The 2018 Maza Awards have come and gone, with The Best Actress winner again going to Viola Davis in Black Panther. But what of the best actor & lead actress nominees? Let’s find out. Which actors are up for Best Actor & Best Actress in a Motion Pictures Release? Let’s see… Black Panther Oscar winner Chadwick Boseman is nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama and also faces off against four other outstanding bachelors: Sebastian Stan, Mahershala Ali, Daniel Kaluuzy & Barry{“}Kemal Operaanse. Here’s everything you need to know!
Chadwick Boseman
It’s difficult to choose just one from the best actor and best actress nominees, but we’ll do our best. The good news is that there are some really good options. In fact, there are seven nominees for best actor and four for best actress, making for a pretty good range. This year’s cast includes Boseman as the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, Michael B. Jordan as Zuri, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia. The only thing that makes Boseman’s list Screaming into the Blackout stand out is the fact that he’s nominated for best supporting actor.
Mahershala Ali
The award for best supporting actor goes to Mahershala Ali, who also received recognition for his performance in Kung Fu. The 50 Shades of Black actor is a solid choice for best supporting actor in a motion picture, thanks in large part to his role in The Great Wall, which earned him an action star credentials. The Great Wall, which also stars Cate Blanchett and Gary Oldman, tells the compelling story of a family trying to survive in the mountains of central Asia. Mahershala Ali gets the nod for his performance in The Great Wall, which also starred Idris Elba, Zooey Deschanel, and OLLA O’Connell.
Sebastian Stan
A lot of people are going to look at Sebastian Stan’s starring role in Black Panther and immediately assume that he’s going to win the award for best lead actor. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. In fact, the only other African-American actor on this list is Jay Baruchel, who also starred in Black Panther. Baruchel is nominated for best supporting actor for his role as a aging ex-soldier who now works as a bodyguard for King T’Challa.
Daniel Kaluuzy
It’s not just Kaluuzy who is nominated for best supporting actor for his role as an unemployed ex-soldier who now works as an “Uncaged” in the King Kull organization. The supporting cast also features Edgar Wright, non-black actors of color in the lead roles: the duo of Mindy Kaling and Shillegal, who play sisters Eman and Mala Kaling. Mindy Kaling plays a beautiful older couple who are coping with the loss of their child; Shillegal is cast as a streetwise drug addict who has turned to acting to make a living; and Kaling plays a single mother who has raised five kids by herself.
Barry K. Thomas
It’s not just black actors that are nominated for best supporting actor in a motion picture. In fact, the only other black nominees are Barry K. Thomas and Mahershala Ali. The former played an American general in War Horse, while the latter is nominated for best supporting actor for his role in The Great Gatsby. Thomas is also an accomplished poet and a vocal advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
The Next Big Thing: Black Panther
In many ways, the best thing about Black Panther is that it doesn’t even have to be a major motion picture to be considered for Best Director. Kata Dixiel, one of the most accomplished filmmaker industry veterans, is nominated for best director for giving the best declaration of war in cinema. Dixiel’s film is about a group of African-American scientists who debate whether it’s possible to create a new kind of warfare using chemicals, biological weapons, and even light-up fans.
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama: Viola Davis
The Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama award goes to Viola Davis for Black Panther. The film follows T’Chaka, a king who learned of his heroism during the time of slavery, who comes to his death in an effort to spread the word. T’Chaka is the only black person in the top-tier film industry, and his death toll is a major reason why so many black people can’t get a break in Hollywood. The film is nominated for many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture and several winning awards, including six awards for acting as well as the award for visual effects.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture: Chadwick Boseman
The only other black actor nominated for best actor in a motion picture is Chadwick Boseman, and the reason why he’s not on the list is that the film he’s nominated for, Black Panther, is a black-themed drama. Boseman plays King T’Challa, an African American who has returned to his native Africa in an effort to spread the word about his great-grandfather, the Black Panther. The only other black person to win the award for best actor is Will Smith in Cop Land.
Final Words
The 2018 Maza Awards have been a great year for cinema and television actors. Let’s see who is up for the best actor and actress in a motion picture in the coming year. You can find out who the nominees will be for the best actor and best actress in a motion picture in the official Maza 2018 website.
