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Sinners has quickly become the talk of the film industry, making waves by setting a new Oscar record with 16 nominations, more than any other film in history. This Southern-gothic horror masterpiece, directed by Ryan Coogler and featuring Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, has received recognition across a diverse array of categories. EGOT recipient Viola Davis is cheering for Sinners to sweep the awards. She shared her thoughts as the 98th Academy Awards approach.
Viola Davis wants to see ‘Sinners’ take ‘everything’ at the 98th Academy Awards
As the 98th Academy Awards loom, Sinners is making headlines with an unprecedented 16 nominations, shattering the previous record of 14 held by classics like All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997), and La La Land (2016).
The film’s nominations span both major and technical categories, securing its place as a top contender. Sinners is in the running for Best Picture, while Ryan Coogler has been nominated for Best Director. Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal in a dual role earned him a Best Actor nod. The supporting cast, including Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku, received nominations for their performances as well.
In addition to acting and directing accolades, the film garnered nominations in numerous creative and technical categories. These include Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song for “I Lied to You.” It also received nods for Best Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Film Editing, Sound, Makeup & Hairstyling, Visual Effects, and the newly introduced Best Casting category.
Viola Davis, speaking with Andy Cohen on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, expressed her admiration for the film ahead of the Oscars. While she admitted to having a general “aversion” to awards shows, she humorously noted, “Which is sort of hypocritical of me because I’ll take it if they give it to me.”
Ahead of the Oscars, Viola Davis spoke out about her love for the film. She told Andy Cohen on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live that she generally has an “aversion” toward awards shows. “Which is sort of hypocritical of me because I’ll take it if they give it to me,” she added.
Davis then noted that she’d be extremely happy with Sinners winning big at the Oscars. “I think that there are a lot of wonderful performances out there, but I would be very happy if Sinners took everything,” she continued.
She had a viral moment when presenting an award to Michael B. Jordan
At the 32nd Annual Actor Awards, Viola Davis created a moment that quickly spread across social media. She presented Michael B. Jordan with the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role award for his work in Sinners. As she opened the envelope and realized Jordan had won, Davis couldn’t contain her excitement. She let out an audible gasp and exclaimed enthusiastically before even fully announcing his name, a clip that has since been viewed millions of times online.
Davis’ spontaneous reaction included the line, “You are shining!” The line, “You are shining, Harold Loomis. Shining like new money,” comes from August Wilson’s 1984 play, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. “That line is constantly playing out in my mind because what it encapsulates is someone stepping into their purpose,” Davis told Variety. “It gives me goose bumps. And that’s how I felt about Michael B. Jordan.”
Davis went on to call Jordan an “incredible human and an incredible leader.” And she’s excited to see what he does next. “It’s extremely exciting what he’s going to become,” she continued. “Now, he’s getting into directing. and he is going to bring African American filmmaking into a beautiful place.”
Michael B. Jordan said he cried while watching ‘Sinners’
Michael B. Jordan played twins Smoke and Stack in Sinners.
“When my longtime collaborator and friend Ryan Coogler called and broke down the premise of Sinners to me, he said, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, you’ll be playing identical twins,’” Jordan told W Magazine. “That took me back for a second. It definitely presented a challenge, and I had a little bit of anxiety. But I was equally excited about doing something that pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
He then told the publication that he cried while watching the film.
“I cried during Sinners,” he said. “I also cried during the making of the film.”