Lady Gaga and Sam Smith could find themselves halfway to an EGOT on February 28th. Both artists, already Grammy winners, have been nominated for Oscars for Best Original Song. Meanwhile, The Weeknd, who is nominated for multiple Grammys, has also received a nomination in that category.
Gaga’s nod is for “Til It Happens to You,” the song she co-wrote with Diane Warren for the documentary The Hunting Ground. Sam’s is for “Writing’s on the Wall,” his theme from SPECTRE, which just won a Golden Globe. The Weeknd got a nod for “Earned It,” from Fifty Shades of Grey. Surprisingly, “See You Again,” from Furious 7, did not get nominated, despite topping the charts for 12 weeks and receiving a Golden Globe nod.
The Hunting Ground is about rape on college campuses. Gaga herself has spoken about being raped when she was 19, while Warren has said she was a victim of sexual abuse as a child. In a statement posted on Twitter, Gaga wrote, “This nomination lends a voice to victims and survivors all over the world. Thank you to THE ACADEMY for recognizing the movement of people who have come together around THE HUNTING GROUND and “Til It Happens To You” in the name of sexual assault. Diane Warren and I are simply honored to represent the voices of so many survivors.”
Warren released a statement saying, “I am so excited about this nomination for my song ‘Til It Happens To You.’ It means a lot to Lady Gaga and me that the song has been recognized by the Academy and has also resonated so deeply with survivors of sexual assault, giving a voice to this movement as well as comfort and empowerment to those who have experienced any difficult situation in their lives.” This is Warren’s eighth Oscar nomination.
Sam Smith posted a photo of himself on Instagram doing a double face palm, with the caption, “This is my Oscar Nomination face. Unreal. Freaking out. Thank you Academy – Thank You Thank You Thank You.” He also released a statement in which he said, ‘I am sitting in a coffee shop with my mum and just found out I have an Oscar Nomination. Feeling very overwhelmed and just can’t believe it. Better pick out a gown. Thank you to The Academy for this incredible honor and recognition.”
The other nominations in the category are “Manta Ray,” from the documentary Racing Extinction, and “Simple Song #3,” from the movie Youth.
Other music-related nominations include the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, nominated for Best Original Screenplay, and Amy and What Happened, Miss Simone?, two documentaries about, respectively, the late Amy Winehouse and the late Nina Simone, which are up for Best Documentary Feature.
The Oscars will be handed out on ABC February 28. Chris Rock is the host.
