Thelma Schoonmaker is on the verge of Oscar history. The veteran film editor has long collaborated with Martin Scorsese, and that has paid off with three Oscars for Best Editing. Now she’s a contender again for his Netflix gangster epic “The Irishman,” and if she wins a fourth prize it would set a new record for the most awards any individual has won in the category.
Schoonmaker previously won Oscars for cutting Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” (1980), “The Aviator” (2004) and “The Departed” (2006). That tied her with three other filmmakers who have also achieved the hat trick.
Ralph Dawson won for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1935), “Anthony Adverse” (1936) and “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938).
Daniel Mandell‘s three victories were for “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) and “The Apartment” (1960).
And Michael Kahn claimed three for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), “Schindler’s List” (1993) and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998).
As of this writing “The Irishman” is the front-runner to win Best Editing, according to the combined predictions of thousands of Gold Derby users. More than a dozen of the Expert journalists we’ve polled from top media outlets agree it will win. But even just earning a nomination would be historic for Schoonmaker. She has been nominated seven times total, and an eighth bid would tie Kahn’s record for the most nominations in history.
In addition to his three wins, Kahn also contended for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), “Empire of the Sun” (1987), “Fatal Attraction” (also 1987), “Munich” (2005) and “Lincoln” (2012). Except for “Fatal Attraction,” all of his nominations have been for collaborations with director Steven Spielberg.
Schoonmaker’s partnership with Scorsese has been just as rewarding. Three of her other four nominations were also for his films: “Goodfellas” (1990), “Gangs of New York” (2002) and “Hugo” (2011). Her only nomination for a non-Scorsese film was actually the very first nomination of her career: her work on “Woodstock” (1970) made it a rare documentary to make the cut for its cutting.
So do you agree with our current consensus that Scorsese‘s latest will pay off with a historic nomination and win for Schoonmaker?
Be sure to make your Oscar nominee predictions today so that Hollywood insiders can see how their films and performers are faring in our odds. You can keep changing your predictions as often as you like until just before nominees are announced on January 13. And join in the fun debate over the 2020 Academy Awards taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our film forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
