Penélope Cruz is positioned to potentially receive multiple Academy Award nominations this season for her roles in three films: “La Bola Negra,” “The Invite,” and “Bunker.” A recent rule change by the Academy allows actors to receive two nominations in the same category, making this a possibility for Cruz.
Cruz previously won an Oscar in 2008 for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” becoming the first Spanish actress to win an acting Oscar. This year, she has roles in three films already generating awards buzz. “La Bola Negra,” a Federico García Lorca-inspired epic, garnered a near-record ovation at Cannes and was acquired by Netflix. While her role is a cameo as a bawdy cabaret singer, critics are already calling it a scene-stealer.
In Olivia Wilde’s A24 comedy “The Invite,” Cruz appears opposite Edward Norton in another scene-stealing part. Her third potential route to an Oscar is through “Bunker,” directed by Florian Zeller, who also directed “The Father.” Zeller wrote “Bunker” specifically for Cruz and her husband, Javier Bardem, centering on a 17-year marriage. Sony Pictures Classics is planning a lead actress campaign for Cruz and a best actor campaign for Bardem.
The Academy’s recent change to its nomination rules—allowing performers to land two nominations in the same category if both performances finish among the top five in nominations voting—creates a unique situation. Previously, the lower vote-getter would have been excluded. This rule change makes Cruz the “marquee test case,” as Variety previously predicted when the rule was altered. The potential for vote splitting exists, which could hinder her chances if support is divided between films, but concentrating support on one film could be seen as a safer strategy.
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