Theatre News

La La Land breaks record for most Oscar nominations for a musical film

The musical has been nominated a record-breaking 14 times

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land
© Summit Entertainment

Hit musical film La La Land, which has lyrics by Dogfight writing duo Pasek and Paul, has been nominated for a record-breaking 14 Academy Awards, including Best Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Picture, and two nominations for Best Original Song.

The film, which tells the story of aspiring actress Mia (played by Emma Stone) and jazz musician Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), was released in the UK earlier this month and has received critical acclaim with Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian calling it a "musical masterpiece".

La La Land now becomes the most nominated musical film in Oscars history, surpassing the previous record holder Mary Poppins, which received 13 nominations. It is now also equal with All About Eve (1950) and Titanic (1997) for most nominations for a single film.

Elsewhere in the nominations, Andrew Garfield, who is to appear at the National Theatre in Angels in America in April was nominated for Best Actor for Hacksaw Ridge. The big screen adaptation of August Wilson's Fences also got in on the action with nominations for the film's leading couple, Denzel Washington and Viola Davis – who also led the 2010 Broadway revival of the play.

Hamilton composer Lin-Manuel Miranda was also nominated in the Best Original Song for "How Far I'll Go" from Disney's Moana, setting him up to claim the PEGOT – winning the Pulitzer Prize, and Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards.

Winners of the 89th Academy Awards will be announced at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on 26 February.