Scarlett Johansson can currently be seen as a peppy marketing specialist who becomes involved with the uptight NASA director (Channing Tatum) overseeing the Apollo 11 launch. The film is the period romantic comedy “Fly Me to the Moon,” which just landed in cinemas.
Well, here’s something that should send the actress over the moon. Statistically speaking, there’s a high probability of an Academy Award nomination (and perhaps even a win) in her future. You may think that I’m reaching for the stars on this one, so allow me to explain.
When the nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced in January 2020, Johansson became the 12th (and most recent) actor to be cited in both the leading and supporting categories in the same year. The former came for her role as an actress undergoing a bitter divorce in “Marriage Story,” while the latter was for her portrayal of an anti-Nazi German mother during World War II in “Jojo Rabbit.” It was her first time competing at the Oscars, but she went home empty-handed. (Renee Zellweger was named 2019’s Best Actress for “Judy,” while Johansson’s “Marriage Story” co-star Laura Dern was selected as Best Supporting Actress.)
However, there may be a silver lining for Scarlett. Of the 11 performers who previously reaped dual acting bids in a single year, all 11 have something in common.
A. They were victorious in one of their two contests.
B. They had previously won an Oscar or would go on to win one in the future.
C. They earned at least one other Oscar nomination at some point in their career.
SEE Oscar Best Supporting Actress gallery: Every winner in Academy Award history
Here’s a quick recap of those magnificent 11, and which of the above groups that they fall into. (Note that I’ll place each actor in only one group — even if they technically qualify for two or even three. And A over B, and B over C.)
1. Fay Bainter, 1938 Best Supporting Actress winner for “Jezebel” / Best Actress nominee for “White Banners.” (A)
2. Teresa Wright, 1942 Best Supporting Actress winner for “Mrs. Miniver” / Best Actress nominee for “The Pride of the Yankees.” (A)
3. Barry Fitzgerald, 1944 Best Supporting Actor winner for “Going My Way” / Best Actor nominee for the same film. (A)
4. Jessica Lange, 1982 Best Supporting Actress winner for “Tootsie” / Best Actress nominee for “Frances.” (A)
5. Sigourney Weaver, 1988 Best Actress nominee for “Gorillas in the Mist” / Best Supporting Actress nominee for “Working Girl.” (C – she was previously nominated for Best Actress of 1986 for “Aliens”)
6. Al Pacino, 1992 Best Actor winner for “Scent of a Woman” / Best Supporting Actor nominee for “Glengarry Glen Ross.” (A)
7. Holly Hunter, 1993 Best Actress winner for “The Piano” / Best Supporting Actress nominee for “The Firm.” (A)
8. Emma Thompson, 1993 Best Actress nominee for “The Remains of the Day” / Best Supporting Actress nominee for “In the Name of the Father.” (B – she won Best Actress of 1992 for “Howards End”)
9. Julianne Moore, 2002 Best Actress nominee for “Far from Heaven” / Best Supporting Actress nominee for “The Hours.” (B – she won Best Actress of 2014 for “Still Alice”)
10. Jamie Foxx, 2004 Best Actor winner for “Ray” / Best Supporting Actor nominee for “Collateral.” (A)
11. Cate Blanchett, 2007 Best Actress nominee for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” / Best Supporting Actress nominee for “I’m Not There.” (B – she won Best Supporting Actress of 2004 for “The Aviator” and would later win Best Actress of 2013 for “Blue Jasmine”)
So getting back to Scarlett, Oscar history suggests that a third nomination (and possibly even a trophy) awaits her. And again, that’s because there’s never been a double acting loser who didn’t win an Oscar at some point or contend at least one other time. (At least, not in the first 90 years of the Academy Awards.)
It may not come for “Fly Me to the Moon,” but watch for a future film to lift up Johansson on another mission to the Oscars.
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