Elle Fanning reacts with tears after first Oscar nomination for Sentimental Value

Elle Fanning is celebrating a major milestone in her career after earning her first-ever Oscar nomination.

The 27-year-old actress received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in Sentimental Value when the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were announced on Thursday, Jan. 22.

Soon after the news broke, Fanning shared a screenshot from a FaceTime call showing her emotional reaction. In the photo, she is visibly crying while speaking with the film’s director, Joachim Trier, and his wife, Helle Bendixen Trier.

“IS THIS REAL!?!?!?! IS THIS A DREAM!?!?!?! I can’t catch my breath. I am in absolute shock,” Fanning wrote in her caption. She said she was surrounded by her mother, grandmother, sister and aunt when she found out, and the family celebrated together by “screaming and hugging and crying.”

Fanning added that she felt deeply honored that her first Academy Award nomination came from a film that focuses on the importance of family and filmmaking. She also thanked her fellow nominees and praised her castmates and crew, calling the experience overwhelming and full of love. Ending her message with a Norwegian toast, she wrote, “Skål!!!!!!!!”

Sentimental Value tells the story of a woman who is forced to reconnect with her estranged father, a well-known film director, after her mother’s death. The film stars fellow first-time Oscar nominees Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.

The movie received a total of seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.

Reacting to her own nomination, Ibsdotter Lilleaas, 36, shared her disbelief in a statement, thanking her family — especially her husband and son — for their support and love.

Earlier, while speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Fanning described the role as a unique and personal experience. She explained that playing Rachel Kemp, a famous American actress struggling to be taken seriously, felt “very meta” and emotionally relatable.

“There were a lot of things that I could relate to in the character,” Fanning said, adding that Trier encouraged the cast to bring their own experiences into the film. “You can feel that in the heartbeat of the movie.”

The actress said the role was both challenging and cathartic, allowing her to explore feelings she has faced in her own career.

The Oscars will be hosted by Conan O’Brien and will air live on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu. Starting in 2029, the ceremony will move to YouTube.