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One of the greatest cinematographers in the history of cinema finally has an Academy Award. Roger Deakins took the Best Cinematography trophy Sunday night for his work on Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner 2049” and what was his 14th Oscar nomination. The fact the 68-year-old visionary had lost 13 previous times was becoming something of an embarrassment for the Academy, but no more.
Roger Deakins wins top ASC Award for ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Deakins first nomination was for “The Shawshank Redemption” in 1995. Over the following 23 years he was subsequently nominated for “Fargo,” “Kundun,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” “No Country for Old Men,” “The Reader,” “True Grit,” “Skyfall,” “Prisoners,” “Unbroken” and “Sicario.” Among that list are two Best Picture winners and another two Best Picture nominees. He also was the cinematographer on Ron Howard‘s Best Picture-winning “A Beautiful Mind,” but was snubbed of a nomination that year.
During this period Deakins had been recognized three times by his peers in the American Society of Cinematographers, but somehow the Academy kept passing him by.
Known for his longtime collaborations with the Coen Brothers and Villeneuve, other films on Deakins’ resume include “Sid and Nancy,” “Dead Man Walking,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Doubt,” “Revolutionary Road” and “The Village,” among others. He’s currently filming John Crowley’s “The Goldfinch” which is currently dated for a 2019 release.
13 snubs are rare in Oscar history, but there are other former nominees who have been passed over more times and still haven’t won. Sound mixer Greg P. Russell has been nominated 17 times without a win. Roland Anderson was nominated 15 times for Art Direction and passed away in 1989 without even an honorary Oscar. Composer Alex North was also nominated 15 times before earning a lifetime achievement award in 1986. Another composer, Thomas Newman has 14 nominations to his name, but no win (his father Alfred Newman won nine).