Wes Anderson was first nominated for an Academy Award in 2022 in the Original Screenplay category for “The Royal Tenenbaums.” He’s earned seven nominations since. At the 96th Academy Awards, the celebrated American filmmaker in Paris won his first Oscar in a somewhat unlikely category, Live Action Short. But, it was for “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” the adaptation of a literary figure close to Anderson’s heart, Roald Dahl.
Anderson previously adapted Dahl’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” which was nominated for Animated Feature in 2010. His other Oscar nominations include an Original Screenplay nod for “Moonrise Kingdom” in 2012 as well as another Animated Feature nom for “Isle of Dogs” in 2018. He earned three nominations for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” in 2015 including Best Director, Original Screenplay, and, as a producer, Best Picture.
Despite immaculate production design, costumes, cinematography, score, and individual performances, both of Anderson’s last two critically lauded films, 2021’s “The French Dispatch” and 2023’s “Asteroid City” were both completely snubbed by The Academy. Somewhat puzzlingly considering their box office success in the post-pandemic era.
Other notable films on Anderson’s resume include his breakout feature, “Bottle Rocket,” “Rushmore,” “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” and “The Darjeeling Limited.”
The other nominees in the Live Action Short category this year were Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham’s “The After,” Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron’s “Invincible,” Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk’s “Knight of Fortune,” and Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane’s “Red, White and Blue.”
“The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar” is available on Netflix.