Baz Luhrmann’s film Elvis and ABC television series Mystery Road: Origin have swept this year’s Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (Aacta) awards, leading the way with 15 nominations each.
Luhrmann’s musical biopic is nominated for best film, against Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife and George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing – which both have 13 nominations – as well as Thomas M Wright’s The Stranger, anthology film Here Out West and horror comedy Sissy.
Luhrmann is also nominated for best director, while actors Austin Butler, Tom Hanks and Olivia DeJonge are up for acting gongs. Other nominations include costuming, cinematography, production design, editing, score, screenplay and sound.
In the best actor in film category, Butler is up against Rob Collins for his performance The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, Joel Edgerton in The Stranger, Idris Elba in Three Thousand Years of Longing and Damon Herriman in the comedy Nude Tuesday.
As well as direction, Purcell is nominated for best actress in a film for her performance in The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, against Aisha Dee in Sissy, 15-year-old Julia Savage in Blaze, Tilda Swinton in Three Thousand Years of Longing and Jackie van Beek in Nude Tuesday.
In the television categories, Mystery Road: Origin, the ABC’s prequel series to the hit outback detective show, has been nominated for best drama series and five nominations across the four acting categories, with Mark Coles Smith, Tuuli Narkle, Daniel Henshall, Steve Bisley and Hayley McElhinney all in the running.
Foxtel drama series Love Me and The Twelve have 10 nominations each, while Netflix hit Heartbreak High has seven nominations, including best actor for James Majoos, just after the show was renewed for a second season.
In the best reality program category are Amazing Race Australia, Australian Survivor: Blood v Water, Luxe Listings Sydney, MasterChef Australia, I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! and The Bridge in the race for the 2022 Aacta award for best reality program.
And in best entertainment program, regular nominees Lego Masters Australia, The Voice Australia and Mastermind are up against The Dog House Australia, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under and Eurovision: Australia Decides.
The Aactas span film and television, entertainment and factual programming. Held annually in Sydney, the main ceremony will be broadcast on Network 10 on 7 December.
Formerly known as the AFI awards, the Aactas were first held in 1958.
Aacta award nominees 2022
For the full list, head here
Film
Best film
Elvis
Here Out West
Sissy
The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson
The Stranger
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Best direction
Elvis – Baz Luhrmann
Sissy – Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes
The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson – Leah Purcell
The Stranger – Thomas M Wright
Three Thousand Years of Longing – George Miller
Best indie film
A Stitch In Time
Akoni
Darklands
Lonesome
Pieces
Smoke Between Trees
Best lead actor
Austin Butler – Elvis
Rob Collins – The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson
Joel Edgerton – The Stranger
Idris Elba – Three Thousand Years of Longing
Damon Herriman – Nude Tuesday
Best lead actress
Aisha Dee – Sissy
Leah Purcell – The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
Julia Savage – Blaze
Tilda Swinton – Three Thousand Years of Longing
Jackie van Beek – Nude Tuesday
Best supporting actor
Simon Baker – Blaze
Jemaine Clement – Nude Tuesday
Malachi Dower-Roberts – The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson
Tom Hanks – Elvis
Sean Harris – The Stranger
Best supporting actress
Jada Alberts – The Stranger
Jessica De Gouw – The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson
Olivia DeJonge – Elvis
Joanna Lumley – Falling For Figaro
Yael Stone – Blaze
Television
Best documentary or factual program
Books That Made Us
Burning
Fearless: The Inside Story Of The AFLW
Miriam Margolyes: Australia Unmasked
People’s Republic of Mallacoota
The Family Court Murders
Best drama series
Bump
Heartbreak High
Love Me
Mystery Road: Origin
The Tourist
Wolf Like Me
Best lead actor in a drama
Mark Coles Smith – Mystery Road: Origin
Jamie Dornan – The Tourist
James Majoos – Heartbreak High
Sam Neill – The Twelve
Hugo Weaving – Love Me
Best lead actress in a drama
Isla Fisher – Wolf Like Me
Claudia Karvan – Bump
Kate Mulvany – The Twelve
Tuuli Narkle – Mystery Road: Origin
Bojana Novakovic – Love Me
Best miniseries
Barons
Savage River
The Twelve
True Colours
Underbelly: Vanishing Act
Best children’s program
Bluey
First Day
Little J & Big Cuz
MaveriX
Rock Island Mysteries
The PM’s Daughter
Best comedy program
Aftertaste
Five Bedrooms
Hard Quiz
Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell
Spicks and Specks
Summer Love
Best reality program
Amazing Race Australia
Australian Survivor: Blood v Water
I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!
Luxe Listings Sydney
MasterChef Australia
The Bridge
