LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The nominations for the 3rd Annual Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA) Awards have been announced with “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Nomadland” leading.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” by director George C. Wolfe, earned 10 nominations including best picture, best actor for Chadwick Boseman, best actress for Viola Davis, best-supporting actor for Colman Domingo, the best-adapted screenplay for Ruben Santiago-Hudson, best ensemble casting, best production and set design, best costume design, best hair and makeup and best sound.
Chlo? Zhao received the most individual nominations for directing, writing, producing and editing Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland,” the most for any woman in the history of LEJA. Jayro Bustamante was nominated for best picture, director, original screenplay and international feature for “La Llorona.”
Netflix led the studio tally with a total of 42 nominations, and Amazon Studios nabbed an impressive 14 total.
“It’s been an extremely difficult year for our industry and our Latinx community,” said LEJA Founder and President Clayton Davis. “While we are honored to highlight the stunning achievements from this cinematic year, our underserved and undervalued people have faced unprecedented challenges. The beautiful and extraordinary films are pieces of art and we share in their celebration. It’s also incredibly important that the same diversity we are beginning to see in our entertainment medium be adopted in the journalism industry. It is the responsibility of the studios, and their partner publications to seek, hire and welcome more Latinx voices onto the pages of their magazines and websites. Another vibrant and inclusive year is ahead of us, and we hope to no longer be overlooked.”
It was also announced that Academy Award nominee Rosie Perez is the recipient of the 2021 Rita Moreno Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2021 Latino Activism Award, the first person to receive both prizes in the same year. Perez had a starring role in Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey” from earlier in 2020.
Breakout performer Ariana DeBose will be honoured with the 2021 Latino Activism Award after starring in Disney Plus’ “Hamilton” and Netflix’s “The Prom.”
The winners will be announced via the @LEJALatino social platforms on Sunday, March 7, beginning at 12:00 PM ET.
The full list of nominations are below.
Best Picture “I Carry You with Me” (Sony Pictures Classics) – Mynette Louie, Heidi Ewing, Gabriela Maire, Edher Campos
“Judas and the Black Messiah” (Warner Bros) – Ryan Coogler, Charles D. King, Shaka King