Heading into Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards, Netflix took the lead among all studios and platforms with 19 nominations spread across 11 films, with Bradley Cooper’s Maestro garnering seven nominations. However, the streaming giant’s fortune turned sour, as it could only secure one win for the short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. 

Why did Lily Gladstone have strong reasons to win the Oscars?

Lily Gladstone’s nomination itself is a big deal in the history of the Academy. The actress became the first Native American woman to be nominated for an Oscar in this category, which was important to shine a spotlight on indigenous actors in Hollywood. Performance-wise, Gladstone’s nuanced portrayal of Mollie skillfully added depth to a narrative of endurance and defiance against systemic injustices.

She has been applauded for bringing out the character’s grit, vulnerability, and smarts in a way that connects with the audience. Many people also consider the Martin Scorsese movie to be Lily Gladstone’s big break into the mainstream scene, even though she has had her fair share of good roles in the past. However, this does not anyway undermine the performance of Emma Stone or any other contenders in the Best Actress category, since being on that honorable list itself is a huge achievement for anyone in the industry.