LEILA FADEL, HOST:
This morning in Beverly Hills, actress Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan will announce nominations for this year's Academy Awards. Let's get a preview of some of the films, directors and actors expected to be on the list from NPR's Mandalit del Barco.
MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: Among those getting Oscars buzz for Best Picture this year is "Power Of The Dog." The Western about toxic masculinity was directed by Jane Campion, who's likely to get nominated, so might actor Benedict Cumberbatch for his role as a cowboy bully.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE POWER OF THE DOG")
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH: (As Phil) A man is made by patience and the odds against him.
KODI SMIT-MCPHEE: (As Peter) And what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother?
KIRSTEN DUNST: (As Rose) Peter.
DEL BARCO: "Power Of The Dog" co-stars Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee could also be hearing their names read this morning. Kenneth Branagh and his semi-autobiographical film "Belfast" are also sure to be nominated. It's about his childhood in the working-class city in Northern Ireland plunged into sectarian violence.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BELFAST")
JAMIE DORNAN: (As Pa) We're looking to cleanse the community a wee bit. You wouldn't want to be the odd man out in the street.
COLIN MORGAN: (As Billy) Touch my family and I'll kill you.
(SHOUTING)
DEL BARCO: Also expected on the list is the science fiction epic "Dune," directed by Denis Villeneuve. It's the newest adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, a war drama set on a desert planet.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "DUNE")
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET: (As Paul) Where the fear is gone, only I will remain.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Go. Go. Go.
DEL BARCO: For the film "Tick, Tick... Boom!", Lin-Manuel Miranda directed Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson, the creator of the hit Broadway musical "Rent."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "TICK, TICK... BOOM!")
ANDREW GARFIELD: (As Jonathan) Eight years, and the time keeps ticking. Tick, tick.
DEL BARCO: Another musical sure to be on the nominations list is "West Side Story," Steven Spielberg's remake.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "WEST SIDE STORY")
RACHEL ZEGLER: (As Maria, singing) Tonight, tonight, the world is full of light.
DEL BARCO: For her role as Anita in the 1961 version, Rita Moreno became the first Latina to win an Oscar. In this new film, she has a new role. And she could be in competition at the Oscars with the new Anita, played by Ariana DeBose. Another film expected on the list is "King Richard," the story of tennis champ Serena and Venus Williams' father. It stars Will Smith.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "KING RICHARD")
WILL SMITH: (As Richard) You're going to be representing every little Black girl on Earth.
SANIYYA SIDNEY: (As Venus) I'm not going to let you down.
DEL BARCO: Adam McKay's disaster movie satire Don't Look Up stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as astronomers trying to warn Earthlings of impending doom.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "DON'T LOOK UP")
LEONARDO DICAPRIO: (As Dr. Randall) We discovered a very large comet.
MERYL STREEP: (As President Orlean) Oh. Good for you.
JENNIFER LAWRENCE: (As Kate) It's headed directly towards Earth. There is a 100% chance that we're all going to die.
DEL BARCO: "Being The Ricardos" is Aaron Sorkin's take on TV's famous Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. They're played by Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, who are likely nominees.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "BEING THE RICARDOS")
CHRISTOPHER DENHAM: (As Donald) Action.
JAVIER BARDEM: (As Desi) Lucy, I'm home.
(LAUGHTER)
DEL BARCO: The film "CODA," directed by Sian Heder, premiered at Sundance last year and will likely be at this year's Oscars. The main character is the only one in her family who can hear. She wants to be a singer.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "CODA")
EMILIA JONES: (As Ruby) I get a feeling that I never, never, never, never had before, no, no.
EUGENIO DERBEZ: (As Bernardo) You're the girl with the deaf family?
UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (As characters, singing) Yeah.
JONES: (As Ruby) Yeah.
DEL BARCO: Actor Troy Kotsur, who is deaf, plays the father in "CODA" and is an expected nominee. Rounding out the list is "Licorice Pizza," writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson's nostalgic look back at the San Fernando Valley in 1973. It stars first-time actors Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Alana Haim, who sings with her sisters in the real-life rock band Haim.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "LICORICE PIZZA")
ALANA HAIM: (As Alana) You're not cool. And your breath smells.
DEL BARCO: In a year with so much uncertainty over live events, the Oscars are set to be held in-person again on March 27 back at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Mandalit del Barco, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
