Angela Bassett's Oscar nomination for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever finally breaks an MCU trend, but will she win the award for Best ing Actress? Since its inception in 2008, the MCU has changed the landscape of modern franchises and has had plenty of accolades awarded to its many films. The first Black Panther in 2018 saw Marvel Studios break new ground in receiving Oscar recognition in the main categories often reserved for each year's Academy frontrunners. It received seven nominations in total, including Best Picture, and won three (Original Score, Production Design, and Costume Design).
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hasn't quite hit those same heights with the Oscars 2023 nominations. The sequel pulled in a total of five nominations, and there was no repeat of the first movie's Best Picture nod. However, one area where it did succeed was in Best ing Actress, with a big nomination for Angela Bassett's performance as Queen Ramonda. It's not only well-deserved, but has been a long time coming for the MCU.
Angela Bassett Has The MCU's First Acting Oscar Nomination
Prior to the Oscars 2023 nominations, no MCU film had received an Academy Award nomination for acting, meaning Angela Bassett breaks a trend dating back to Endgame also has an unwanted Oscars record, as the only movie to hold the highest grossing ever title and not win anything.) DC has actually fared better when it comes to acting Oscars, with Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) and Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) winning for their performances as the Joker.
Bassett could start to pull things back, and has good form in awards season after being among the Golden Globes 2023 winners, picking up the Best ing Actress prize. That was the first time an MCU actor/actress has been recognized for their performance by a major awarding body. Bassett beat out very strong competition from the likes of Kelly Condon (Banshees of Inisherin), Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness), and Carey Mulligan (She Said) for the award, and now her Oscar nomination continues that form.
Will Angela Bassett Win The Oscar For Best ing Actress?
It is no question Bassett deserved her Oscars nomination, and she has a real chance of winning too. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's cast was stacked with fantastic performances, but none reached the same raw level of emotion as Bassett's. From her commanding opening scene in front of the United Nations to what has become an iconic scene in the Wakandan throne room after Shuri's departure to the underwater city of Talokan, Bassett delivered some of the most emotionally stirring monologues in a film brimming with moving aspects, which should play well with Oscars voters.
Bassett's Golden Globes win is also a great sign for her and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Oscars chances. Although the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards don't always align, five of the last six Best ing Actress award winners at the former have gone on to take the same prize at the latter. Bassett also won the Critics Choice Award for Best ing Actress, and has been nominated for the same at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, with both often aligning with the Oscars. With a lot of form and clear popularity, then Bassett doesn't just have the MCU's first acting Oscar nomination, but looks a good bet to win it as well.
