The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has introduced Casting as a new competitive category for the Academy Awards, marking the first addition to the Oscars in more than 25 years. The first-ever nominees for the award were announced on Thursday ahead of the 2026 ceremony.
Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman revealed the inaugural shortlist, bringing the total number of competitive Oscar categories to 24.
The nominees for Best Casting at the 2026 Academy Awards are Nina Gold for Hamnet, Jennifer Venditti for Marty Supreme, Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another, Gabriel Domingues for The Secret Agent, and Francine Maisler for Sinners.
The Academy first announced the creation of the Casting award in February 2024, following years of advocacy by casting professionals who argued that casting plays a crucial creative role in shaping a film’s success.
The category will recognise excellence in assembling acting ensembles, a contribution long viewed as fundamental but previously unacknowledged by the Oscars.
Nominees were selected by the Academy’s Casting Directors Branch, which was established in 2013 and now includes nearly 160 members. The branch represents casting professionals across film, television, and theatre and has pushed for greater recognition of their craft within the Academy.
The introduction of the Casting category is the first expansion of the Oscars since Best Animated Feature Film was added in 2001. Earlier additions include the Makeup and Hairstyling category, which debuted in 1982.
The Academy has also confirmed plans to introduce another new category, Achievement in Stunt Design, which is scheduled to make its debut at the 2028 Academy Awards.
The move reflects the Academy’s broader effort to modernise the Oscars and acknowledge a wider range of creative contributions to filmmaking. With the announcement of the first nominees, casting professionals will, for the first time, take centre stage at Hollywood’s most prestigious awards ceremony.
