Diversity Rankings of 2021 Oscar Nominees

Mediaversity’s Guide to the 93rd Academy Awards, Best Picture

Written by Alicja Johnson

All years: 2024 / 2023 / 2022 / 2021 / 2020 / 2019

Hollywood’s favorite time of the year has arrived. No, not the Oscars — it’s Mediaversity’s annual diversity ranking of the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture!

Here at Mediaversity Reviews, we evaluate films through an intersectional lens. So while we might enjoy the witty scripts and tear-jerking performances typical of Oscar nominees, we care just as much about a movie’s gender parity and racial diversity. Oh, and our grading system also factors in depictions of LGBTQ communities, people with disabilities, minority religions, adults over 50, and diverse body shapes. (You can learn more about how we grade here.)

Given how the Oscars continue to hold real influence over the industry, looking at the slate of pictures deemed “award-worthy” each year is one of the many benchmarks we can use to measure the industry’s progress toward inclusive storytelling. But before we dive into the rankings for the 2021 Best Picture nominees, here are some overdue milestones the Academy finally reached this year:

• The average Mediaversity grade of Best Picture nominees, a B- (3.72/5), is the highest it’s been since we began reviewing in 2017. The past few years, the average grade has teetered back and forth between a C- or a C+.
• Nine actors of color are nominated, out of 20 acting nominees.
• Two women are nominated for best director.

And the Mediaversity Rankings of 2021 Best Picture Nominees is…

Click on each title to learn more about its grade.

#1 Minari (A+) makes Steven Yeun the first Asian American to receive a Best Actor nomination and #2 Nomadland (A-) director Chloé Zhao is now the first Asian American woman nominated for Best Director

#3 Judas and the Black Messiah (B) is the first Best Picture nominee with all Black producers and of the seven women ever nominated for Best Director, Emerald Fennell is the only one to be nominated for her directorial debut, #4 Promising Young Woman (B)

#5 Sound of Metal (B-) star Riz Ahmed has become the first Muslim nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and #6 The Father (C+) makes Anthony Hopkins the oldest nominee for Best Actor in a Leading Role

Though #7 Trial of the Chicago 7 (C-) is entertaining, it falls into white savior tropes and #8 Mank (F) jubilantly leans into the sexism and racism of pre-war Hollywood

Best Picture Nominees by Mediaversity Score

Technical, Gender, and Race categories are scored on a scale of 1–5. Each bonus or deduction category maxes out at 1 point.

Curious how this compares to past years? Click to see our Best Picture nominee diversity rankings for 2020 and 2019!

Mediaversity Reviews is a project that grades TV & films on gender, race, LGBTQ, disability, and more. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to join the conversation!