Check Out This Year's First-Time Oscar Nominees

Updated on 1/25/2018 at 12:10 PM

The nominations for the 90th Academy Awards were announced on Jan. 23, with The Shape of Water leading all nominees with 13, which is one shy of the record held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. World War II drama Dunkirk came in second in the nomination tally with eight, followed by Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri with seven.

As for first-time nominees, there are more than a dozen well-known artists who have never heard their names called on Oscar morning. The best supporting actress category is particularly stacked, with four of the five being first-time nominees (Octavia Spencer is the fifth; she has two previous nominations and one win to her name).

There was also a lot of love thrown Get Out's way, which is nice to see. Jordan Peele is just the fifth African-American nominated for best director and the fourth nominated for best original screenplay. Likewise, Greta Gerwig, who was shut out of a directing nomination from the Golden Globes, is just the fifth woman nominated for best director.

Here are some of the big first-time nominees for the 2018 Academy Awards!

Mary J. Blige

Nomination: Best supporting actress and best original song, "Mighty River," from Mudbound

This R&B singer has won five Grammys in her career, but these are her first Oscar nominations. And she wasn't only nominated for the original song she wrote and performed for Mudbound; she also snagged an acting nomination.

Timothée Chalamet

Nomination: Best actor, Call Me by Your Name

This 22-year-old actor burst onto the scene this past year with Call Me by Your Name and a role in Lady Bird. Previously, his biggest credits were recurring roles on Royal Pains and Homeland.

Greta Gerwig

Nomination: best director and best original screenplay, Lady Bird

Gerwig's nominations aren't a huge surprise because Lady Bird is an excellent movie, but she was snubbed from earning a directing nod from the Golden Globes, so it's nice to see the Academy honoring her work.

Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani

Nomination: Best original screenplay, The Big Sick

This husband-and-wife team penned The Big Sick based on their real-life experience of Nanjiani navigating their interracial relationship within their respective families when Gordon fell ill with adult-onset Still's disease and was put into a medically induced coma.

Allison Janney

Nomination: Best supporting actress, I, Tonya

Janney is no stranger to winning awards — she has collected six Emmys for her work on The West Wing and Mom. But this is her first Oscar nomination (and likely first win; she's generally considered the front runner).

Daniel Kaluuya

Nomination: Best actor, Get Out

This British actor has a ton of credits from across the pond, but it is his performance in Get Out that put him on the map in the US. He's been receiving award nominations all over the place for the social-commentary horror movie.

Lesley Manville

Nomination: Best supporting actress, Phantom Thread

Manville has received several nominations over the years for a BAFTA (the British equivalent to an Oscar), but this is the first time her work has been recognized by the Academy.

Laurie Metcalf

Nomination: Best supporting actress, Lady Bird

Like fellow supporting actress nominee Janney, Metcalf has won several Emmys (for her work on Roseanne), but this is her first Academy Award nomination.

Jordan Peele

Nomination: Best director and best original screenplay, Get Out

In just a few short years, Peele has gone from TV funnyman (MadTV, Key & Peele) to receiving two Oscar nominations. Not too shabby.

Margot Robbie

Nomination: Best actress, I, Tonya

This actress gained attention for the 2014 film The Wolf of Wall Street, but it's her turn as figure skater Tonya Harding that has really made the critics sit up and take notice.

Sam Rockwell

Nomination: Best supporting actor, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Despite turning in several critically acclaimed performances over the years (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Moon, Conviction), this is Rockwell's first Oscar nomination and, like Janney, also his likely first win, as he has already taken home both the Golden Globe and the SAG Award for his role as Officer Jason Dixon in Three Billboards.

Sufjan Stevens

Nomination: Best original song, "Mystery of Love," from Call Me by Your Name

This singer-songwriter has mostly had his songs confined to radio airplay, but he wrote three songs for Call Me by Your Name, with breakout "Mystery of Love" earning him his first major award nomination of any kind.