• Actress Wunmi Mosakuand director Kaouther Ben Haniarepresent Africa among contenders at the 2026 Oscars.
• Mosaku received a nomination for Best Supporting Actressfor Sinners, while Ben Hania competes for Best International Feature Filmwith The Voice of Hind Rajab.
• Only two African actresses — Charlize Theronand Lupita Nyong’o — have previously won acting Oscars.

The Academy Awards, which have honored film professionals annually since 1929, will announce the winners of the 2026 edition on Sunday, March 15 at the Dolby Theatrein Los Angeles.

The ceremony will see the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) formally crown the winners across its categories. During a month that celebrates women, many African film enthusiasts hope the continent will again appear on the awards list.

Two prominent women from Africa are competing this year. Nigerian-born British actress Wunmi Mosakuhas received a nomination for Best Supporting Actressfor her role in Sinners. Meanwhile, Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Haniais competing in the Best International Feature Filmcategory with The Voice of Hind Rajab.

Tunisian Director and Screenwriter Kaouther Ben Hania

The Chances of an African Victory at the Oscars

Mosaku described the personal meaning of her role in an interview relayed by OkayAfrica. “The research for the role of Annie allowed me to reconnect with a part of myself and my origins, and that resonated very deeply with me,” she said. She added: “I have been taking Yoruba lessons for five years, and finally, in the last six months, the language has begun to anchor itself in me. I felt so connected. I felt so inspired. This character reminded me of my origins, my duty and my reason for being in this lineage, and where it could lead me.”

Mosaku was born in 1986 in Zariain northern Nigeria. She moved early to Manchesterin United Kingdomand graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The public first noticed her performance in 2009 in the television series Moses Jones. Seven years later, she won the Best Supporting Actressprize at the BAFTA TV Awardsfor her performance in Damilola, Our Loved Boy.

She later appeared in the Lokiseries in 2024 before playing Annie in Sinners, a film directed by Ryan Cooglerand released in 2025. Her career trajectory strengthens her chances against fellow nominees Amy Madigan, Teyana Taylor, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning.

The film Sinnershas also attracted significant attention this year. The production has received 16 Oscar nominations, surpassing the previous record shared by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land.

Wunmi Mosaku attending BAFTA Film Awards

Director Kaouther Ben Haniaalso enters the race as a strong candidate. Her film The Voice of Hind Rajabpresents an emotional narrative that echoes geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The film recounts the true story of the killing of a child on January 29, 2024 during the war in Gaza Strip.

French magazine Le Nouvel Obswrote that the film highlights “these human tragedies, cruel and absurd, that Gaza regularly experiences since the Israeli military response to the attacks of October 7, 2023.” In February, the film received the “Most Valuable Film”award at the Cinema for Peace Awards, which took place on the sidelines of the Berlin International Film Festival. Ben Hania declined the prize after delivering a speech in which she denounced what she described as a “genocide” in Gaza.

African representation among Oscar winners remains limited. Only two actresses born in Africa have previously won acting Oscars. South African actress Charlize Theronwon the award in 2004 for her role in Monster. Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’olater won in 2014 for her performance in 12 Years a Slave. Meanwhile, the 2026 edition of the Oscars features 24 award categories, a record number following the addition of a new Best Castingcategory.

This article was initially published in French by Ubrick F. Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum