Sinners star Wunmi Mosaku reacts to her (pleasantly surprising) Oscars acting nomination: "I didn't know the industry could be so gentle and kind"

Sinners just made history as the most nominated movie ever at the Academy Awards, following the Oscars 2026 nominations announcement, with Wunmi Mosaku becoming a first-time nominee in the Best Supporting Actress category. The star reacted to the announcement, saying she "can't believe it" and praising the character created by Ryan Coogler.

"It's such a beautiful continuation of this journey that I have described as magical from the moment I met with Ryan. From the moment I read the first scene, I felt so in love with Annie and Smoke," she told Gold Derby. "I feel like I've grown so much through all the lessons I've learned through Annie from doing the research, from feeling connected to my ancestry and my ancestors and my purpose and my culture, and this woman from Louisiana has taught me so much about myself. So it just feels really beautiful."

"To me, the film was a perfectly written script, and it was such a perfect experience. I felt joyful going to work. I felt joyful coming home. I felt like I was a better mom. I felt like I was a better actor, better partner, a better person, and then to have it be loved by the audience, that they showed up so much and really showed out for us, it showed us so much love and support. It's been a really beautiful journey," she added.

Regarding her Oscar nomination, the Loki star said: "I can't believe it. I didn't know that this industry could be so gentle and kind in moments. So it feels really nice to have the whole cast and crew get their flowers, especially Delroy [Lindo] and Michael [B. Jordan] and Ryan and the whole technical crew. It just feels amazing."

Sinners earned 16 nominations at this year's Oscars, breaking the record previously held by All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land. Along with Mosaku's nomination, the vampire horror film is up for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Jordan), Best Supporting Actor (Delroy Lindo), Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, and more. The film is also nominated for Best Casting, which marks the first time in over two decades that the Academy has introduced a new category.

Following Coogler's film as the most nominated titles this year are One Battle After Another (13 nominations), Frankenstein and Sentimental Value (9 nominations each), and Hamnet (eight nominations). Meanwhile, Wicked: For Good received zero nominations.

The Oscars 2026 ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 15. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies to add to your watchlist.