List of Indigenous Academy Award winners and nominees

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Yalitza Aparicio was nominated for her acting debut in 2018's Roma.

This is a list of Indigenous people who have won or been nominated for Academy Awards. It includes those of provable Indigenous descent regardless of whether they passed as white at the time of their nomination, such as Merle Oberon.[1]

Best Picture[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
2019
(92nd) 		Taika Waititi
Chelsea Winstanley 		New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		Jojo Rabbit Nominated
  • Winstanley is the first Māori of Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous people to be nominated for Best Picture.
  • Husband-wife team.
  • Shared with Carthew Neal.
 [2]

Best Actor[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
1999
(72nd) 		Russell Crowe New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		The Insider Nominated
  • First Māori of Ngāti Porou descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to be nominated for Best Actor.
 [3][4]
2000
(73rd) 		Gladiator Won
  • First Pacific Islander to win an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to win Best Actor.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to receive multiple nominations.
 [3][5]
2001
(74th) 		A Beautiful Mind Nominated Ninth actor to receive three consecutive nominations. [3][6]
2018
(91st) 		Rami Malek United States Coptic Bohemian Rhapsody Won First Copt to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award. [7][8]

Best Actress[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
1935
(8th) 		Merle Oberon British Raj
Sri Lanka 		Māori
(Polynesian) 		The Dark Angel Nominated First person of Indigenous descent to be nominated for an Academy Award. [1][9]
2003
(76th) 		Keisha Castle-Hughes New Zealand Whale Rider Nominated
  • Debut performance.
  • First Māori of Tainui and Ngāpuhi descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • At the time of nomination, she was the youngest ever nominee in the category. She is the now the second youngest after Quvenzhané Wallis.
 [10]
2018
(91st) 		Yalitza Aparicio Mexico Mixtec & Trique
(Native Mexican) 		Roma Nominated [8]
2023
(96th) 		Lily Gladstone United States Piegan Blackfeet & Nez Perce
(Native American) 		Killers of the Flower Moon Nominated First Native American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. [11]

Best Supporting Actor[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestones/Notes Ref.
1970
(43rd) 		Chief Dan George Canada Tsleil-Waututh
(First Nations) 		Little Big Man Nominated
  • First North American Indigenous person to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
 [12]
1987
(60th) 		Sean Connery Scotland Irish Traveller The Untouchables Won
  • First person of European Indigenous descent to be nominated for an Academy Award, along with Nils Gaup for Pathfinder.
  • First person of European Indigenous descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First person of Indigenous descent to win Best Supporting Actor.
 [13][14]
1990
(63rd) 		Graham Greene Canada Oneida
(First Nations) 		Dances With Wolves Nominated First Oneida to be nominated for an Academy Award. [15]

Best Supporting Actress[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestones/Notes Ref.
1966
(39th) 		Jocelyne LaGarde French Polynesia Tahitian
(Polynesian) 		Hawaii Nominated
  • Debut performance.
  • First Tahitian to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
 [16]

Best Adapted Screenplay[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
2019
(92nd) 		Taika Waititi New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		Jojo Rabbit Won
  • First Māori of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for and to win Best Adapted Screenplay.
 [17]

Best Original Score[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
1987
(60th) 		Jonas Gwangwa South Africa Northern Ndebele Cry Freedom Nominated
  • First African Indigenous person to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to be nominated for Best Original Score.
  • Shared with George Fenton.
 [18][14]
2023
(96th) 		Robbie Robertson Canada Cayuga & Mohawk
(First Nations) 		Killers of the Flower Moon Nominated
  • First Cayuga and first Mohawk to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Posthumous release.
 [11]

Best Original Song[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Song Status Milestones/Notes Ref.
1982
(55th) 		Buffy Sainte-Marie United States
Canada 		English & Italian,
culturally adopted by the Piapot First Nation[19] 		An Officer and a Gentleman "Up Where We Belong" Won
  • Thought to have been the first Indigenous person to win an Academy Award, it was later discovered through a CBC documentary released in 2023 that she may have lied about her claims to Indigenous ancestry. Her title as the first Indigenous Academy Award winner is still under review until allegations made by CBC are accepted as fact or not.
  • Shared with Jack Nitzsche and Will Jennings.
 [20][21]
1987
(60th) 		Jonas Gwangwa South Africa Northern Ndebele Cry Freedom "Cry Freedom" Nominated [18][14]
2023
(96th) 		Scott George United States Osage Nation
(Native American) 		Killers of the Flower Moon "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)" Nominated First member of the Osage Nation to be nominated for an Academy Award. [11][22]

Best Production Design[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
2012
(85th) 		Ra Vincent New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Nominated [23][24]
2019
(92nd) 		Jojo Rabbit Nominated Shared with Nora Sopková. [23][2]

Best Sound[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
2001
(74th) 		Hammond Peek New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Nominated [25][6]
2002
(75th) 		The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Nominated Shared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges. [25][26]
2003
(76th) 		The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Won
  • First Māori of Ngāi Tahu and Te Āti Awa descent to win an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous person to win Best Sound.
  • Shared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges.
 [25][10]
2005
(78th) 		King Kong Won
  • First Indigenous person to win multiple Academy Awards.
  • Most nominated Indigenous person, with four nominations.
  • Shared with Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick and Michael Hedges.
 [25][27]

Best Short Film, Live Action[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
2004
(77th) 		Taika Waititi
Ainsley Gardiner 		New Zealand Māori
(Polynesian) 		Two Cars, One Night Nominated
  • First Māori of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Gardiner is also the first Māori of Ngāti Pikiao and Ngāti Awa descent to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • First Indigenous people to be nominated for Best Short Film, Live Action.
 [28]
2023
(96th) 		Misan Harriman Nigeria
United Kingdom 		Itsekiri The After Nominated
  • First Itsekiri to be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Shared with Nicky Bentham.
 [29][30]

Best Foreign Language Film[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Film Status Milestone / Notes Ref.
1987
(60th) 		Nils Gaup Norway Sámi Pathfinder Nominated [14]

Honorary Award[edit]

Year
(Ceremony) 		Name Country Ethnic group(s) Milestone / Notes Ref.
2019
(92nd) 		Wes Studi United States Cherokee Nation
(Native American) 		First and only Indigenous person to be awarded an Honorary Award. [31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Lawrence, Andrew (2023-03-07). Viner, Katharine (ed.). "'She had to hide': the secret history of the first Asian woman nominated for a best actress Oscar". The Guardian. eISSN 1756-3224. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 2023-12-01. Her mother, believed to have been of Sri Lankan and Māori ancestry, was just 14 when she gave birth in 1911. After centuries of intermixing, babies born from biracial relationships had evolved into a quiet shame – shunned by Britons and Indians alike.
  2. ^ a b "2020 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  3. ^ a b c Russell Crowe [@russellcrowe] (July 6, 2013). "Born NZ, live Australia, 1 Welsh grandad, 1 Scottish, also Italian, Norwegian & Maori heritage, also English in there but I don't mention that" (Tweet). Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "2000 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2000-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  5. ^ "2001 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2001-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  6. ^ a b "2002 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2002-03-24. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  7. ^ Gross, Terry (2018-11-21). "'You Better Own This': How Rami Malek Came To Embody Freddie Mercury". NPR. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  8. ^ a b "2019 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  9. ^ "1936 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1936-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  10. ^ a b "2004 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2004-02-29. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  11. ^ a b c Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (23 January 2024). "Oscar Nominations 2024: 'Oppenheimer' Dominates With 13 Nods, 'Poor Things' Follows With 11". Variety. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  12. ^ "1971 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1971-04-15. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  13. ^ "Connery's Wexford roots are revealed". Irish Independent. 2005-12-01. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  14. ^ a b c d "1988 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1988-04-11. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  15. ^ "1991 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1991-03-25. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  16. ^ "1967 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1967-04-10. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  17. ^ Brown, Tracy (10 February 2020). "Taika Waititi makes Oscars history as first Maori Academy Award winner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  18. ^ a b Ledwaba, Lucas (2021-01-29). "How Jonas Gwangwa used his music to preserve his mother tongue". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  19. ^ "Who is the real Buffy Sainte-Marie?". CBC News. October 27, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  20. ^ "1983 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 1983-04-11. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  21. ^ Warner, Andrea (2018-09-29). "Buffy Sainte-Marie's Authorized Biography Serves As A 'Map Of Hope'". NPR. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  22. ^ Maupin, Jennifer (23 January 2024). "'Killers of the Flower Moon' nominated for 10 Oscars". KJRH. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  23. ^ a b Ligia (2020-02-14). "Ka whiti mai te rā!". Library Blog. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  24. ^ "2013 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  25. ^ a b c d "Double Oscar Winner". Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  26. ^ "2003 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2003-03-23. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  27. ^ "2006 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2006-03-05. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  28. ^ "2005 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2005-02-27. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  29. ^ "Misan Harriman: Nigerian who played a role in Prince Harry, Meghan love story". P.M. News. 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16. Harriman was born in Calabar, in 1977. He is the son of Chief Hope Harriman, the colourful Itsekiri chief, who died in 2012 at the age of 79.
  30. ^ "2024 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  31. ^ Bahr, Linsey (26 October 2019). "Wes Studi to make Oscars history for Native American actors". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
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