Rihanna Gets 1st Oscars Nod, 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'
Rihanna Gets First Oscars Nod With ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ & Angela Bassett Makes History, Twitter Reacts
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The 2023 Oscar nominations have been announced, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever fans may have mixed feelings.
The second coming of the Black Panther film, directed by Ryan Coogler, is making history with the help of Angela Bassett. The legendary actress is now the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Marvel Studios actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in a comic book adaptation.
Make no mistake, Bassett is not new to the Oscar buzz, and she was previously nominated for her role as Tina Turner in the singer’s 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do with it?
So while Bassett’s nomination includes many firsts, there was another category that Black Panther failed to be named in: Best Picture. The first film in 2018 got the Oscars nod, but the 2022 follow-up failed to get the same. However, the 2018 nomination did make history as the first superhero flick ever to be nominated for the coveted award.
Aside from the night’s highest honors, the sequel was nominated for best costume design thanks to Ruth E. Carter’s impeccable work and for best original song for the somber “Lift Me Up,” which featured vocals from Rihanna –making it her first nomination– and also included Tems and Ludwig Göransson.
The film was also nominated for best in visual effects and makeup and hairstyling.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Ryan Coogler revealed he got Rihanna out of her musical hiatus to do “Lift Me Up” because she saw the trailer and wanted to be a part of it.
Prior to the clip, Coogler got the typical, “She’s not really doing music, but let’s stay in touch” response.
“It’s her experience with loss in there, and her being a mother. She’s a new person now. [Parenthood] changes you to your core. I hear it in her voice,” says Coogler. “It’s her, but it’s a new her.”
See how Twitter’s reacting to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Oscar nominations below:
