WMC Investigation 2026: Gender and Non-Acting Oscar Nominations - Full Report

The Women’s Media Center analysis of 2026 Oscar nominations finds that despite a notable increase in representation this year, women continue to make up less than one-third of nominees in non-acting categories. Even though the 21st century has seen women break through as winners in the notoriously male-dominated category of Best Director — three women have won so far in this category — this progress is not representative of significant increases for women nominated overall in non-acting categories. The total percentages for nominated women in non-acting categories continue to stall at no more than 32% every year.

In 2026, the total percentage of women nominees in non-acting categories rose 4 percentage points from 2025: Of the 226 Oscar nominees in non-acting categories, 69 (31%) are women, and the other 157 (69%) are men. That’s compared to 2025, when out of the 216 Oscar nominees in non-acting categories, 59 (27%) were women, and 157 (73%) were men. (The Oscar category of Best International Feature Film does not name individual people as nominees and therefore is not included in this report.)

The 98th annual Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 15. ABC will have the U.S. telecast of the show, which will be livestreamed on Hulu. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences votes for the nominees and winners. According to the Academy, 10,136 of the Academy’s approximately 11,104 members have voting privileges.

WMC Investigation 2026: Gender and Non-Acting Oscar Nominations - Infographics

Oscar Nominations for Women Behind the Camera Remain Stalled Fewer Than 33% of Non-Acting Oscar Nominations Go to Women

WMC's Previous Oscar Reports