At a time when the chasm between an “Oscar film” and a “popular film” seems to grow increasingly wide, it’s nice when some films straddle both worlds. Last year, thanks to the pandemic, Oscar’s Best Picture lineup emerged as the most insular we’ve seen in decades, perhaps ever. It’s not that they weren’t good films, but ask the everyday moviegoer who plucks down their $20 at the ticket window to name just one nominee from last year. Any one will do.
I’ll wait.
This year, with Oscar’s Best Picture expanded to 10, we could return to the days of 2009 and 2010 where the Academy managed to promote brilliant independent films (A Serious Man, The Hurt Locker, Black Swan, Winter’s Bone, etc) with big brilliantly made Hollywood films (Avatar, Up, Inception, Toy Story 3, etc). Plus, there were films like The Social Network and Inglorious Basterds that somehow seemed to be both independent flavored but also brilliantly made Hollywood pictures.
Will 2021 bring us back there? It’s early to say, but the recently announced 2021 People’s Choice Awards may give us a few clues.
Of the films widely seen as “in the conversation,” In the Heights, Respect, and Dune all landed with nominations. Stars Jennifer Hudson, Anthony Ramos, and Timothée Chalamet all received mentions as well. I know everyone scoffs at these awards, and admittedly, it’s surreal and more than a little strange to see something like Dune competing against Coming 2 America. Sometimes, the People’s Choice lists feel like someone has been asked to name a film they’ve heard of.
At any rate, here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2021 People’s Choice Awards in categories spanning film, television, music, and pop culture. Take them as you will.
2021 People’s Choice Awards Nominees
Movies
THE MOVIE OF 2021
- Black Widow
- Coming 2 America 3
- F9: The Fast Saga
- Dune
- No Time To Die
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- The Tomorrow War
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage
THE COMEDY MOVIE OF 2021
- Coming 2 America
- Free Guy
- He’s All That
- Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
- Jungle Cruise
- Space Jam: A New Legacy
- Thunder Force
- Vacation Friends
THE ACTION MOVIE OF 2021
- Black Widow
- F9: The Fast Saga
- Godzilla vs. Kong
- No Time To Die
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- The Suicide Squad
- The Tomorrow War
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage
THE DRAMA MOVIE OF 2021
- A Quiet Place Part II
- Cruella
- Dune
- Fatherhood
- Halloween Kills
- In The Heights
- Old
- Respect
THE FAMILY MOVIE OF 2021
- Cinderella
- Luca
- Raya and the Last Dragon
- The Boss Baby: Family Business
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines
- Tom and Jerry
- Vivo
- Yes Day
THE MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
- Chris Pratt The Tomorrow War
- Daniel Craig No Time To Die
- Dwayne Johnson Jungle Cruise
- Eddie Murphy Coming 2 America
- John Cena F9: The Fast Saga
- Ryan Reynolds Free Guy
- Simu Liu Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Vin Diesel F9: The Fast Saga
THE FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
- Awkwafina Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Charlize Theron F9: The Fast Saga
- Florence Pugh Black Widow
- Jennifer Hudson Respect
- Leslie Jones Coming 2 America
- Margot Robbie The Suicide Squad
- Salma Hayek Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
- Scarlett Johansson Black Widow
THE DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2021
- Anthony Ramos In The Heights
- Emily Blunt A Quiet Place Part II
- Emma Stone Cruella
- Jamie Lee Curtis Halloween Kills
- Jason Momoa Dune
- Jennifer Hudson Respect
- Kevin Hart Fatherhood
- Timothée Chalamet Dune
THE COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2021
- Dwayne Johnson Jungle Cruise
- Eddie Murphy Coming 2 America
- Emily Blunt Jungle Cruise
- Leslie Jones Coming 2 America
- Melissa McCarthy Thunder Force
- Octavia Spencer Thunder Force
- Ryan Reynolds Free Guy
- Salma Hayek Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
THE ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2021
- Charlize Theron F9: The Fast Saga
- Chris Pratt The Tomorrow War
- Daniel Craig No Time To Die
- Florence Pugh Black Widow
- John Cena F9: The Fast Saga
- Scarlett Johansson Black Widow
- Simu Liu Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Vin Diesel F9: The Fast Saga
Television
THE SHOW OF 2021
- Cobra Kai
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Loki
- Saturday Night Live
- The Bachelor
- This Is Us
- WandaVision
THE DRAMA SHOW OF 2021
- 1 Outer Banks
- 9-1-1
- Cobra Kai
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- The Equalizer
- The Walking Dead
- This Is Us
THE COMEDY SHOW OF 2021
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Grown-ish
- Never Have I Ever
- Only Murders in the Building
- Saturday Night Live
- Ted Lasso
- The Upshaws
- Young Rock
THE REALITY SHOW OF 2021
- 90 Day Fiancé
- Bachelor In Paradise
- Below Deck
- Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
- Keeping Up With the Kardashians
- Love & Hip Hop Atlanta
- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
- The Real Housewives of Atlanta
THE COMPETITION SHOW OF 2021
- 1 America’s Got Talent
- American Idol
- Dancing With The Stars
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- The Bachelor
- The Bachelorette
- The Masked Singer
- The Voice
THE MALE TV STAR OF 2021
- Anthony Mackie The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- Chase Stokes Outer Banks
- Dwayne Johnson Young Rock
- Jason Sudeikis Ted Lasso
- Kenan Thompson Saturday Night Live
- Norman Reedus The Walking Dead
- Sterling K. Brown This Is Us
- Tom Hiddleston Loki
THE FEMALE TV STAR OF 2021
- Angela Bassett 9-1-1
- Elizabeth Olsen WandaVision
- Ellen Pompeo Grey’s Anatomy
- Kathryn Hahn WandaVision
- Mandy Moore This Is Us
- Mariska Hargitay Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Queen Latifah The Equalizer
- Yara Shahidi Grown-ish
THE DRAMA TV STAR OF 2021
- Norman Reedus The Walking Dead
- Angela Bassett 9-1-1
- Chase Stokes Outer Banks
- Ellen Pompeo Grey’s Anatomy
- Mandy Moore This Is Us
- Mariska Hargitay Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Queen Latifah The Equalizer
- Sterling K. Brown This Is Us
THE COMEDY TV STAR OF 2021
- Andy Samberg Brooklyn Nine-Nine
- Dwayne Johnson Young Rock
- Jason Sudeikis Ted Lasso
- Kenan Thompson Saturday Night Live
- Selena Gomez Only Murders in the Building
- Steve Martin Only Murders in the Building
- Wanda Sykes The Upshaws
- Yara Shahidi Grown-ish
THE DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
- 1 Good Morning America
- Live with Kelly and Ryan
- Red Table Talk
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show
- The Kelly Clarkson Show
- The View
- The Wendy Williams Show
- TODAY
THE NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
- Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Late Night With Seth Meyers
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
- The Late Late Show with James Corden
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
THE COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2021
- Cody Rigsby Dancing With the Stars
- Gottmik RuPaul’s Drag Race
- JoJo The Masked Singer
- JoJo Siwa Dancing With the Stars
- Katie Thurston The Bachelorette
- Matt James The Bachelor
- Symone RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Wiz Khalifa The Masked Singer
THE REALITY TV STAR OF 2021
- Erica Mena Love & Hip Hop Atlanta
- Joe Amabile Bachelor In Paradise
- Kandi Burruss The Real Housewives of Atlanta
- Khloé Kardashian Keeping Up With the Kardashians
- Kim Kardashian West Keeping Up With the Kardashians
- Lisa Rinna The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
- Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
- Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
THE BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2021
- Cobra Kai
- Loki
- Mare of Easttown
- Outer Banks
- Sex/Life
- Squid Game
- Ted Lasso
- The White Lotus
THE SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2021
- Loki
- Lucifer
- La Brea
- Shadow and Bone
- Superman and Lois
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
- The Flash
- WandaVision
Music
THE MALE ARTIST OF 2021
- Bad Bunny
- Drake
- Ed Sheeran
- Justin Bieber
- Lil Nas X
- Luke Combs
- Shawn Mendes
- The Weeknd
THE FEMALE ARTIST OF 2021
- Adele
- Billie Eilish
- Cardi B
- Doja Cat
- Halsey
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Saweetie
THE GROUP OF 2021
- BTS
- Coldplay
- Dan + Shay
- Imagine Dragons
- Jonas Brothers
- Maroon 5
- Migos
- twenty one pilots
THE SONG OF 2021
- Butter BTS
- Bad Habits Ed Sheeran
- Easy On Me Adele
- good 4 u Olivia Rodrigo
- MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) Lil Nas X
- Peaches Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
- STAY The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
- Up Cardi B
THE ALBUM OF 2021
- Certified Lover Boy Drake
- Culture III Migos
- Happier Than Ever Billie Eilish
- Justice Justin Bieber
- MONTERO Lil Nas X
- Planet Her Doja Cat
- Sour Olivia Rodrigo
- star-crossed Kacey Musgraves
THE COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2021
- Blake Shelton
- Carrie Underwood
- Dan + Shay
- Kacey Musgraves
- Kane Brown
- Luke Bryan
- Luke Combs
- Miranda Lambert
THE LATIN ARTIST OF 2021
- Anuel AA
- Bad Bunny
- Becky G
- Daddy Yankee
- J Balvin
- KAROL G
- Maluma
- Natti Natasha
THE NEW ARTIST OF 2021
- 24kGoldn
- Bella Poarch
- Giveon
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Rauw Alejandro
- Tate McRae
- The Kid LAROI
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER
THE MUSIC VIDEO OF 2021
- Butter BTS
- Easy On Me Adele
- good 4 u Olivia Rodrigo
- LOCATION KAROL G, Anuel AA, J Balvin
- MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) Lil Nas X
- My Universe Coldplay X BTS
- Peaches Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
- STAY The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber
THE COLLABORATION SONG OF 2021
- Best Friend Saweetie feat. Doja Cat
- INDUSTRY BABY Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
- Kiss Me More Doja Cat feat. SZA
- Leave The Door Open Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
- Peaches Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
- STAY The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
- Way 2 Sexy Drake feat. Future & Young Thug
- You Right Doja Cat, The Weeknd
Pop Culture
THE SOCIAL STAR OF 2021
- Addison Rae
- Britney Spears
- Charli D’Amelio
- Dwayne Johnson
- Justin Bieber
- Kim Kardashian West
- Kylie Jenner
- Lil Nas X
THE POP SPECIAL OF 2021
- Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry
- Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil
- Friends: The Reunion
- Justin Bieber: Our World
- Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg
- Oprah with Meghan and Harry
- P!nk: All I Know So Far
- Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3
THE COMEDY ACT OF 2021
- Back To Abnormal Tour Trevor Noah
- Bo Burnham: Inside Bo Burnham
- From Scratch Tour John Mulaney
- Sorry, Harriet Tubman Phoebe Robinson
- The King’s Jester Tour Hasan Minhaj
- The Milk & Money Tour Ali Wong
- Vaccinated and Horny Tour Chelsea Handler
- You Know What It Is Marlon Wayans
THE GAME CHANGER OF 2021
- Alex Morgan
- Bubba Wallace
- Carl Nassib
- Naomi Osaka
- Patrick Mahomes
- Serena Williams
- Simone Biles
- Sunisa Lee
THE POP PODCAST OF 2021
- Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain
- Armchair Expert
- Call Her Daddy
- Chicks in the Office
- Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
- Couple Things with Shawn and Andrew
- SmartLess
- Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer
