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Cover photo: FilmNation Entertainment
Russian actor Yura Borisov has been nominated for an Academy Award in the category of “Best Supporting Actor” for his role in the film Anora, directed by Sean Baker. The relatively unknown actor is the first Russian to earn an Oscar nomination in a performance category since 1977.
As highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, the last Russian nominated for an Academy Award in an acting category was Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1977 for his role in The Turning Point. The last to win was Lila Kedrova in 1964 for Zorba the Greek.
Borisov was earlier nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his role in Anora. The Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor was ultimately awarded to Kieran Culkin, with winners of the BAFTA awards set to be announced on Feb. 16.
Also competing for the Oscar in Borisov’s category are Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice).
The Academy Award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Mar. 2.
While the nomination recognizes Borisov’s performance in the critically acclaimed dark comedy, it has drawn criticism from Ukrainian media outlets and film professionals due to his past connections to Russian state-sponsored projects and his silence on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Borisov is notably present on Ukraine’s Myrotvorets (lit. “Peacemaker”) list for allegedly supporting Russian aggression. Myrotvorets is a website that publishes a running list of people who are considered by the authors of the website to be “enemies of Ukraine,” or, as the website itself states — “whose actions have signs of crimes against the national security of Ukraine, peace, human security, and the international law.”
His inclusion was explained by his appearance in the biographical film Kalashnikov, which portrays the inventor of the AK-47. Part of the film, which came out in 2020, was shot in Crimea following Russia's 2014 annexation of the peninsula. The annexation, deemed illegal under international law, resulted in Russia's expulsion from the G8 and the implementation of international sanctions.