Rafu Wire Service and Staff Reports
The hit Japanese film “Kokuho” was nominated for best makeup and hairstyling in this year’s Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Jan. 22.
The kabuki-themed film, directed by Lee Sang Il and released in last June, was among five films to advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 98th Academy Awards after being shortlisted last month.
Also nominated for best makeup and hairstyling were “Frankenstein,” “Sinners,” “The Smashing Machine” and “The Ugly Stepsister.”
“Kokuho” fell short of nomination for the International Feature Film category. Brazil, France, Norway, Spain and Tunisia were represented.
Based on a book of the same title by Shuichi Yoshida, the film depicts the human drama and love-hate relationships in the world of kabuki, exploring whether talent or belonging to an acting dynasty, by birth or adoption, is more important.
“Kokuho,” which means “national treasure,” has broken records to become the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film while rekindling public interest in live kabuki.
The awards will be presented on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Most recently, in 2024, “Perfect Days,” directed by Wim Wenders and starring veteran Japanese actor Koji Yakusho as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, was nominated in the best international feature film category but did not win.
In that category, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which depicts a widowed stage director navigating waves of grief following the sudden death of his wife, won the Oscar in 2022. Based on Haruki Murakami’s short story of the same name, the film starred Hidetoshi Nakajima.
“K-Pop Demon Hunters” was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film along with “Arco,” “Elio,” “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” and “Zootopia 2.”
“Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” was nominated for Original Song along with “Dear Me” from “Diane Warren: Relentless,” “I Lied to You” from “Sinners,” “Sweet Dreams of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!” and the theme from “Train Dreams.”
“Hamnet,” Chloe Zhao’s drama about William Shakespeare and his wife mourning the death of their 11-year-old son, received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director, which Zhao won for “Nomadland” (2018). Also nominated in that category are Josh Safdie for “Marty Supreme,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another,” Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value” and Ryan Coogler for “Sinners.”
The nominees for Best Picture are “Hamnet,” “Sinners,” “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Frankenstein,” “Marty Supreme,””One Battle After Another,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value” and “Train Dreams.”
“Hamnet” was also nominated for Adapted Screenplay (Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell), Best Actress (Jessie Buckley), Casting, Costume Design, Original Score, and Production Design. Paul Mescal, who played Shakespeare, was notably absent from the Best Actor category.
Last year, Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” received 10 nominations — including Best Picture, Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role (Cynthia Erivo) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Ariana Grande) — and won Best Achievement in Production Design and Best Achievement in Costume Design. However, the sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” also directed by Chu, was completely shut out this year.
Park Chan-wook’s dark comedy “No Other Choice,” which has received Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations, was also shut out from the Oscars.