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New Jersey Director, Actors Receive Oscar Nominations

The Garden State will be well represented at the 97th annual Academy Awards with natives Sean Baker, Zoe Saldaña, Sebastian Stan and Jesse Eisenberg all receiving nominations on Thursday, Jan. 23.

T: Sean Baker, Jesse Eisenberg B: Sebastian Stan, Zoe Saldaña

T: Sean Baker, Jesse Eisenberg B: Sebastian Stan, Zoe Saldaña

Photo Credit: Ralph_PH/Wikimedia Commons, Harald Krichel/Wikimedia Commons, Frank Sun/Wikimedia Commons, Kevin Payravi/Wikimedia Commons

Sean Baker, who was born in Summit, was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay for "Anora," about a Russian stripper who  impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, only for his family to try and get the marriage annulled.

Growing up in Short Hills, Baker later attended Gill St. Bernard's School in Somerset County. Baker's films primarily focused on marginalized people living on the fringes of society, from a girl living in poverty in the shadow of Disney World in "The Florida Project," to a destitute porn star in "Red Rocket." His films frequently push boundaries but win critical acclaim.

"Anora" was nominated for six awards. These are Baker's first Oscar nominations.

Sebastian Stan, a Rutgers University graduate who lived in Rockland County in New York growing up, was nominated for Best Actor for playing President Donald Trump in the controversial new film, "The Apprentice" 

The movie focuses on Trump's relationship with his lawyer, Roy Cohn, how it helped him become a real estate tycoon in the 1980s and how using Cohn's bare-knuckle tactics helped shape his future political career.

Stan, who was born in Romania and lived in Austria before settling in Rockland, told Variety he watched footage of Trump on loop to prepare for his performance and gained 15 pounds. This is Stan's first Oscar nomination.

Zoe Saldaña, a Passaic native, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Emilia Pérez." This is Saldana's first Oscar nomination.

Jesse Eisenberg, an East Brunswick native, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for "A Real Pain." Eisenberg wrote, directed and starred in the movie, about two cousins who travel to Poland to honor their grandmother and join a Holocaust tour group. Eisenberg was previously nominated for Best Actor for "The Social Network."

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