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Indigenous and Native Academy Award Winners and Nominees

Indigenous filmmakers, crew members and performers who have been nominated for, and/or won, Academy Awards. Films are listed in chronological order, with the most recent first. This list was created based on available information and self-identification—let us know in the comments who we’re missing.

Notes of interest:
• Wes Studi is the first and only Indigenous person to be awarded an Honorary Award.
• Three winners: Taika Waititi (for best adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit), Hammond Peek (for his sound work on King Kong and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King), and Buffy Sainte-Marie (for best original song, ‘Up Where We Belong’).
• Keisha Castle-Hughes was, at the time of her nomination for Whale Rider, the youngest ever nominee in the category for Best Actress. Like Castle-Hughes, Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) and Jocelyne LaGarde (Hawaii) were nominated for their debut performances. It was LaGarde’s only screen performance.

Read notes
  • Jojo Rabbit
  • Roma
  • Babel
  • King Kong
  • Two Cars, One Night
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  • Whale Rider
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Dances with Wolves
  • Pathfinder
  • The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo
  • An Officer and a Gentleman
  • Little Big Man
  • Hawaii