American Fiction (film)

2023 film by Cord Jefferson

American Fiction

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Cord Jefferson
Screenplay by| Cord Jefferson
Based on| Erasure
by Percival Everett
Produced by|

* Ben LeClair
* Nikos Karamigios [de]
* Cord Jefferson
* Jermaine Johnson

Starring|

* Jeffrey Wright
* Tracee Ellis Ross
* John Ortiz
* Erika Alexander
* Leslie Uggams
* Adam Brody
* Issa Rae
* Sterling K. Brown

Cinematography| Cristina Dunlap
Edited by| Hilda Rasula
Music by| Laura Karpman

Production
companies

* MRC
* T-Street
* Almost Infinite
* 3 Arts Entertainment

Distributed by| Orion Pictures (through Amazon MGM Studios)

Release dates

* September 8, 2023 (2023-09-08) (TIFF)
* December 15, 2023 (2023-12-15) (United States)

Running time

| 117 minutes[1]
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $10 million[2]
Box office| $23 million[3][4]

American Fiction is a 2023 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cord Jefferson in his feature directorial debut. Based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett, it follows a frustrated African-American novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical "black" books, only for it to be mistaken for serious literature and published to high sales and critical praise. The film stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody and Keith David.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023, where it won the People's Choice Award. It received a limited theatrical release by Amazon MGM Studios on December 15, 2023, with an expansion on December 22, 2023.

The film grossed $23 million and received numerous accolades. It was named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the American Film Institute. It also received five nominations at the 96th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Wright, with Jefferson winning Best Adapted Screenplay.

## Plot

[edit]

Thelonious "Monk" Ellison is a well-read, black elite writer and professor living in Los Angeles. His novels receive academic praise but sell poorly, and his publishers reject his latest manuscript for not being "Black enough". His superiors place him on temporary leave due to his brashness with students over racial issues, and suggest that he attend a literary seminar in his hometown of Boston. His panel at the seminar is sparsely attended, in contrast to a packed room for an interview with Sintara Golden, whose bestselling novel We's Lives in Da Ghetto panders to Black stereotypes.

In Boston, Monk has dinner with his mother Agnes, who has Alzheimer's disease, and his sister Lisa, a physician. While having drinks with Monk, Lisa suffers a fatal heart attack. Their estranged brother Cliff, a plastic surgeon, attends Lisa's funeral. Newly divorced and out of the closet, Cliff engages in frequent drug use and casual sex. Monk meets Coraline, a lawyer living across the street from his mother's beach house, and begins dating her.

Frustrated by Sintara's success and the costs of care for his mother, Monk writes My Pafology, a satirical novel mocking the literary stereotypes expected from Black writers: melodramatic plots, deadbeat dads, gang violence, and drugs. After submitting it to publishers out of contempt, he is shocked to be offered a $750,000 advance, which he reluctantly accepts to pay for his mother's care. His agent Arthur convinces him to adopt the persona of "Stagg R. Leigh", a convict on the run, to protect his reputation. As "Stagg", Monk is offered a movie deal from film producer Wiley. In response to insulting comments by the publishing executives, Monk tries to sabotage the deal by demanding the title be changed to Fuck, but the publishers concede to his ultimatum. Monk is invited to help judge the New England Book Association's Literary Award as part of a "diversity push" and he reluctantly accepts. Sintara is a fellow judge, and Monk discovers that she shares many of his views.

Agnes moves into an expensive assisted-living facility but adapts poorly. Cliff briefly returns to Boston but leaves after Agnes makes a homophobic remark. Fuck becomes a bestseller, much to Monk's shock and chagrin. Monk's family, friends, and the public remain unaware that he is "Stagg", and the FBI contacts the publisher, believing Stagg is a fugitive as he claimed in interviews.

Monk's publisher submits Fuck for the Literary Award, forcing him to judge his own novel. Monk learns that Coraline enjoyed reading Fuck; they argue over it and break up. The panel's white judges rave over Fuck, though Sintara deems the subject matter "pandering." While Monk agrees, he argues that Sintara's book is "trauma porn" and inauthentic to her black middle-class background. Sintara counters that she researched her book by interviewing voiceless people and was just giving the market what it wants.

On family housekeeper Lorraine's wedding day, Monk finds Cliff living in Agnes's beach house with two other men, but Lorraine is happy to have him attend the wedding. At the reception, Monk and Cliff discuss the impact of their father's suicide, with Cliff encouraging Monk to let people "love all of him".

At the awards ceremony, Fuck is announced as the winner. Monk goes onstage and says he has a confession to make. The film cuts to black, and the events shown are revealed to have been Monk's screenplay based on his experiences, written for Wiley's production company as an alternative to the Fuck film adaptation; in reality, Monk quietly left the ceremony and is still estranged from Coraline. Wiley likes the screenplay but asks Monk to change the ambiguous ending.

Monk proposes an ending with him running away from the ceremony to apologize to Coraline, but Wiley says it feels too much like a romantic comedy. Monk then suggests one where police, believing Monk to be a wanted criminal, fatally shoot him at the ceremony. Much to Monk's dismay, Wiley loves it and the film moves into production. Monk drives away with Cliff after he and one of Wiley's actors, playing a slave, acknowledge each other.

## Cast

[edit]

* Top row: (left to right) Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz and Erika Alexander
* Bottom row: (left to right) Leslie Uggams, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown and Adam Brody

* Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a writer and professor of literature, as well as brother to Lisa and Cliff. Monk has mild success as a writer until he satirically writes Fuck under the alias “Stagg R. Leigh.”
* Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Lisa Ellison, a divorced medical doctor and sister to Monk and Cliff
* Issa Rae as Sintara Golden, a black author who has achieved popularity for her new book, We’s Lives In Da Ghetto
* Sterling K. Brown as Dr. Clifford "Cliff" Ellison, a plastic surgeon and brother to Monk and Lisa, who has recently come out as a gay man
* John Ortiz as Arthur, Monk’s agent
* Erika Alexander as Coraline, a public defender who is Agnes’s neighbor and Monk’s eventual girlfriend
* Leslie Uggams as Agnes Ellison, mother to Monk, Lisa, and Cliff, who begins to suffer from Alzheimer’s
* Adam Brody as Wiley Valdespino, a movie producer interested in Fuck
* Keith David as Willy the Wonker, an imaginary character that Monk uses to visualize his dialogue for Fuck
* Okieriete Onaodowan as Van Go Jenkins, an imaginary character that Monk uses to visualize his dialogue for Fuck
* Myra Lucretia Taylor as Lorraine, family friend and caretaker for the Ellisons
* Raymond Anthony Thomas as Maynard, a security guard who strikes up a romance with Lorraine
* Miriam Shor as Paula Baderman
* Michael Cyril Creighton as John Bosco
* Patrick Fischler as Mandel
* Neal Lerner as Wilson Harnet
* J. C. MacKenzie as Carl Brunt
* Jenn Harris as Aileen Hoover
* Bates Wilder as Jon Daniel Sigmarsen
* Ryan Richard Doyle as Ned
* Skyler Wright as Brittany

## Production

[edit]

Cord Jefferson made his directorial debut with American Fiction.

In November 2022, Jeffrey Wright was cast in the untitled film, based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett. Cord Jefferson would adapt the novel, with the film being his directorial debut.[5][6] T-Street Productions and MRC Film produced the film. In December 2022, Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Sterling K. Brown, Myra Lucretia Taylor, John Ortiz, Issa Rae, and Adam Brody joined the cast.[7] The film wrapped production in Boston in early December, with COVID-19 safety precautions used on set.[8] That month, MGM's Orion Pictures acquired the film's worldwide distribution rights.[9] As a first-time filmmaker, Jefferson said he was such a fan of Wright's that he was nervous to give him feedback; it was producer Nikos Karamigios who, on the first day of shooting, encouraged him to be more assertive as a director. The film was shot in twenty-six days, with most scenes being completed with minimal takes (3–4).[10] In July 2023, with the announcement of its world premiere, the film's title was reported to be American Fiction.[11] It is the first film from Orion to be distributed through Amazon MGM Studios Distribution, following Amazon's acquisition of MGM the year before, which also resulted in the 2021 MGM logo being added to the beginning of the film.[12]

## Music

[edit]

Main article: American Fiction (soundtrack)

## Release

[edit]

On September 8, 2023, American Fiction premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People's Choice Award.[11][13] This was followed by a run in the festival circuit, culminating in its United States premiere at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles on December 5, 2023.[14] It had a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 15, 2023, with an expansion the following week (December 22, 2023).[15] The film's release date had initially been set for November 3, 2023, before being changed to the later date.[16] The film was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Curzon Film on February 2, 2024.[17]

The film was released for digital platforms on February 6, 2024.[18]

## Reception

[edit]

### Box office

[edit]

American Fiction grossed $21.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $1.9 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $23 million.[3][4]

The film made $229,000 from seven theaters in its opening weekend, a per-venue average of $32,400.[19] Following its five Oscar nominations, the film expanded from 852 theaters to 1,702 in its 7th week of release and made $2.9 million, an increase of 65% from the previous weekend, and a running total of $11.8 million.[20] The following weekend it made $2.4 million.[21]

### Critical response

[edit]

Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown garnered critical acclaim for their performances and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 285 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Jeffrey Wright and American Fiction will forever be inextricable thanks to the actor's committed approach to the pointedly humorous and insightful material."[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 54 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[23] Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film a 90% positive score, with 83% saying they would definitely recommend it.[19]

In her review for The Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarke wrote that "American Fiction is smart and, thanks to its fine cast, has genuine heart", commending Wright's "subtle physicality … that contributes depth to his character", as well as "Uggams' increasingly somber performance as Agnes and Brown's delightful comedic turn".[24] Peter Debruge for Variety, applauded Jefferson's writing prowess, likening him to Flannery O'Connor and Toni Morrison, whose works were both referenced in the film. To Debruge, Jefferson "trusts his audience to bring themselves to the material", which is "what makes reading "American Fiction" so rewarding."[25] Peyton Robinson writing for RogerEbert.com highlighted Jefferson's writing as the key takeaway from this film, stating that his "attentive lens" to the film's "concept and themes is what will be remembered". Robinson goes on to identify the distinguishable legacy within the script, emphasizing Jefferson's "sharply pointed finger at the many institutional factors that keep [Black art], and its creators, restrained."[26]

Sarah Lyall of The New York Times covered Jeffrey Wright in a feature about his career and his role in American Fiction, claiming that Wright's "exquisitely calibrated" performance demonstrates "[Wright's] ability to elevate any movie or TV show simply by appearing in it." Lyall goes on to celebrate that Wright "has a way of burrowing so deeply into his characters that he seems almost to be hiding in plain sight."[27] Stephanie Zacharek at Time magazine also highlighted the lead star's performance, admiring that "Wright brings it all to life". Zacharek notes that Wright does so "not with thunderous, statement-making gestures, but with small ones that remind us how vulnerable Monk is", even amidst the protagonist's "own raging intelligence".[28]

Filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood praised writer-director Cord Jefferson, stating that an artist's first work should tell the world who they are and Jefferson "has screamed into a bullhorn. Bold, chaotic, unflinching, personal. Cord has channeled his creative truths into a searing indictment of biased norms."[29] Other filmmakers, including Rachel Morrison and Paul Schrader, also praised the film.[30]

### Accolades

[edit]

The American Film Institute placed American Fiction as one of its top 10 films of 2023, praising Jefferson's writing as "the arrival of a powerful voice in American film", Wright's "triumphant" performance, and the ensemble cast.[31]

Award  | Date of Ceremony  | Category  | Recipient(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Toronto International Film Festival | September 17, 2023  | People's Choice Award | American Fiction | Won  | [32]
Heartland International Film Festival | October 15, 2023  | Humor & Humanity Award  | Cord Jefferson | Won  |
Mill Valley Film Festival | October 16, 2023  | U.S. Cinema  | Won[a] | [33]
Breakthrough Directing  | Won
San Diego International Film Festival | October 21, 2023  | Best Gala Film  | American Fiction | Won  | [34]
Middleburg Film Festival | October 22, 2023  | Audience Award for Narrative Film  | Won  | [35]
Celebration of Cinema & Television | December 4, 2023  | Visionary Award  | Jeffrey Wright | Won  | [36]
Windsor International Film Festival | October 29, 2023  | LIUNA People's Choice Award  | American Fiction | Runner-up  | [37]
Virginia Film Festival | October 29, 2023  | Programmers' Award – Narrative Feature  | Won  | [38]
Breakthrough Director Award  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Savannah Film Festival  | November 2, 2023  | Audience Award  | American Fiction | Runner-up  | [39]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 15, 2023 | Original Score — Feature Film | Laura Karpman | Nominated  | [40]
Gotham Independent Film Awards | November 27, 2023 | Outstanding Lead Performance | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated  | [41]
American Film Institute Awards | December 7, 2023 | Top 10 Films of the Year  | American Fiction | Won[b] | [42]
[31]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | December 10, 2023 | Best Feature | Won  | [43]
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Best Ensemble | American Fiction | Nominated
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | December 10, 2023 | Best Leading Performance | Jeffrey Wright  | Runner-up  | [44]
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | December 10, 2023 | Best New Filmmaker  | Cord Jefferson  | Runner-up[c] | [45]
IndieWire Critics Poll | December 11, 2023  | Best Performance  | Jeffrey Wright  | 9th Place[d] | [46]
Best Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | 5th Place
Best First Feature  | American Fiction | 4th Place
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | December 12, 2023 | Milos Stehlik Award for Breakthrough Filmmaker  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated  | [47]
New York Film Critics Online Awards | December 15, 2023  | Top 10 Films  | American Fiction | Won[b] | [48]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society | December 13, 2023  | Best Comedy  | Nominated  | [49]
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Breakout Filmmaker  | Nominated
St. Louis Film Critics Association | December 17, 2023 | Best Film | American Fiction | Nominated  | [50]
Best Comedy Film  | Nominated
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | runner-up
Indiana Film Journalists Association | December 17, 2023  | Best Film  | American Fiction | Longlisted  | [51]
[52]
Best Lead Performance  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Breakout of the Year  | Nominated
Toronto Film Critics Association | December 17, 2023 | Best First Feature | American Fiction | Runner-up[e] | [53]
Southeastern Film Critics Association | December 18, 2023  | Top 10 Films  | 7th Place  | [54]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | December 18, 2023 | Top 10 Films of the Year | 5th Place  | [55]
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | 4th Place
Phoenix Film Critics Society | December 18, 2023  | Top Ten Films of 2023  | American Fiction | Won[b] | [56]
North Texas Film Critics Association | December 18, 2023  | Best Picture  | Nominated  | [57]
Best Director  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society | December 19, 2023 | Best Picture | American Fiction | Nominated  | [58]
Best Director | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Won
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson and Percival Everett | Runner-up
Best First Feature  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Black Film Critics Circle | December 20, 2023  | Top Ten Films  | American Fiction | 1st Place  | [59]
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Won
Best Supporting Actor  | Sterling K. Brown  | Won
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Won[f]
Best Ensemble  | American Fiction | Won
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | December 21, 2023 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated  | [60]
Best First Film  | Nominated
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle | January 3, 2024  | Top 10 Films  | American Fiction | 10th Place  | [61]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists | January 4, 2024  | Best Film  | Nominated  | [62]
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role  | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Screenplay, Adapted  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Best Ensemble Cast – Casting Director  | Jennifer Euston | Won
Georgia Film Critics Association Awards | January 5, 2024  | Best Picture  | American Fiction | Nominated  | [63]
[64]
Best Director  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Runner-up
Best Supporting Actor  | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Runner-up
Best Ensemble  | American Fiction | Nominated
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | January 6, 2024  | Best Lead Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated  | [65]
Breakthrough Director  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards | January 6, 2024 | Best Picture  | American Fiction | Nominated  | [66]
Best Director  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Best First Feature  | Nominated
February 26, 2024 | Best Casting  | Jennifer Euston  | Nominated
National Society of Film Critics Awards | January 6, 2024 | Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Runner-up[g] | [67]
Golden Globe Awards | January 7, 2024 | Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy | American Fiction | Nominated  | [68]
Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | January 8, 2024 | Best Picture of the Year  | American Fiction | Nominated  | [69]
Best Actor in a Leading Role  | Jeffrey Wright  | Won
Best Actor in a Supporting Role  | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards | January 9, 2024 | Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Won  | [70]
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Austin Film Critics Association Awards | January 10, 2024 | Best Film | American Fiction | Nominated  | [71]
Best Actor  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Best First Film  | American Fiction | Nominated
Denver Film Critics Society | January 12, 2024  | Best Lead Performance by an Actor, Male  | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated  | [72]
Best Comedy  | American Fiction | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | January 14, 2024 | Best Picture | American Fiction | Nominated  | [73]
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Best Comedy | American Fiction | Nominated
African-American Film Critics Association | January 15, 2024  | Top 10 Films of the Year  | 1st Place  | [74]
Best Comedy  | Won
Best Supporting Actor  | Sterling K. Brown  | Won
Best Screenplay  | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Emerging Filmmaker  | Won
Black Reel Awards | January 16, 2024 | Outstanding Film | Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios [de], Cord Jefferson, and Jermaine Johnson  | Won  | [75]
Outstanding Director | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Outstanding Lead Performance  | Jeffery Wright  | Won
Outstanding Supporting Performance  | Erika Alexander | Nominated
Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble | Jennifer Euston  | Nominated
Outstanding Emerging Director | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Outstanding Screenplay | Won
Outstanding First Screenplay | Won
Houston Film Critics Society | January 22, 2024 | Best Picture | American Fiction | Nominated  | [76]
[77]
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
AACTA International Awards | February 10, 2024 | Best Film | American Fiction | Nominated  | [78]
Best Lead Actor in Film | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Screenplay in Film | Cord Jefferson  | Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards | February 10, 2024 | Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film | Nominated  | [79]
Set Decorators Society of America Awards | February 13, 2024 | Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film | Kyra Friedman Curcio and Jonathan Guggenheim  | Nominated  | [80]
Society of Composers & Lyricists | February 13, 2024  | Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film  | Laura Karpman  | Nominated  | [81]
British Academy Film Awards | February 18, 2024 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won  | [82]
Satellite Awards | February 18, 2024 | Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical | American Fiction | Nominated  | [83]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Screenplay, Adapted | Cord Jefferson and Percival Everett  | Won
Best Original Score | Laura Karpman  | Won
Cinema for Peace Awards | February 18–19, 2024  | Cinema for Peace Dove for The Most Valuable Film of the Year 2024  | American Fiction | Nominated  | [84][85]
Costume Designers Guild Awards | February 21, 2024 | Excellence in Contemporary Film | Rudy Mance  | Nominated  | [86]
Screen Actors Guild Awards | February 24, 2024 | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Erika Alexander, Adam Brody, Sterling K. Brown, Keith David, John Ortiz, Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross, Leslie Uggams, and Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated  | [87]
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards | February 25, 2024 | Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | American Fiction | Nominated  | [88]
Independent Spirit Awards | February 25, 2024 | Best Film | Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, and Ben LeClair  | Nominated  | [89]
Best Lead Performance | Jeffrey Wright  | Won
Best Supporting Performance | Erika Alexander  | Nominated
Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won
USC Scripter Awards | March 2, 2024  | Best Adapted Screenplay – Film  | Won  | [90]
American Cinema Editors | March 3, 2024 | Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy, Theatrical) | Hilda Rasula  | Nominated  | [91]
Artios Awards | March 7, 2024 | Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Feature Studio or Independent (Drama)  | Jennifer Euston, Lisa Lobel, Angela Peri, and Melissa Morris  | Nominated  | [92]
Academy Awards | March 10, 2024 | Best Picture | Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson, and Jermaine Johnson  | Nominated  | [93]
Best Actor | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Best Supporting Actor | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Best Original Score | Laura Karpman  | Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards | March 14, 2024 | Outstanding Film – Wide Release | American Fiction | Nominated  | [94]
NAACP Image Awards | March 16, 2024 | Outstanding Motion Picture | Nominated  | [95]
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | Jeffrey Wright  | Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Sterling K. Brown  | Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Erika Alexander  | Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture | Cord Jefferson  | Won
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture  | American Fiction | Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards | April 14, 2024 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Cord Jefferson  | Won  | [96]
Paul Selvin Award | Won  | [97]
Grammy Awards | February 2, 2025 | Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Laura Karpman  | Nominated  | [98]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Shared with Rustin.
2. ^ a b c This award does not have a single winner, but recognizes multiple films.
3. ^ Shared with A. V. Rockwell for A Thousand and One.
4. ^ Tied with Greta Lee for Past Lives.
5. ^ Shared with Past Lives.
6. ^ Tied with Oppenheimer.
7. ^ Shared with Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "American Fiction (15)". British Board of Film Classification. November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023. "116m 35s"
2. ^ Salisbury, Mark (December 26, 2023). "How a 'huge professional failure' led debut director Cord Jefferson to 'American Fiction'". www.screendaily.com. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
3. ^ a b "American Fiction". The Numbers. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
4. ^ a b "American Fiction". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
5. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 10, 2022). "Jeffrey Wright To Star In MRC And T-Street's Untitled Cord Jefferson Film". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
6. ^ Treuer, David (November 11, 2022). "Cord Jefferson's adaptation of Percival Everett's novel Erasure; David Treuer on an Indigenous history of the US". www.bookforum.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
7. ^ Jackson, Angelique (December 2, 2022). "Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Sterling K. Brown, Issa Rae Join Jeffrey Wright in Cord Jefferson's Directorial Debut for MGM's Orion Pictures". Variety. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
8. ^ Fleming, Ryan (November 28, 2023). "'American Fiction' Writer-Director Cord Jefferson On Working With Jeffrey Wright And The 'Inherent Absurdity' Of How Race Is Perceived In America". Deadline. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
9. ^ Galuppo, Mia (December 2, 2022). "Orion Pictures Lands 'Watchmen' Writer Cord Jefferson's Directorial Debut". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
10. ^ Cord Jefferson and Ryan Coogler on Writing, Directing, and What They're Doing Next. Proximity Media. September 8, 2024. Event occurs at 20:41. Retrieved October 6, 2024 - via YouTube.
11. ^ a b Lang, Brent (July 24, 2023). "Toronto Film Festival 2023 Lineup Includes Alexander Payne, Richard Linklater, Anna Kendrick, George C. Wolfe and Ethan Hawke Movies". Variety. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
12. ^ Whittock, Jesse (May 8, 2023). "Amazon MGM Studios Distribution To Launch At LA Screenings". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
13. ^ Pond, Steve (September 17, 2023). "'American Fiction' Wins Toronto Film Festival's Audience Award". TheWrap.
14. ^ Sneider, Jeff (December 7, 2023). "Director Cord Jefferson Discusses the Hurdles to Making 'American Fiction'". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
15. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 20, 2023). "TIFF People's Choice Award Winner 'American Fiction' Moves To December". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
16. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 21, 2023). "TIFF People's Choice Award Winner 'American Fiction' Moves To December". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
17. ^ Tabbar, Mona (November 1, 2023). "Toronto audience award winner American Fiction finds UK-Ireland home (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
18. ^ "American Fiction (2023)". www.dvdsreleasedates.com. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
19. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 17, 2023). "'Poor Things' Is Anything But; 'American Fiction', 'The Zone Of Interest' Open Well As Audiences Embrace Original Fare – Specialty Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
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