Actors Riz Ahmed, Allison Williams announce Academy Award nominees

Riz Ahmed, who won the 2021 Best Actor Oscar, announced this year's nominees. (AFP)
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Updated 24 January 2023
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Actors Riz Ahmed, Allison Williams announce Academy Award nominees

NEW YORK: The multiverse-skipping sci-fi indie hit “Everything Everywhere All at Once” led nominations to the 95th Academy Awards as Hollywood heaped honors on big-screen spectacles like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” a year after a streaming service won best picture for the first time.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Nominations were announced Tuesday from the academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, by Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed, a British-Muslim actor who won the 2021 Best Actor Oscar.

Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” landed a leading 11 nominations on Tuesday, including nods for Michelle Yeoh and comeback kid Ke Huy Quan.

The 10 movies up for best picture are: “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “The Fabelmans,” “Tár,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elvis,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Women Talking” and “Triangle of Sadness.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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If last year’s Oscars were dominated by streaming — Apple TV+’s “CODA” won best picture and Netflix landed a leading 27 nominations — movies that drew moviegoers to multiplexes after two years of pandemic make up many of this year’s top contenders.

The nominees for best actress are: Ana de Armas, “Blonde”; Cate Blanchett, “Tár”; Andrea Riseborough, “To Leslie”; Michelle Williams, “The Fabelmans”; Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

The nominees for best actor: Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”; Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Austin Butler, “Elvis”; Bill Nighy, “Living”; Paul Mescal, “Aftersun”

The nominees for best supporting actress are: Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”; Hong Chau, “The Whale”; Kerry Condon, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Jamie Lee Curtis, ““Everything Everywhere All at Once”; Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

The nominees for best supporting actor are: Brian Tyree Henry, “Causeway”; Judd Hirsch, “The Fabelmans”; Brendan Gleeson, “Banshees on Inisherin”; Barry Keoghan, “Banshees of Inisherin”; Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

The nominees for international film are: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany); “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); “Close” (Belgium); “EO” (Poland); “The Quiet Girl” (Ireland).

The nominees for original screenplay are: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; “The Banshees of Inisherin”; “The Fabelmans”; “Tár”; “Triangle of Sadness.”

The nominees for best original score are: Volker Bertelmann, “All Quiet on the Western Front”; Justin Hurwitz, “Babylon”; Carter Burwell, “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Son Lux, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”; John Williams, “The Fabelmans.”

The nominees for best animated film are: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”; “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On”; “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”; “The Sea Beast”; “Turning Red.”

If last year's Oscars were dominated by streaming — Apple TV+'s “CODA” won best picture and Netflix landed 27 nominations — movies that drew moviegoers to multiplexes make up many of this year's top contenders.

Steven Spielberg's “The Fabelmans” struggled to catch on with audiences, but the director's autobiographical coming-of-age tale is set to land Spielberg his 20th Oscar nomination and eighth nod for best-director. John Williams, his longtime composer, extended his record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person. Another nod for best score will give Williams his 53rd nomination, a number that trails only Walt Disney's 59.

Last year's broadcast drew 15.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen, up 56% from the record-low audience of 10.5 million for the pandemic-marred 2021 telecast. This year, ABC is bringing back Jimmy Kimmel to host the March 12 ceremony, one that will surely be seen as a return to the site of the slap.

But larger concerns are swirling around the movie business. Last year saw flashes of triumphant resurrection for theaters, like the success of “Top Gun: Maverick,” after two years of pandemic. But partially due to a less steady stream of major releases, ticket sales for the year recovered only about 70% of pre-pandemic business. Regal Cinemas, the nation's second-largest chain, announced the closure of 39 cinemas this month.

At the same time, storm clouds swept into the streaming world after years of once-seemingly boundless growth. Stocks plunged as Wall Street looked to streaming services to earn profits, not just add subscribers. A retrenchment has followed, as the industry again enters an uncertain chapter.

In stark contrast to last year's Academy Awards, this year may see no streaming titles vying for the Oscars' most sought-after award — though the last spots in the 10-movie best-picture field remain up for grabs. Netflix's best shots instead are coming in other categories, notably with animated film favorite “Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio” and the German submission, “All Quiet on the Western Front.”


Saudi Cup 2026: Fashion stars spend a day at the races

Updated 13 February 2026
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Saudi Cup 2026: Fashion stars spend a day at the races

RIYADH: Fashion-forward attendees pulled out all the stops at the Saudi Cup 2026, held from Feb. 13-14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. 

Cultures from across the world were represented at the races, while Saudi attire also hailed from across the Kingdom.

“I want to reflect on our culture,” one guest told Arab News. “So I’m wearing Najdi (fashion) in lavender color and holding lavender flowers,” she added, referring to the lavender flowers that are abundant in some areas of the Kingdom in spring.

Overall, the women came out in front. For every male guest dressed in a lavender or burgundy thobe, there were multiple women donning traditional clothing in all shapes, colours and forms.

Guests showed off race-appropriate headwear, patterned thobes and Saudi-inspired embroidery.

Fashion also played a major role in the event further away from the stands as the Saudi Fashion Commission hosted a Saudi 100 Brands showcase.  

The event marks the fourth year in a row that the initiative has featured at the internationally recognized sporting and cultural event.

The fashion program is spread over two days, with runway presentations scheduled throughout the evenings. On Feb. 13, collections were presented by Saudi fashion brands THEXO, Enays and Sulitude. Feb. 14 features runway shows by MD29, Adara By Fa and Hajruss.

Alongside the runway program, a dedicated exhibition space showcases selected jewelry and accessories pieces, allowing visitors to view the work up close.

Participating designers will present collections that draw on Saudi references while engaging with contemporary design, offering insight into how local fashion continues to develop. 

“Since 2022, the Saudi 100 Brands program has been an integral part of the Saudi Cup, positioning fashion as a cultural expression within one of the Kingdom’s most globally visible events,” said Saudi Fashion Commission Chief Executive Burak Cakmak, in a previously released statement. 

“This platform has enabled brands to bring together heritage and contemporary narratives that reflect identity, creativity and innovation,” Cakmak said. “This year represents a natural evolution from an exhibition to a curated showcase, reinforcing fashion’s role as a dynamic cultural platform within the Saudi Cup.”