Oscars 2026: Meet All the First-Time Nominees

by

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always excited when awards season truly begins, and it officially has now that the nominations for the 2026 Oscars are out! It’s time to start thinking about the incredible films and performances we can look forward to celebrating.

Several familiar faces—including Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Benicio del Toro, and Emma Stone—will once again attend the annual nominees luncheon before the Oscars ceremony on March 15th at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

When Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the nominations on January 22nd, a lot of actors received their first-ever recognition.

As many predicted, Michael B. Jordan has received his first Oscar nomination. His performance playing identical twins, Smoke and Stack, in Ryan Coogler’s film Sinners was widely praised and made him a strong contender for Best Actor long before the voting process started.

From vampires to Frankenstein’s monster, Jacob Elordi – a Critics Choice Award winner – is experiencing a high point in his career: he’s been nominated for an Oscar. The nomination recognizes his performance as the often-misunderstood creature in Guillermo del Toro’s reimagining of the classic story.

Teyana Taylor, 35, a Best Supporting Actress nominee, was also presented with flowers. She recently won a Golden Globe for her performance in the unique and sweeping film, One Battle After Another, and truly shines in her 20 minutes of screen time.

The competition is especially fierce in the Best Actress category. Rose Byrne, who recently won a Golden Globe and is a first-time Oscar nominee, is being recognized for her performance as a struggling psychotherapist in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. The film centers around her character’s challenges while caring for a daughter with a serious medical condition requiring constant attention.

Although the Golden Globes categorized her movie as a comedy, Byrne is now competing for recognition alongside Renate Reinsve (from Sentimental Value), Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Stone (who previously won a Golden Globe for the drama Bugonia and has been nominated many times), and Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), who received her first nomination for her performance in Almost Famous back in 2000.

This is just a glimpse of the standout performances the Academy recognized this year. From rising stars to seasoned veterans, here’s information about all the actors who received their first Oscar nomination in 2026.

Michael B. Jordan gave a standout performance playing both of the ambitious Smokestack twins in Ryan Coogler’s film, Sinners—their fifth project together—which earned him his first Best Actor Oscar nomination.

The actor, 38, told TopMob News at the Critics Choice Awards that he loves playing both Smoke and Stack equally. He described both characters as deeply meaningful, saying he feels honored to have portrayed them and believes they will stay with him forever.

Alongside Jordan, veteran actor Lindo also received praise for his skillful portrayal of the wise character, Delta Slim, in Coogler’s impressive film.

He’s known for his work in films like Spike Lee’s acclaimed 1992 movie Malcolm X and 2020’s Da 5 Bloods, which earned him Oscar attention and several awards. He also completed a research project focusing on the history of people of African descent in what is now the United Kingdom.

Lindo was eager to begin filming Sinners, which was set in the segregated South. He told The Ankler that the first version of the script didn’t give him enough to do. “I felt like my character faded into the background in the second half,” he explained, “but the final version gave me a much stronger presence throughout the film.”

If Mosaku, who was born in Nigeria and raised in England, hadn’t pursued acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, her life would have taken a very different path, she explained in a 2021 interview with Schon Magazine. She’s currently receiving recognition for her supporting role as Annie, a hoodoo practitioner and the estranged wife of Smoke, in Sinners.

Instead, at age 39, she won a BAFTA award in 2016 for her work on the TV film Damilola, Our Loved Boy. She then moved to the United States and went on to appear in popular shows like Luther, Lovecraft Country, and Loki.

She remembered being nervous before auditioning with Michael B. Jordan. She told W magazine it felt daunting at first, thinking, ‘This is Michael B. Jordan!’ But she was surprised by how smoothly it went. They quickly established a respectful, collaborative energy, and she was offered the role right then and there, which she called ‘crazy’.

Many North American viewers will recognize the Oscar nominee from his role as Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series Narcos. However, he’s a huge star in Brazil, making his part in The Secret Agent especially meaningful. The film features him as Armando, a widowed professor who must abandon his life because he opposes the country’s military dictatorship in the 1970s.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, actor Wagner Moura explained that he tends to react strongly to injustice, and that often comes through in his roles. He also highlighted that his latest film isn’t about revolution, but rather focuses on a man who simply remains true to himself and his beliefs.

This year, the 49-year-old father of three has already won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a dramatic film, and he’s also up for an Actor award (formerly known as a SAG Award).

The celebrated Swedish actor, famous for roles in films like Good Will Hunting, Mamma Mia!, Thor, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Dune, and the series Chernobyl and Andor, as well as his intense collaborations with director Lars Von Trier, had never been an Oscar nominee—that is, until now.

74-year-old Stellan Skarsgård has been pleasantly surprised by the positive reception to his role in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. He plays Gustav Borg, a respected film director who decides to document his family life after his ex-wife passes away, a project that upsets his distant daughters.

Considering he’s a father of eight and hadn’t expected to return to acting after a stroke three years prior – which caused short-term memory loss – this role is truly remarkable. He cleverly found a way to perform by receiving his lines through an earpiece, ultimately landing what many would consider the opportunity of a lifetime.

“It’s impossible to predict how a movie will be received,” said Alexander Skarsgård, winner of the 2026 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. He told the LA Times that this film has connected with people of all ages and backgrounds, clearly resonating with something universal. He described it as surprisingly light despite dealing with serious themes, comparing it to a delicate soufflé with unexpected, darker elements.

Sentimental Value marks the third time actress Renate Reinsve has worked with director Joachim Trier, following her debut in the 2011 film Oslo, August 31st, and their 2021 release, The Worst Person in the World.

At 38, the actress has earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress by portraying Nora—a successful TV and stage performer who is determined not to work on a film directed by her estranged father, and who pushes back against his efforts to make amends.

The Norwegian actress deeply appreciates Trier’s guidance, which has helped her develop as a performer, and she values the supportive atmosphere he fosters on set, allowing actors to freely explore their roles.

Reinsve explained to Deadline that her performance won’t be solely about her individual approach to the role. It’s about the collaboration with everyone on set. She emphasized that it’s not about a single performance, but about the collective exploration of a scene or the entire film. This takes the pressure off, as the focus shifts from individual contribution to the shared experience and what emerges from the interactions between the performers and crew.

The Norwegian actress, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Agnes – the historian and more reserved daughter of Gustav – shared that she felt a strong personal connection to the character.

I strongly connect with the character of Agnes, especially as a sister and a brother. As someone who also has a son with my husband, Gunnar Eiriksson, I understand the deep love and worry you feel for family, and the desire for everyone to get along and have a strong family bond.

Okay, so I’m totally obsessed with Joachim Trier, like, seriously. I would have taken any role in one of his movies, even if it was just one line! When I found out about The Worst Person in the World, I was floored. I auditioned, and ended up playing Rachel, the American actress who gets the part Nora doesn’t. It was amazing – I basically got to be a part of his world, even if it wasn’t exactly the role I initially dreamed of!

As a lifestyle expert, I’m thrilled to see this actress getting the recognition she deserves! After already receiving nominations from the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, her Supporting Role nod is fantastic. And, from what I’ve heard, the whole filming experience was a perfect 10 – a truly positive environment always shines through in great performances!

I could really relate to my character because, like her, I was visiting Norway for the very first time,” the 27-year-old actress explained to W magazine. “It was a complex experience, but I absolutely loved it. Norway is so clean and people get around mostly by bike, which made me feel right at home.

Golden Globe-winning actress, discussing her role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, described the film as funny, scary, and emotionally intense, dealing with difficult themes like illness and constant misfortune. She was speaking with W magazine about the movie, where she plays a therapist facing personal and professional challenges.

Playing Linda was both intimidating and exciting, and I didn’t know how to approach the role at first, Byrne shared. It was a big creative challenge, but also a fantastic opportunity. Filming was incredibly energizing, and afterward, I felt completely overwhelmed. I was actually afraid to watch the finished movie and kept putting it off. But when I finally did, I was stunned into silence.

The Academy had something to say, however, and now Byrne, 46, is an Oscar nominee for Best Actress.

While 42 prosthetic pieces helped Australian actor Jacob Elordi physically become Frankenstein’s Creature, the character’s emotional depth and vulnerability are entirely his own performance.

This led to his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, after he unexpectedly won a Critics Choice Award and received nominations for a Golden Globe and an Actor Award.

To truly embody a role, you have to disconnect from your own life, explained Elordi to Netflix’s Tudum. He described it as shutting out distractions, both emotional and physical, and altering your daily routine—even simple things like eating or showering—to fully transform into the character.

All’s fair in love and war.

Although not all of her roles have been critically acclaimed, Taylor’s performance as the passionate and ultimately betrayed Perfidia Beverly Hills earned her significant awards attention. This includes a Golden Globe win and her first nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars.

Many modern films feel distant and hard to connect with, the 35-year-old explained to the LA Times. But Paul Thomas Anderson’s characters are realistically flawed, human, and vulnerable, leaving you thinking, ‘Wow, have I been through that?’ That’s the impact a movie should have – it should be thought-provoking and spark important, even difficult, conversations. It should really make you think and talk things through.

Read More

2026-01-22 18:18