Oscar Nominations Reactions: Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh

Nothing is better during awards season than Oscar nomination morning. Why? Because so many people are genuinely overjoyed over their nominations. They don’t have to pretend the “nomination was the win” after the ceremony or try to smile at the SAG or PGA Awards when they didn’t get a bit of that Academy Awards’ glow. And you know Michelle Yeoh, Colin Farrell, and Jamie Lee Curtis were excited over earning their first Oscar noms.

READ MORE: Complete list of 2023 Academy Awards nominations

Here’s a rundown of this year’s nominee reactions as they come in:

“I cannot even begin to describe how incredible this feeling is to be recognized as an Oscar nominee! Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine this moment. It still doesn’t feel real! Thank you so much to The Academy for this wonderful honor and for believing in our little movie. The outpouring of love and the warm welcome back is something I will cherish forever. To my fellow nominees – I am floored by your work, and I feel very lucky to be standing alongside you today. To my EEAAO family, CONGRATULATIONS! I love you!!!”
Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Supporting Actor

“I’m absolutely overjoyed and deeply grateful to The Academy for this recognition and for recognizing Hong Chau’s beautiful performance and Adrien Morot’s incredible makeup. I wouldn’t have this nomination without Darren Aronofsky, Samuel D. Hunter, A24 and the extraordinary cast and crew who gave me the gift of Charlie. A gift I certainly didn’t see coming, but it’s one that has profoundly changed my life. THANK YOU!”
Brendan Fraser, “The Whale,” Lead Actor

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Bryan Tyree Henry, “Causeway,” Supporting Actor

“It’s an honor to be nominated for Original Score for The Banshees of Inisherin with these other wonderful composers. It was a good year for film music. And such a joy that the whole cast of our film is nominated, as well as Mikkel for the editing which set the pace for so much of my music. But most of all, I’m so grateful Martin McDonagh made this odd film, the opposite of a crowd-pleaser, which nonetheless is pleasing crowds.”
Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin, Original Score

“Ahoy! My gratitude goes out to the Academy this evening. Free Botox for everyone!! Maybe now I’ll lose the ‘Swedish director freaks out title.’ It is the perfect dramaturgy! The ‘triangle of sadness’ refers to the space just below one’s forehead, between their eyebrows, that is often considered the first thing to go as we age. In Sweden, we call it, ‘he trouble wrinkle’ and its emergence suggests that the owner has lived a life filled with struggle. This production was not that…As a director, one of the things I value most is the communal experience we all share when watching something together on the big screen. This film, perhaps more so than any of my previous work, is truly made for cinemas. It is loud, unapologetically in your face and meant to elicit strong reactions. I am so lucky to do what I get to do while working with an all-star ensemble cast of actors and the production team who were all crazy enough to go on this wild ride with me.”
Ruben Östlund, “Triangle of Sadness,” Directing

“On behalf of everyone responsible for the making of TÁR, we’re overjoyed by the recognition the Academy has shown our film, specifically the work of Cate Blanchett, Monika Willi, and Florian Hoffmeister. I’ll admit that for me personally, after sixteen-years away, it’s an emotional morning — and overwhelming, returning to this incredible community and to be afforded the rarest of privileges, that of celebrating the art of cinema.”
Todd Field, “TAR,” Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay

“13-year-old me, camera in hand, is jumping up and down screaming in his bedroom! For a long time I thought of cinema as a possibility to escape reality, a place to completely disappear. But fellow Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman showed me it could also become a space to confront the expectations, codes and roles assigned to me as a teenager. I couldn’t be more grateful that this piece about that fragile age is celebrated to this extent. I am grateful to the Academy, A24 and everyone who was with us on the journey of making CLOSE.”
Lukas Dhont, “Close,” International Feature

“In truth, I am surprised, humbled, and thankful to be deserving of such an honor. And Steven Spielberg….what can I say.”
Judd Hirsch, “The Fablemans,” Supporting Actor

So stunned and thrilled about the nine Oscar nominations for The Banshees of Inisherin !” Especially happy that my good friends Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan were nominated in the acting categories, all as first-time nominees, and that our wonderful score and editing, by Carter Burwell and Mikkel Nielsen, were recognised too. Massive thanks to the Academy. I think we’re going to have a fun night!”
Martin McDonagh, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay

“I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with happiness! Every single person who worked on this film poured their heart and soul into it, and we are all so grateful to the Academy for recognizing so many from our EEAAO family. Playing Evelyn Wang has been one of the great privileges of my 40 year career. It is truly the role of a lifetime. Thank you to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for seeing me and for this opportunity, I will forever cherish this moment.”
Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Best Actress

“Wow… I didn’t know! It’s crazy, this is crazy! I actually feel so completely overwhelmed on so many levels, I cannot tell you, just how seriously overwhelmed I am!! Many years ago, when I got drawn into the art of filmmaking, it were the films that enabled me to ask questions that inspired me most. Todd script and his vision as a director tapped right into this love and I consider it a true honour to have worked alongside him and Cate on a journey that asked us to disappear and let the film carry itself. Sometimes it is really difficult to be really simple. And to be recognised for this is as much an honour as it is overwhelming right now. Thanks dear Academy, and thanks to all the people that supported me on this journey.”
Florian Homeister, “TAR,” Cinematography

“This is truly a special moment for everyone involved in Aftersun. To be recognised by the Academy is such an insane honour and I’m so utterly grateful. I want to dedicate this nomination to my two friends Charlotte and Frankie who I love dearly! This is bananas, thank you!”
Paul Mescal, “Aftersun,” Best Actor

“I am overwhelmed by emotion this morning and so grateful to be recognized by the Academy along with these other amazing filmmakers. It was a great honor for me to tell this story, which is not only deeply personal for Argentinians, but also urgent for countless people across the world. The future of democracy is in our hands.”
Santiago Mitre, “Argentina 1985,” International Feature

“Having the opportunity to make a film with such a visionary as Baz Luhrmann is an honor in itself, and to be recognized for my work by the Academy and my peers with this nomination is absolutely amazing. Taking the audience on the epic journey of Elvis’ life was a fantastic feat that wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing creative team, incredible cast, and the support from beginning to end by Warner Bros and our fabulous producers. I am so proud of our movie and all of the hard work that went into making it the spectacle that it is. Thank you!”
Mandy Walker, “Elvis,” Cinematography

“I’m incredibly grateful to my fellow writers in the Academy, and so proud to be included in such a stellar group of nominees.”
Rian Johnson, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Adapted Screenplay

“I am excited and honored to be nominated for an Oscar. To be part of such a well-crafted and meaningful film means a lot to me. The collaboration with director Edward Berger was always based on being experimental and with a lot of freedom. I am very thankful for that. Congrats to Edward, producer Malte Grunert and the entire team on all their nominations”.
Volker Bertelmann, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Original Score

“We are so grateful to the Academy and honored that the medium of animation is accepted for the art form that it truly is. We made this film to reaffirm what it means to be human and to share a fable about life, love and loss. We thank all of our collaborators, our amazing cast and dedicated family of crew & animators who have painstakingly given their all throughout the many years it took to bring our Pinocchio to life.”
Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” Animated Feature

“I’m very grateful to the Academy for their kind recognition, and I’m enormously grateful to Steven Spielberg for offering me the opportunity to compose the score for this very special and personal film.”
John Williams, “The Fablemans,” Original Score

“When I asked my daughter if I should make All Quiet On The Western Front she said I should, so… here we are. Making a film is alchemy and if the right people and circumstances come together, if you are lucky enough, then somehow, miraculously, audiences connect to the experience. Thank you to everyone who has watched the film. Thank you to the Academy for this recognition. And thank you to my happy band of incredible collaborators. We are so very humbled by these nominations.”
Edward Berger, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” International Feature

“I am deeply flattered and beside myself, and holy sh*t, just a pile on the floor. Thank you to the Academy for championing new voices and recognizing all our hard work over the last decade. This film is all about family and community, and this honor belongs most of all to the one that helped me make this film.”
Dean Fleischer Camp, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” Animated Feature

“Just so grateful to the Academy for all the love it’s shared with the Banshees cast and crew. Also, beyond honored to be lumped together with my fellow nominees. A heartfelt congratulations to all the lads!”
Colin Farrell, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Best Actor

“What an amazing wake-up call! I’m so proud and grateful to be part of The Banshees of Inisherin on a personal and professional level. I’m absolutely thrilled for the whole brilliant cast and everyone at home. What a day for the Irish film industry on a world stage! Feels like a huge family outing on the cards! Thank you, Academy. Thank you, Martin! Thank you all!”
Brendan Gleeson, “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Supporting Actor

“l am overjoyed by this morning’s news. Being a part of this film was an unforgettable experience, and I share this nomination with the creative and talented people alongside whom I worked on this project. And a big congrats to Brendan, my co-star and dear friend, as well as our amazing hair and makeup team on their nominations this morning. Thank you so much to the Academy for this recognition and a special thank you to Darren, A24, and the entire cast and crew of THE WHALE.”
Hong Chau, “The Whale,” Supporting Actress

“On behalf of Tom, all the filmmakers, cast, Paramount and everyone who worked on “Top Gun: Maverick,” we are so honored by this recognition from the Academy. This being my first ever Oscar nomination makes it that much more special. Congratulations to all the nominees. We look forward to celebrating with you.”
Jerry Bruckheimer, “Top Gun: Maverick,” Best Picture

“It’s an honor to be nominated for Original Score for The Banshees of Inisherin with these other wonderful composers. It was a good year for film music. And such a joy that the whole cast of our film is nominated, as well as Mikkel for the editing which set the pace for so much of my music. But most of all, I’m so grateful Martin McDonagh made this odd film, the opposite of a crowd-pleaser, which nonetheless is pleasing crowds.”
Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin, Original Score

I feel deep gratitude to have collaborated with Rihanna, Tems and Ryan Coogler on a song as profoundly personal as ‘Lift Me Up.’ For it to be recognized by the Academy is a huge honor. ‘Lift Me Up’ is a song that holds great meaning to us as it was written as a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of our friend, the late Chadwick Boseman, and his influence on this film. It felt cathartic and healing to write this song. We could not be more proud of this musical tribute and the unique collaboration that brought it to life. My deepest thanks go to Ryan Coogler, a true visionary and great friend, who created one of the most unique films of our time.”
Ludwig Göransson, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Original Song

nominations. For many of us, bringing ‘ELVIS’ to the screen has been a more than 10-year journey, and we couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved. A huge congratulations to Austin Butler, who devoted more than three years to the role of Elvis and whose performance transcended our expectations every day. We celebrate our incomparable crafts teams, from production and costume design to hair and makeup, editing, sound and the historic inclusion of cinematographer Mandy Walker—only the third woman ever to be nominated for cinematography. Today’s incredible acknowledgements reaffirm for us all what a privilege it has been to contribute to Elvis Presley’s enduring legacy.”
Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, “Elvis,” Best Picture

“I’m very happy today and so grateful to the incredible collective of cast and crew who made Women Talking.”
Sarah Polley, “Women Talking,” Original Screenplay

“Thank you to the members of the Academy. We came together to make WOMEN TALKING in the hopes it would bring audiences together and lead to conversations about what it could and would look like to imagine a different future. This acknowledgement is a tremendous gift toward that possibility, and we are very grateful.”
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Frances McDormand, “Women Talking,” Best Picture

“I’m happy to be nominated because it reflects the exceptional work of everyone on the film. The end result was definitely a group effort.”
Roger Deakins, “Empire of Light,” Cinematography

“I’m proud to be amongst this incredible group of nominees, especially my fellow Wakanda Forever colleagues. I feel very honored that my peers recognized the heart and soul put into the texture of storytelling.”
Ruth E. Carter, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Costume Design

The 95th Academy Awards will take place on March 12 and air live on ABC at 5 PM PT