February 21, 2024

Potential historic moments to watch for at the 2024 Oscars

WATCH: What to know about Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone

A lot of history could be made at the 2024 Oscars.

The 96th Academy Awards, set for March 10, could see both films and individuals land impressive and significant wins.

Better yet, these achievements could happen across all types of categories, from best picture and directing to acting and various technical categories.

While you get your predictions in order for Hollywood's biggest night, we've got you covered on potential historic wins you should keep an eye on.

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Here are some moments to watch out for at the 2024 Oscars.

Tune in to ABC on Oscar Sunday! Streaming pre-show coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on ABC and ABC News Live. The 2024 Oscars debuts at its new time of 7 p.m. ET live from the Dolby Theater on Sunday, March 10.

Lily Gladstone could make history for Native Americans

Apple TV+
Lily Gladstone in "Killers of the Flower Moon."

Lily Gladstone would be the first Native American woman to win the Oscar for best actress should her performance in "Killers of the Flower Moon" triumph against the competition.

Not only that, but she would also become the first person of Native American heritage to win an acting Oscar.

In a phone call with ABC News after her historic nomination, Gladstone said she is excited for others in her community to "feel seen and represented."

Gladstone is of Siksikaitsitapi and NiMíiPuu heritage and uses she/they pronouns, according to her Instagram.

MORE: Oscar nominations 2024: Full list of nominees

'Oppenheimer' could join -- or beat -- an elite group of films

Universal Pictures
Cillian Murphy is seen in the Universal Pictures move trailer, "Oppenheimer."

"Oppenheimer" scored an impressive 13 nominations this year, positioning the film to potentially tie -- or even break -- the record for the most Oscar wins by a single film.

The record currently stands at 11 and is held by "Ben-Hur" in 1960, "Titanic" in 1998 and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in 2004.

Martin Scorsese could set a new record for best director

Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images
Martin Scorsese at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, Feb. 20, 2024, in Berlin.

With his best director nomination for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Martin Scorsese became the most-nominated living director.

This is Scorsese's 10th nomination in the category, putting him two behind the late William Wyler, who holds the record with 12 nominations.

This year, Scorsese also became the oldest nominee in the category's history at 81 years old. If he wins the Oscar, he would become the oldest best director winner.

Sandra Hüller could score a historic win

Unifrance
Sandra Hüller appears in a scene from the film, "Anotomy of a Fall."

If she wins the best actress Oscar for her role in "Anatomy of a Fall," Sandra Hüller would become the 1st German-born actress to win in the category in more than 60 years.

Simone Signoret, who was born in Germany but is best known as a French actress, won the best actress Oscar for "Room at the Top" at the 1960 ceremony.

A non-English language film could make history in the best picture category

A24
"Past Lives," 2023.

Three films in the best picture category -- "Anatomy of a Fall," "Past Lives" and "The Zone of Interest" -- could make history with a best picture Oscar win this year.

Only one non-English language film has won best picture. The first to do so, "Parasite," won the top prize in 2020.

MORE: Oscars 2024: Where to watch the 10 movies nominated for best picture

"Anatomy of a Fall," from France, features French, English and German spoken throughout the film. "Past Lives," an American film, features both English and Korean.

"The Zone of Interest," a co-production between the United Kingdom and Poland and the U.K.'s submission for international feature film, is the only film to feature no spoken English. German is predominantly spoken throughout.

Emma Stone could achieve a rare feat

Searchlight Pictures
Emma Stone in "Poor Things," 2023.

With her nominations for best actress for her performance in "Poor Things" and for best picture for producing the film, Emma Stone could pull off a rare double win.

Stone would become the second woman to win for acting and best picture for the same film, the first being Frances McDormand for "Nomadland" in 2021.

Colman Domingo could win big for Afro-Latinos

David Lee/Netflix
Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in "Rustin."

Colman Domingo could make history if he wins the Oscar for best actor for playing gay Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin in "Rustin."

Should he take home the trophy, Domingo would become the first actor of Afro-Latino descent to win in the category.

'American Fiction' could deliver historic double win for Black actors

Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Jeffrey Wright, as Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, and Sterling K. Brown, as Cliff Ellison, in a scene from "American Fiction."

Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown play brothers in "American Fiction," and each earned Oscar nominations for their work in the film.

If Wright wins best actor and Brown wins best supporting actor, it would mark the first time two Black male actors won Oscars for the same film.

Bradley Cooper could direct himself to acting win

Jason McDonald/Netflix
Bradley Cooper appears as Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro."

Bradley Cooper, who is up for best actor for playing famed composer Leonard Bernstein in "Maestro," could join a small group of people who have directed themselves to acting wins.

If he achieves this, Cooper would be just the third person to do so. The first was Laurence Olivier for "Hamlet" in 1949 and Roberto Benigni for "Life Is Beautiful" in 1999.

Thelma Schoonmaker could become most-awarded film editor

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI, FILE
In this Oct. 7, 2023 file photo, Thelma Schoonmaker attends the "Killers Of The Flower Moon" Headline Gala premiere during the 67th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall, in London.

Thelma Schoonmaker, Scorsese's longtime film editor, could make history as the winningest person in the best film editing category if she wins for her work on "Killers of the Flower Moon."

With a potential fourth win, Schoonmaker would have more Oscars for best editing than anyone else in history.

Schoonmaker has previously won Oscars for editing "Raging Bull," "The Aviator" and "The Departed."

John Williams could hit a high note

Shannon Finney/Getty Images, FILE
In this July 16, 2023, file photo, composer John Williams conducts a concert at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, in Washington, D.C.

With his nomination this year for best original score for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," John Williams became the oldest person to be nominated for an Oscar across all competitive categories at the age of 91.

Having recently celebrated a birthday, the 92-year-old could become the oldest person to win an Oscar if he takes home the trophy this year.

James Ivory currently holds the record as the oldest Oscar winner with his win for best adapted screenplay for "Call Me By Your Name" at the age of 89 at the 2018 ceremony. Ivory is now 95.

Williams is the most-nominated living person in Academy Awards history with 54 nominations -- only behind the late Walt Disney, who has the most nominations ever for a person, with 59.

Justine Triet could become latest female best director winner

Jc Olivera/Getty Images
Justine Triet attends the 96th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton on February 12, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

With her nomination for best director, Justine Triet became only the eighth woman to be nominated in the category in Oscars history.

Should she win, Triet would become just the fourth woman to win best director, following in the footsteps of Kathryn Bigelow, who won in 2009 for "The Hurt Locker"; Chloé Zhao, who won in 2021 for "Nomadland"; and Jane Campion, who won in 2022 for "The Power of the Dog."

The 2024 Oscars will take place at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on March 10, airing live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.