Everything Everywhere All At Once directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka Daniels, have the perfect response to the film’s Oscar nominations. Released last spring to rave reviews from critics, Everything Everywhere All At Once tells the story of Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh), a laundromat owner, who embarks on a multiverse-hopping adventure in order to save the world. Also starring Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the film would go on to perform well at the box office, earning over $104 million worldwide. With the announcement of the nominees for the 2023 Academy Awards, Everything Everywhere All At Once has surprised yet again, earning 11 nominations in total for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Original Screenplay, and more.
Following the announcement of the 2023 Oscars nominations, Daniels have taken to Twitter to share a perfect response to Everything Everywhere All At Once‘s impressive Academy recognition.
Although the directors’ post doesn’t include a caption, the use of a GIF of Yeoh as Evelyn asking, “What is happening?” clearly sums up the filmmakers’ feelings. Everything Everywhere All At Once has seemed like a likely candidate for Best Picture for a while now, but, perhaps surprisingly, the film shows up in a host of other major categories, both above and below the line.
Is Everything Everywhere All At Once The Strongest Contender For Best Picture?
The race for Best Picture currently features ten films, including All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fabelmans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, and Women Talking. The favorites to win right now seem to be The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans, and Everything Everywhere All At Once, all three of which are highly acclaimed. Directed by Hollywood favorite Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans is certainly a safe choice for Best Picture, especially considering the film deals heavily with his childhood and explores the origins of his desire to make films.
That being said, both The Banshees of Inisherin and Everything Everywhere All At Once could definitely nab the award as well. Daniels’ multiverse film generated buzz online before it was even released due to the critical response, and it was a surprise in terms of its box office performance. The film came at a time when the future of smaller-budgeted movies was looking particularly bleak and, crucially, it has a feel-good story, which is in contrast with The Banshees of Inisherin, which is darker. Everything Everywhere All At Once‘s strong emotional component is really held together primarily by Yeoh’s performance, and the passion for the actor and her incredible career could also help the movie earn Best Picture.
Asian Americans Getting Major Representation At Oscars 2023
While it’s unclear if it will win Best Picture with so many strong contenders, Everything Everywhere All At Once not only represents a significant film due to its maximalist filmmaking style and touching storyline but also because it puts an Asian American family front and center. Unfortunately, Asian Americans are still a significantly under-represented group in Hollywood, especially those who are middle-aged or older. Yeoh, who is 60 years old, earned near-universal praise for her role as Evelyn in Everything Everywhere All At Once, and the actor’s Oscars nomination marks an important step forward. Yeoh isn’t the only Asian American actor from the film to be nominated, however, with Quan nabbing a Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination and Hsu earning a Best Actress in A Supporting Role nomination.
