Belfast stars Dame Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds land Oscar nominations

By Laura Harding, PA Deputy Entertainment Editor

Ciaran Hinds and Dame Judi Dench have both landed Oscar nominations for their performances in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical film Belfast.

The black-and-white film, inspired by Sir Kenneth’s childhood in Northern Ireland, has also landed the filmmaker an original screenplay nomination.

Hinds, who was born in Belfast, is nominated in the best supporting actor category alongside The Power Of The Dog’s Kodi Smit-McPhee and his co-star Jesse Plemons, Troy Kotsur for Coda, and JK Simmons for Being The Ricardos.

Dame Judi is nominated for the best supporting actress prize alongside Irish actress Jessie Buckley for The Lost Daughter, Ariana DeBose for West Side Story, Aunjanue Ellis for King Richard, and Kirsten Dunst for The Power Of The Dog.

The Oscar nominations are being announced by Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Jordan.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Will Smith, Olivia Colman and Lady Gaga are among the stars tipped to land nominations in the leading actor and actress categories.

The 94th Oscars will take place on March 27 in Los Angeles.

(From Top Left to Bottom Right: Olivia Coleman, Dame Judi Dench, Jessie Buckley, Ciaran Hinds, Andrew Garfield and Benedict Cumberbatch)