After the Oscar for best picture of the year and best director, the most prestigious categories are those for best leading and supporting actors and actresses. Though they are nominated largely based on their performance, the nominees would not have been able to fully immerse themselves in their characters if it weren’t for the hair and makeup artists as well as the costume designers.
The biggest and best movies of the year often have epic set pieces and plots going in many directions, so it’s often easy to lose track of the real people playing the roles in the films.
Just in time for the 93rd Academy Awards, which will take place on April 25, 24/7 Tempo compiled a list of all 20 actors nominated for an Oscar this year, showing them both in and out of character.
Some of the actors did not have to change their appearance much, while others had to wear wigs and heavy makeup. Even though roles based on the life of real people are usually cast to people who have at least some resemblance to the character, they, too, often go through major transformation.
This year’s Oscars features many actors who have never before been nominated. Others have been nominated but won only once, despite being among the most famous names in Hollywood — these are the most popular Oscar winners of all time.
Click here to see these Oscar nominated actors in and out of character
Amanda Seyfried
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Marion Davies in “Mank”
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Amanda Seyfried
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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Andra Day
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
> For playing: Billie Holiday in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Andra Day
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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Anthony Hopkins
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
> For playing: Anthony in “The Father”
Anthony Hopkins
> Career Oscar nominations: 6 (1 win — Best Actor for “The Silence of the Lambs”)
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Carey Mulligan
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
> For playing: Cassandra in “Promising Young Woman”
Carey Mulligan
> Career Oscar nominations: 2
Chadwick Boseman
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (posthumously)
> For playing: Levee in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
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Chadwick Boseman
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
Daniel Kaluuya
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah”
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Daniel Kaluuya
> Career Oscar nominations: 2
Frances McDormand
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
> For playing: Fern in “Nomadland”
Frances McDormand
> Career Oscar nominations: 7 (2 wins — Best Actress for “Fargo” and for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”)
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Gary Oldman
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
> For playing: Herman Mankiewicz in “Mank”
Gary Oldman
> Career Oscar nominations: 3 (1 win — Best Actor for “Darkest Hour”)
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Glenn Close
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Mamaw in “Hillbilly Elegy”
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Glenn Close
> Career Oscar nominations: 8
LaKeith Stanfield
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Bill O’Neal in “Judas and the Black Messiah”
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LaKeith Stanfield
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
Leslie Odom Jr.
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Sam Cooke in “One Night in Miami”
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Leslie Odom Jr.
> Career Oscar nominations: 2
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Maria Bakalova
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Tutar Sagdiyev in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Maria Bakalova
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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Olivia Colman
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Anne in “The Father”
Olivia Colman
> Career Oscar nominations: 2 (1 win — Best Actress for “The Favourite”)
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Paul Raci
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Joe in “Sound of Metal”
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Paul Raci
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
Riz Ahmed
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
> For playing: Ruben in “Sound of Metal”
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Riz Ahmed
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
Sacha Baron Cohen
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Borat Sagdiyev in “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
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Sacha Baron Cohen
> Career Oscar nominations: 3
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Steven Yeun
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
> For playing: Jacob in “Minari”
Steven Yeun
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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Vanessa Kirby
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
> For playing: Martha in “Pieces of a Woman”
Vanessa Kirby
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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Viola Davis
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
> For playing: Ma Rainey in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
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Viola Davis
> Career Oscar nominations: 4 (1 win — Best Supporting Actress for “Fences”)
Yuh-Jung Youn
> 2021 Oscar nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
> For playing: Soonja in “Minari”
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Yuh-Jung Youn
> Career Oscar nominations: 1
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