In an interview with Vanity Fair, Jamie Lee Curtis described her reaction to earning her first-ever Academy Award nomination in January 2023 as "both weepy and giddy". These feelings were evident in her initial reaction which she posted on Instagram. The Halloween star has graced our screens for over four decades. There's no doubt that she is a veteran actress with a successful career. Yet, even after so many years in the industry, the announcement of her Oscar nomination did not fail to arouse deep emotions in her.
In Curtis's Instagram post, the actress included photos of her in pure elevation as her work in 2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once was recognized by the historic and prestigious Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. But Curtis is far from the only A-list celebrity who shared a genuine and downright raw reaction to finding out they'd been nominated...
8 How Michelle Yeoh Reacted To Getting Nominated For Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Crazy Rich Asians star, in an interview with Variety, described the diversities of emotions that flooded through her both before and after the announcements.
She was nominated for Best Lead Actress for her role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the Comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All At Once. She spoke of "screaming for joy upon hearing the announcements," and went on to say, "you never know you would want something like this so much until it's there, and you don't know whether you can actually grasp it."
7 How Brendan Fraser Reacted To His First-Ever Oscar Nomination
Like Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Fraser is not a stranger to the screens. Many remember him as Rick O'Connell in The Mummy franchise, as well as from a string of generation-defining movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is also loved for many other roles he has played over the years. Yet, many feel he vanished from the spotlight for many years.
According to his interview on The Howard Stern Show, Fraser has worked continuously, just not in projects that have gained notable traction. This is, with the exception of 2002's The Whale, which signaled his massive comeback and earned him his very first Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor.
His reaction to getting nominated is nothing short of touching. According to Variety, Fraser said that he was "absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to the Academy for their recognition." He went further to describe his nomination as "a gift that has profoundly changed his life."
6 Yuh-Jung Youn's Reaction To Being The First South-Korean Woman To Be Nominated For An Oscar
Emotional and tear-provoking reactions to Oscar nominations didn't just begin in 2023. In 2021, the then 73-year-old actress Yuh-Jung Youn became, according to Forbes, the first Korean actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Minari. Her reaction was a mix of surprise, appreciation, and a sense of duty.
In an interview with the New York Times, she said: "Me, a 73-year-old Asian woman could have never dreamed of being nominated for an Oscar. Minari brought me a lot of gifts." Describing the pressure that came with the nomination, she said, "it's very stressful. They think I'm a soccer player or an Olympian. That pressure is really hard on me."
5 How Meryl Streep Reacted To Her 21st Oscar Nomination
In 2018, Meryl Streep was nominated as Best Lead Actress for her role in The Post. US Weekly records it as her twenty-first Oscar nomination. Yet, even after so much recognition, the extremely talented actress had not become immune to the butterflies of excitement that come with an Oscar nomination.
Expressing her thoughts via a system to the Los Angeles Times, Streep said, "I am honored beyond measure by this nomination for a film that I love, a film that stands for press freedom and the inclusion of women's voices in history. Proud of the film, and for all the filmmakers, thank you from a full heart."
4 Emma Stone's Spicy Reaction To Her 1st Oscar Nomination
In 2015, Emma Stone was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Birdman. Her reaction was a mixture of excitement, a bit of personality, and a reflection of her fulfillment. The multiple-time Oscar nominee, like Meryl Streep, proved to us that the sensation that comes with Oscar nominations cannot be outgrown.
Being on "vocal rest" at the time, Stone expressed herself through a written statement shared on Twitter by HuffPost Entertainment, which reads: "Well this is surreal. I am completely knocked out. Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor. I am very proud to be a part of Birdman, and I can't believe it came to this. I am so f***ing excited. Are you allowed to say f*** when making a statement for the Oscars? I'm just really f***ing excited."
3 How Viggo Mortensen Reacted To His Oscar Nomination For Captain Fantastic
The Lord Of The Rings star was nominated for Best Lead Actor for his role in Captain Fantastic.
According to Entertainment, Mortensen described the experience as thrilling. He went on to say, "I'm extremely proud to represent [director] Matt Ross' extraordinary story. It is one of the finest collective efforts I've ever been a part of. YES WE CAN! I wish my mother who loved movies and taught me about them, was here to enjoy this moment."
2 Octavia Spencer’s Reaction To Her Nomination For The Shape Of Water
In 2018, Octavia Spencer earned her third Oscar nomination for her role in The Shape of Water. Her reaction was a poetic reflection of fulfillment and gratitude to everyone who was part of the project which earned her the nod from the Academy.
Awards Daily has it that she said, "My heart is bursting with pure elation for the cast and crew of The Shape Of Water. Guillermo has given us all a dream job and to be recognized by the Academy is so deeply moving. I am jumping for joy from Park City for all of the nominees this morning. Congratulations everyone."
1 Yalitzia Aparicio's Emotional Reaction To Her First Oscar Nomination
Yalitzia Aparicio was positively surprised when her name was announced as a nominee at the 91st Oscar awards. She was nominated for Best Lead Actress for her role in the movie Roma. As someone whose journey into acting was one of fate and providence rather than choice, and with Roma being her first work, it is no surprise the nomination almost knocked the air out of her nostrils. The then-25-year-old actress took to Twitter to share her elation. "I was extremely happy when I woke up very early today." She said. "I was not expecting to receive this news. Thank you Ale A. Gracia and @marielmmayorga for waking me up."
At the Award show, in a brief interview with NBC News, she expressed herself further with these deep reflective words. "I'm so proud. I'm showing off the diversity we have in Mexico. I'm representing this community that is extremely talented but sometimes, we don't notice them. I feel this responsibility because I feel the need to represent them in the right form that they deserve."
