The Mexican director who holds an Oscar record that no other filmmaker has achieved

This Sunday marks the ceremony for the 98th Academy Awards, one of the most widely watched media events of the year across any field. The awards show is approaching its 100th anniversary and has produced countless unforgettable moments over the decades. Beyond the familiar statistics about the films with the most wins or nominations, one director holds a record that will be difficult for any other filmmaker to match. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu remains the only filmmaker to have earned at least one Oscar nomination for every feature he has made – and there have been quite a few.

Alejandro González Iñárritu, the director with the Oscar record

Alejandro González Iñárritu made his debut with Amores perros, which received a nomination for best foreign-language film at the 2000 ceremony – though the award ultimately went to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In 2003 he raised the stakes with 21 Grams, earning two nominations: best actress for Naomi Watts and best supporting actor for Benicio Del Toro. His first Oscar connection came in 2006 with Babel, which won best original score for Gustavo Santaolalla and earned six additional nominations for the acclaimed drama starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.

In 2010 he received two nominations for Biutiful – best foreign-language film and best actor for Javier Bardem – although the film did not win. Iñárritu’s greatest triumph arrived in 2014 with Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), which secured nine nominations and four Oscars, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay. Not content with that success, the following year he dominated again with The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film earned 12 nominations and won three Academy Awards, including best director and best actor for DiCaprio.

In 2018 he also received a special Oscar for the short film Carne y arena, while Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths earned a nomination for best cinematography in 2022. It remains to be seen whether Alejandro González Iñárritu will maintain his remarkable streak with his next film, Digger, his first collaboration with Tom Cruise, which is scheduled to be released on Oct. 2.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.