The critically acclaimed Irish-born English filmmaker and actor Kenneth Branagh is likely adding a few new category nominations to his already extensive list of accolades in 2022 with Belfast, which would break an Oscars record for most category nominations. Branagh began his career as an actor back in the early 1980s, receiving small roles in films and television before breaking out as a director in 1989 with his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V, a role he also played himself. As he gained more notoriety, Brannagh continued to direct more prestigious features typically dealing with Shakespeare or period pieces (Academy favorites) while commonly also starring in his own films.
While better known for period pieces, Branagh has also broken out into larger pop culture directing and acting projects. He starred in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as Gilderoy Lockhart in 2002 and Christopher Nolan's Death on the Nile, which is expected to premiere in 2022. Before his next murder mystery film debuts, Branagh’s already critically-acclaimed directed film, Belfast, is set to premiere in November 2021.
Belfast is already making waves among the film festivals it’s been exclusively screened at in September, winning the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and being the most often screened film at Telluride. With such early acclaim for his empowering portrait of a young boy, it’s hard to believe this recognition won’t extend to the 2022 Oscars, where Branagh's new movie, with its Thor easter egg, could be nominated in two new categories. Branagh has already been nominated in 5 categories at the Academy Awards, though never won, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best ing Actor. If Branagh adds nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture to his list next year, which seems likely, he’ll break the Oscars record for most individual category nominations at a total of 7.
The current Oscars record for most category nominations is held by George Clooney, who has 6 nominations in the different categories of Best Director, Best Actor (3 nominations), Best Original Screenplay, Best ing Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. Even if Branagh tops Clooney for most individual category nominations, Clooney will still hold an edge by having more wins and total nominations. Although Kenneth Branagh's movies have been nominated in 5 categories, that’s also the total number of times he’s been nominated, and he sadly has never won the award. The last time Branagh was nominated for a film he directed and wrote was back in 1996 for his adaptation of Hamlet, so he’s had an Oscar dry spell outside of acting for the past 25 years.
After seeing an exciting lineup of films already premiered and the movies at the fall 2021 film festivals, several critics and professionals have already pointed to Branagh’s Belfast as a top choice to not just be nominated but actually win Best Picture. So far, his competition has been pointed at The Power of the Dog and Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie, Licorice Pizza and C’mon C’mon. With Kenneth Branagh already being a top choice to win the categories he only needs nominations for, it seems more than likely that he’ll be setting the Oscars category nomination record in 2022.
