John Williams Achieves Historic 53rd Oscar Nomination at 90 Years Old
Legendary composer John Williams has made history by becoming the oldest person to be nominated for an Academy Award.[0] At 90 years old, Williams has achieved his 53rd nomination for his work on ‘The Fabelmans’. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 89, held by costume designer Ann Roth, screenwriter James Ivory, and French director Agnès Varda.
The Fabelmans, a semi-autobiographical feature directed by Steven Spielberg, earned seven Oscar nominations in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Judd Hirsch, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Leading Actress for Michelle Williams.[1]
The esteemed composer has earned an astonishing 48 Best Score nominations, making him second only to the late Walt Disney, who holds the records for most wins (22) and most nominations (59) for an individual in Academy Awards history. Although he has yet to take home the coveted award, Williams has been nominated for Best Actress on five occasions, starting with her role in Brokeback Mountain in 2005.[2] She was nominated back-to-back in 2010 and 2011 for Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn, respectively, and received critical acclaim for her work in Manchester by the Sea in 2016.[3]
Following the announcement of her fifth nomination, Williams’ former Dawson’s Creek costars Busy Philipps and Joshua Jackson shared congratulatory messages on social media.[4] Philipps shared a throwback photo of Williams in her adolescence and wrote, “’And a BEAUTIFUL family. And be surrounded by love. (And GORGEOUS CLOTHES),” the Cougar Town alum, 43, wrote via Instagram alongside a throwback photo of Williams, 42, on Tuesday, January 24.[3] To be honest, that is probably what I said to her. I love you very much, MW.[5]
Williams expressed his appreciation for the Academy’s nomination, stating, “I am extremely thankful to them for this honor. Furthermore, I am deeply grateful to Steven Spielberg for giving me the chance to create the music for this highly meaningful and personal movie.”[6]
John Williams’ record-breaking nomination is a testament to a lifetime of dedication and hard work. We can only hope to see him take home the award this year.
0. “John Williams makes history as oldest person to be nominated for an Academy Award” Classic FM, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/john-williams-oldest-oscar-nominee-fabelmans
1. “Joshua Jackson Celebrates Michelle Williams’ Oscar Nomination With Dawson’s Creek Throwback” Yahoo! Voices, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/now/joshua-jackson-celebrates-michelle-williams-215516684.html
2. “Busy Philipps and Joshua Jackson Gush Over Former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Costar Michelle Williams After 5th Oscar Nomination” Us Weekly, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/busy-philipps-joshua-jackson-react-to-michelle-williams-oscar-noms/
3. “Busy Philipps Shares Teenage Photo of Michelle Williams After She Received Her 5th Oscar Nomination” Henry Herald, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.henryherald.com/arena/busy-philipps-shares-teenage-photo-of-michelle-williams-after-she-received-her-5th-oscar-nomination/article_d6f3299b-77cf-5855-a6c9-63ab3eff5965.html
4. “Joshua Jackson & Busy Philipps Celebrate Michelle Williams Receiving Her 5th Oscar Nomination” Just Jared, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.justjared.com/2023/01/25/joshua-jackson-busy-philipps-celebrate-michelle-williams-receiving-her-5th-oscar-nomination
5. “Busy Philipps Congratulates Pal Michelle Williams on 5th Oscar Nomination: ‘Proud of You Forever'” PEOPLE, 24 Jan. 2023, https://people.com/movies/busy-philipps-proud-of-michelle-williams-oscar-nomination/
6. “John Williams Beats His Own Record as Most Oscar Nominated Living Person” MovieWeb, 24 Jan. 2023, https://movieweb.com/john-williams-beats-his-own-record/
