Yoo Tae-oh Recommended as a Leading Figure
NYT's Own List Observes Positive Factors
15 Years Unknown → Global Star... "Excellent" High Praise
The New York Times (NYT) has strongly recommended Korean actor Yoo Tae-oh as a leading contender for the Best Supporting Actor category at the 96th Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2024. Yoo Tae-oh, who appeared in the film Past Lives directed by Korean-Canadian director Celine Song, received acclaim after being invited to the competition sections of both the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival last year.
On the 5th (local time), NYT released a list of films and actors it deemed qualified to be nominated in major categories for the 2024 Oscars. This list was independently compiled by NYT and is unrelated to the official Academy Awards. However, since it was published by the influential NYT ahead of the voting, it is expected to draw attention from local experts.
On this list, Yoo Tae-oh was named in the Best Supporting Actor category. NYT film critic Alissa Wilkinson described Yoo Tae-oh as "excellent," the only one among the four candidates. Wilkinson also recommended Past Lives for Best Picture.
The film Past Lives tells the story of two men and women reunited in New York after more than 20 years. After receiving praise at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year, it was invited to compete at the Berlin International Film Festival. In November, it won Best Picture at the Gotham Awards, an independent film and drama award held in New York.
Actors Yoo Tae-oh (from left), Korean-Canadian director Celine Song, American actors Greta Lee and John Magaro of "Past Lives," which was selected for the competition section of the Berlin International Film Festival. [Photo by AFP]
Earlier, Past Lives was already nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, and Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards held this month.
Academy members will begin voting on the nominees for each category of the 96th Academy Awards starting on the 11th. The final nominee list will be announced on the 23rd, and the ceremony will take place on March 10 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (LA).
After 15 years of obscurity, Yoo Tae-oh gained recognition in 2018 by starring in the Russian film Leto (directed by Kirill Serebrennikov).
His wife, photographer Nikki Lee, once shared on a broadcast, "I spent all the money I earned supporting my husband for 10 years. His period of obscurity was long. I thought he would make it in three years, but he didn’t. After 5 to 6 years, I felt a sense of crisis. But after 7 to 8 years, I wondered if this would last forever, so I let go mentally." Despite this, she introduced their story by saying, "I didn’t let him work part-time jobs for the sake of Yoo Tae-oh’s youthful image." This belief has shone through in Yoo Tae-oh’s current success.
In an interview last year, Yoo Tae-oh said, "My role models are Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. They not only act but also develop content, co-produce with partners, and nurture their futures. That is my goal."
Since then, Yoo Tae-oh has been actively building his own position as an actor. He has appeared in films such as Leto, Black Money, New Year’s Eve, and Decision to Leave. On TV, he has participated in Netflix Korea’s Love Revolution, School Nurse Ahn Eun-young, as well as Money Game, Vagabond, Arthdal Chronicles, and Chocolate.
Recently, Yoo Tae-oh confirmed his lead role in Season 2 of the Netflix US series The Recruit, resuming his global activities. Having consecutively won Best Picture at the Gotham Awards and Best New Film at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, which mark the start of the Oscar season, attention is focused on whether he can continue this winning streak all the way to the Oscars.
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