Elemental” (Pixar); “Maestro” (Netflix); “The Zone of Interest” (A24)

Cinematography

• “All of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures) — Jamie D. Ramsay

• “Ferrari” (Neon) — Erik Messerschmidt

• “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Hoyte van Hoytema

• “Past Lives” (A24) — Shabier Kirchner

• “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Linus Sandgren

Winner: “Saltburn”

Runner Up: “Oppenheimer”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Dream Scenario” (A24); “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures); “Origin” (Neon); “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studios); “The Zone of Interest” (A24)

Costume Design

• “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.) — Mayes Rubeo

• “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures) — Jacqueline West

• “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Ellen Mirojnick

• “Origin” (Neon) — Dominique Dawson

• “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studios) — Nu Yên-Khê Tran

Winner: “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Runner Up: “The Taste of Things”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate); “Barbie” (Warner Bros.); “Cassandro” (Amazon MGM Studios); “Chevalier” (Searchlight Pictures); “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.)

Film Editing

• “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — William Goldenberg

• “Beyond Utopia” (Roadside Attractions) — Madeleine Gavin

• “BlackBerry” (IFC Films) — Curt Lobb

• “The Iron Claw” (A24) — Matthew Hannam

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Michael Andrews

Winner: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Runner Up: “The Iron Claw”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “American Fiction” (MGM); “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon); “May December” (Netflix); “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures); “Origin” (Neon)

Makeup and Hairstyling

• “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Luisa Abel, Carla Joi Farmer

• “BlackBerry” (IFC Films) — Dylan Twigg, Ashley Vieira

• “The Iron Claw” (A24) — Natalie Shea Rose, Elle Favorule

• “Maestro” (Netflix) — Kazu Hiro, Sian Grigg, Kay Georgiou, Lori McCoy-Bell

• “Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures) — Nadia Stacey, Mark Couler, Josh Weston

Winner: “Maestro”

Runner Up: “Poor Things”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.); “Dream Scenario” (A24); “Ferrari” (Neon); “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures); “May December” (Netflix)

Sound

• “Maestro” (Netflix) — Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Steve Morrow

• “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) — Richard King (sound designer, supervising sound editor), Gary A. Rizzo (re-recording mixer), Kevin O’Connell (re-recording mixer), Willie Burton (production sound mixer)

• “Robot Dreams” (Neon) — Steven Ghouti, Fabiola Ordoyo, Laia Picón

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Michael Semanick, Juan Peralta, Geoffrey G. Rubay

• “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — Johnnie Burn (supervising sound editor, re-recording mixer), Tarn Willers (production sound mixer)

Winner: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Runner Up: “Oppenheimer”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “American Symphony” (Netflix); “Ferrari” (Neon); “The Killer” (Netflix); “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Apple Original Films); “They Shot the Piano Player” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Visual Effects

• “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.) — David Hodgins, Kelvin McIlwain, Ivan Moran, Martin Pelletier, Oliver Schulz

• “Cocaine Bear” (Universal Pictures) — Matt Greig, Robin Hollander, Edson Williams

• “Elemental” (Pixar) — Sanjay Bakshi, Stephen Marshall, Jon Reisch, Junyi Ling

• “M3gan” (Universal Pictures) — Jonathan Dearing, Rhys Dippie, Damon Duncan, Chris Elson

• “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — Michael Lasker, Alan Hawkins, Bret St. Clair, Pav Grochola

Winner: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Runner Up: “Elemental”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “The Creator” (20th Century Studios); “The Marvels” (Marvel Studios); “Nimona” (Netflix); “Society of the Snow” (Netflix); “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Paramount Pictures)

Original Score

• Laura Karpman — “American Fiction” (MGM)

• Ludwig Göransson — “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures)

• Kris Bowers — “Origin” (Neon)

• Anthony Willis— “Saltburn” (Amazon MGM Studios)

• Daniel Pemberton — “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures)

Winner: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”

Runner Up: “Oppenheimer”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Joe Hisaishi — “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids); Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen — “Past Lives” (A24); Michael Giacchino — “Society of the Snow” (Netflix); Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross — “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” (Paramount Pictures); Mica Levi — “The Zone of Interest” (A24)

Original Song

• “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — “I’m Just Ken” by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

• “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.) – “Workin’” by Blitz Bazawule and Nick Baxter

• “The Iron Claw” (A24) — “Live That Way Forever” by Laurel Sprengelmeyer and Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream

• “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (Illumination) — “Peaches” by Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, and John Spiker

• “Wish” (Walt Disney Pictures) — “Knowing What I Know Now” by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice

Winner: “Barbie” – “I’m Just Ken”

Runner Up: “The Iron Claw” – “Live That Way Forever”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Barbie” (Warner Bros.) — “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas; “Dicks: The Musical” (A24) — “All Love is Love” by Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp; “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures) — “Am I Dreaming” by Leland Wayne, Rakim Mayers, Michael Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Landon Wayne; “Theater Camp” (Searchlight Pictures) — “Camp Isn’t Home” by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Ben Platt and Mark Sonnenblick; “Trolls Band Together” (DreamWorks Animation) — “Better Place” by Justin Timberlake, Karl Schuster, Amy Allen

Documentary Feature

• “American Symphony” (Netflix) — Matthew Heineman (director, producer), Lauren Domino, Joedan Okun (producers)

• “Beyond Utopia” (Roadside Attractions) — Madeleine Gavin (director), Rachel Cohen, Jana Edelbaum, Sue Mi Terry (producers)

• “Every Body” (Focus Features) — Julie Cohen (director), Tommy Nguyen, Molly O’Brien (producers)

• “Little Richard: I Am Everything” (Magnolia Pictures) — Lisa Cortés (director, producer), Robert Friedman, Liz Yale Marsh, Caryn Capotosto, Mike Powers, Gus Wenner, Jason Fine

• “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Apple Original Films) — Davis Guggenheim (director, producer), Jonathan King, Annetta Marion (producers)

Winner: “American Symphony”

Runner Up: “Beyond Utopia”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “20 Days in Mariupol” (Magnolia Pictures); “Apolonia, Apolonia” (CAT & Docs); “Four Daughters” (Kino Lorber); “It Ain’t Over” (Sony Pictures Classics); “They Shot the Piano Player” (Sony Pictures Classics)

International Feature

International Feature

• “The Boy and the Heron” (GKids) — Japan

• “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World” (Mubi) — Romania

• “Monster” (Well-Go USA) — Japan

• “The Taste of Things” (IFC Films/Sapan Studios) — France

• “The Zone of Interest” (A24) — United Kingdom

Winner: “Monster”

Runner Up: “The Zone of Interest”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Anatomy of a Fall” (France); “Four Daughters” (Tunisia); “Io Capitano” (Italy); “The Teachers’ Lounge” (Germany); “Tótem” (Mexico)

Casting, Stunts and Shorts

Casting **

• “Air” (Amazon MGM Studios) — Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Mary Vernieu

• “American Fiction” (MGM) — Jennifer Euston

• “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (Lionsgate) — Melissa Kostenbauder

• “Flamin’ Hot” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures) — Carla Hool

• “The Iron Claw” (A24) — Susan Shopmaker

Winner: “The Iron Claw”

Runner Up: “Air”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Anatomy of a Fall” (Neon); “Barbie” (Warner Bros.); “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures); “Origin” (Neon); “The Zone of Interest” (A24)

Stunts **

• “Blue Beetle” (Warner Bros.)

• “The Color Purple” (Warner Bros.)

• “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Lionsgate)

• “The Marvels” (Marvel Studios)

• “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (Paramount Pictures)

Winner: “John Wick: Chapter 4”

Runner Up: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Cocaine Bear” (Universal Pictures); “The Creator” (20th Century Studios); “Ferrari” (Neon); “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (Marvel Studios); “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (Walt Disney Pictures)

** These categories should be added to the Oscars for recognition.

Animated Short

• “Once Upon a Studio” (Walt Disney Pictures)

• “Pete” (The Criterion Channel)

• “The Smeds and The Smoos” (Les Films du Préau)

Winner: “Once Upon a Studio” (Walt Disney Pictures) 

Documentary Short

• “The Barber of Little Rock” (The New Yorker)

• “The Last Repair Shop” (Searchlight Pictures)

• “Relighting Candles: The Tim Sullivan Story” (TBA)

Winner: “The Last Repair Shop” (Searchlight Pictures)

Live Action Short

• “The After” (Netflix)

• “The Anne Frank Gift Shop” (Reboot Studios)

• “A Strange Way of Life” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Winner: “A Strange Way of Life” (Sony Pictures Classics) 

Best of Variety

• Oscars: Final Voting Opens for Five Days; What Surprising Winners Could be Lurking?

• SAG Awards Winner Predictions: 'Barbenheimer' Battle for Ensemble Prize, Lily Gladstone's Final Case for Best Actress Oscar

• Final BAFTA Predictions: Will Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' Break the Record Held by 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'?