RIZ AHMED, "Sound of Metal"
Then: Ahmed presented the award for best visual effects with his "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" co-star Felicity Jones at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017. This year, he makes his debut as a nominee for his starring role in "Sound of Metal," making him the first Muslim to be Oscar nominated in that category. Now:
ANTHONY HOPKINS, "The Father"
Then: Hopkins presented the Academy Award for best art direction with actress Charlotte Rampling in 1976. He earned his first Oscar nomination and win in 1992 for "Silence of the Lambs." Since then, the Welsh character actor has picked up five more nominations, including this year's nod for his role in "The Father." Now:
GARY OLDMAN, "Mank"
Then: Oldman walked his first Oscars red carpet with wife Alexandra Edenborough at the 84th Annual Academy Awards, where he was nominated for best actor for his role in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." Although he lost the award that year to Jean Dujardin for "The Artist," Oldman ended up winning the category in 2018 for "The Darkest Hour."
VIOLA DAVIS, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" Then: Davis made her Oscars debut as a best supporting actress nominee for 2008's "Doubt." She has since been nominated for an Academy Award three more times, including this year, and won the award for best supporting actress in 2016 for her role in "Fences." Now:
ANDRA DAY, "The United States vs. Billie Holiday"
Then: The performer walked her first Oscars red carpet in 2016, not as a nominee or presenter, but as a performer at the exclusive Governor's Ball afterparty. In 2018, she joined Common onstage at the 90th Academy Awards to perform best original song nominee "Stand Up for Something" from the film "Marshall," and they were joined by a number of public activists. This year, we'll see Day make her first official Oscars debut as a nominee. Now:
FRANCES MCDORMAND, "Nomadland"
Then: McDormand is no stranger to awards shows. The actress has been nominated for six Oscars, winning twice. Her first nomination came in 1989 for best supporting actress for "Mississippi is Burning," but her first Oscars win came for her leading role in "Fargo" in 1997 and then in 2018 for "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." McDormand is part of an elite group of actors who have achieved the "Triple Crown of Acting," by winning at least one Academy Award, Tony Award and Emmy Award in acting categories.
CAREY MULLIGAN, "Promising Young Woman"
Then: Mulligan received her first Oscars nomination for best actress in 2009's "An Education," which was coincidentally her first leading role in a feature film. Although she lost to Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side," the British actress returns to nominees' list for her starring role in "Promising Young Woman." Now:
SACHA BARON COHEN, "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
Then: Cohen attended his first Academy Awards with wife Isla Fisher in 2006 as a nominee for best adapted screenplay for "Borat," which he lost to "The Departed." This year, he is nominated again for best adapted screenplay for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," as well as his best supporting actor nomination for "The Trial of the Chicago 7." Now:
DANIEL KALUUYA, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Then: The British actor made his Oscars red carpet debut at the 90th Academy Awards where he was nominated for best actor for his breakout role in 2017's "Get Out." This year, Kaluuya is not only up against a competitive field of performers for best supporting actor, but also against his own "Judas and the Black Messiah" co-star, Lakeith Stanfield. Now:
LAKEITH STANFIELD, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Then: Stanfield made his Oscars debut at the 90th Academy Awards when the actor revived his character in "Get Out" during host Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue. Kimmel joked that if a winner goes over time during their acceptance speech, Stanfield will run onstage screaming, "Get out!" instead of being played off by music. This year, the actor is returning to the Oscars, but this time as a nominee for best supporting actor, alongside his "Judas and the Black Messiah" co-star Daniel Kaluuya, who he also appeared with in "Get Out."
GLENN CLOSE, "Hillbilly Elegy"
Then: A seasoned veteran, Close received her first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress for 1982's "The World According to Garp." The actress has been nominated for an Oscar eight times, which is the most times an actor has been nominated without winning. Could her role in "Hillbilly Elegy" be the one to clinch her the coveted win? Now:
OLIVIA COLMAN, "The Father"
Then: Colman made her Oscars debut in 2019 -- the same year she won the award for best actress for "The Favourite." The British actress is hoping lightning can strike twice, but this time as a best supporting actress nominee for "The Father."
AMANDA SEYFRIED, "Mank"
Then: Seyfried first walked the Academy Awards in 2009, where she performed a medley alongside Beyonce, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and others, as well as presented a romance montage with Robert Pattinson. This year, she makes her debut as a nominee for her performance as actress Marion Davies in "Mank." Now:
STEVEN YEUN, best actor nominee, "Minari"
Yeun received his first-ever Oscar nomination in 2021 for his starring role in "Minari," making him the first-ever Asian-American actor to receive a best actor nomination. This will be his first Academy Awards appearance.
VANESSA KIRBY, best actress nominee, "Pieces of a Woman"
Kirby, who gained international recognition for her breakout role of Princess Margaret in "The Crown," received her first-ever Academy Award nomination this year for her role in "Pieces of a Woman."
LESLIE ODOM, JR., best supporting actor nominee, "One Night in Miami..."
Odom, Jr. may already have a Tony Award and Grammy Award for his role as Aaron Burr in the musical "Hamilton," but this year, he's hoping to add an Oscar to his list of accolades. The actor and singer received his first Academy Award nod and rave reviews for his role as Sam Cooke in Regina King's directorial debut, "One Night in Miami."
PAUL RACI, best supporting actor nominee, "Sound of Metal" Raci is another newcomer to the awards show circuit, but his career spans decades on film and television. The actor, who has primarily played smaller appearances on scripted shows like "Switched at Birth," has gotten major acclaim for his role as Joe, the deaf mentor of Riz Ahmed's character in "Sound of Music." Director Darius Marder told "IndieWire" that he chose Raci over A-list actors for the role because he was the son of deaf parents and grew up using American Sign Language.
MARIA BAKALOVA, best supporting actress nominee, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm"
A newcomer to not just the awards show circuit but also to American films, Bakalova wasn't even alive when fellow nominee Glenn Close got her first Oscar nod. The 24-year-old Bulgarian actress and first-time nominee has made waves this year as Tutar Sagdiyev in Sacha Baron Cohen's highly-anticipated "Borat" sequel.
YUH-JUNG YOUN, best supporting actress nominee, "Minari"
Youn's star might just be rising in the U.S. but the actress' career has spanned more than five decades in South Korea. She has won international recognition for her role in "Minari," becoming the first Korean actress to be nominated in the best supporting actress category.
