ACTRESS Florence Pugh and and film director Sam Mendes could be bringing home Oscars to Oxfordshire after being nominated for this year's Academy Awards.

Miss Pugh, from Oxford, has been nominated for an Oscar for her role in Little Women, while Mr Mendes, who was schooled in the city and still lives in the county, is up for Best Director for war film 1917. His movie is up for a total of 10 awards including Best Picture.

It is the first Academy Award nod for Miss Pugh who is a rising star thanks to acclaimed roles in The Falling, Lady Macbeth, Fighting with My Family and Midsommar.
The 23-year-old has been nominated in the best supporting actress category for her role as Amy March, in the latest adaptation of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel.

The nominees were announced during a live ceremony today, with her co-star Saoirse Ronan receiving her fourth Oscar nomination with a best actress nod.
Little Women picked up four nominations in total, including a Best Adapted Screenplay nod for Greta Gerwig.

Mr Pugh, whose restaurateur father Clinton Pugh is selling off his establishments in Cowley Road, is up against Scarlett Johansson for Jojo Rabbit, Kathy Bates for Richard Jewell, Laura Dern for Marriage Story and Margot Robbie for Bombshell.

ALSO READ: Florence Pugh on 'finding fun in the naughtiness' of Little Women role

The nomination for Mr Mendes follows hot on the heels of his New Year honours knighthood. The director is best known for James Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre and dramas such as American Beauty, Road To Perdition and Revolutionary Road.

He is up against nominees Martin Scorsese for The Irishman, Todd Phillips for Joker, Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood and Bong Joon-Ho for Parasite.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Mendes, who was educated at Magdalen College School and celebrated his marriage to trumpeter Alison Balsom in Great Tew, said: "I couldn't be more thrilled.
"This movie was a labour of love for many people – myself included – so to see it recognised in this way is very moving for all of us.

Sam Mendes talks about 1917 + our review of the ingenious WWI drama 

"I would like to thank The Academy on behalf of my fellow producers, and on behalf of every single person who put their heart and soul into this film. Thank you."
The 92nd Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on February 9.

Miss Pugh reacted to her supporting actress nomination with a post on Instagram, sharing a picture of herself in bed on the phone, and another of herself looking excitedly at her mobile after hearing the news.