Was 2021 the year everything changed for the Oscars? Not quite.

Not just Covid-related changes; though those are evident in every socially-distant awards show presentation these days. Are long-over changes in representation for people of color and women that were finally somewhat evident in the nominations going to be reflected on the winners’ list?

Yes, and no, it turns out. Nomadland, which largely featured a white cast, took home quite a few prizes, including best picture and best actress, but also a historic best directing Oscar.

Regina King hosted this year’s ceremony, held Sunday night in the socially-distant dinner-theater ambiance of Union Station in Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre and Highland Center in Hollywood offered a glimpse into a future that improves on its #OscarsSoWhite era.

This year, seventy women received a total 76 nominations, a record for a given year. Here are some of the other records set this year for women and people of color in nominations, along with winners in each category.

Women in directing: After many years with nary a single woman nominated for best director, this year, there were two such nominations.  Chloé Zhao won a Golden Globe for best directing in March, and this year was up for her work on Nomadland, which was also nominated for best picture. Emerald Fennell was also nominated for her film Promising Young Woman.

Zhao took home the directing prize and Fennell won the award for best original screenplay for Promising Young Woman.

All-Black producing team: In another first, one of the movies up for best picture has an all-Black producing team. Judas and the Black Messiah, which was directed by Shaka King, is a best picture nominee. It’s the true story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, played by Daniel Kaluuya, and William O’Neal, played by LaKeith Stanfield. Hampton was the man who infiltrated the political organization acting for the US Government, and both Kaluuya and Stanfield are nominated for best supporting actor. Leslie Odom Jr., another Black man, was nominated for his role in One Night in Miami, directed by Regina King.

Kaluuya won the best supporting acting award for Judas, but the best picture award went to the producers of Nomadland, including Chloé Zhao.

Asian representation: Zhao is the first Asian woman and woman of color to be nominated as a director, but there are others persons of Asian descent who scored some firsts. Steven Yeun, a South Korean-born American actor, is the first man of Asian descent to secure a best actor nom for his work in Minari which is also up for best picture. Yeun’s costar Yuh-jung Younis the first Korean woman nominated for best supporting actress.

Yuh-jung Youn won the best supporting actress Oscar, but Yeun can only claim the nomination this year.

Most Oscar-nominated Black actress: Viola Davis became the most Oscar-nominated Black actress ever for her work on Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. This was her fourth nomination; however, she lost the trophy to Frances McDormand. 

Representation for Muslim actors: Riz Ahmed was the first Muslim actor to be nominated as best actor for his turn in Sound of Metal. Mahershala Ali won two awards before this year but in the supporting actor category. He won for Moonlight in 2017 and Green Book in 2019. Ahmed did not receive the award.

Age Representation: At 83, Anthony Hopkins is the oldest best actor nominee in Oscar history for The Father. Richard Farnsworth held that title since 2000 when he was nominated at the age of 79 for The Straight Story.

Hopkins won the best actor Oscar for his turn in The Father, beating out the late Chadwick Boseman who was nominated for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Here is the complete list of Academy Award winners

Best Actor
Anthony Hopkins
The Father

Best Actress
Frances McDormand
Nomadland

Best Picture
Nomadland
Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers

Music (Original Song)
“Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah
Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas

Music (Original Score)
Soul
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste

Film Editing
Sound of Metal
Mikkel E. G. Nielsen

Cinematography
Mank
Erik Messerschmidt

Production Design
Mank
Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale

Actress in a Supporting Role
Yuh-Jung Youn
Minari

Visual Effects
Tenet
Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher

Documentary Feature
My Octopus Teacher
Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster

Documentary Short Subject
Colette
Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard

Animated Feature Film
Soul
Pete Docter and Dana Murray

Animated Short Film
If Anything Happens I Love You
Will McCormack and Michael Govier

Live Action Short Film
Two Distant Strangers
Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe

Sound
Sound of Metal
Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michelle Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh

Directing
Nomadland
Chloé Zhao

Costume Design
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Ann Roth

Makeup and Hairstyling
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson

Actor in a Supporting Role
Daniel Kaluuya
Judas and the Black Messiah

International Feature Film
Another Round
Denmark

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Father
Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Promising Young Woman
Written by Emerald Fennell