By Buster Sosulski
First Dog and Internet Correspondent
After decades in the film industry, actress Paloma Diamond finally received tangible recognition for her gripping storytelling, powerful modern portrayals of classic roles, and ability to connect with audiences.
Prior to the 2024 award season, Diamond had the highest number of Academy Award nominations without a win, and the second highest overall with 18. Some of her most popular nominations have been for her roles in “Dandelion Harlots,” “I Am The Master,” and “The Humps of My Heart.”
When the Academy announced her nineteenth nomination for her leading role in the box office smash “Breathe,” many fans were optimistic that this would finally be Diamond’s time to receive the coveted award.
Some fans, however, believed that her performance was “mid,” and that she did not deserve it for this specific film.
Twitter user @AngelaWhyAngela said, “Ok don’t get me wrong because we love Paloma Diamond but I saw ‘Breathe’ and it was kind of mid. Like if she wins for that, it feels like it’s a pity award because they didn’t give it to her for ‘The Remedy.’”
In a 2023 post-award show interview, Diamond was open about her disappointment due to her continual snubs, saying, “I feel like I’ve put in so much to my work and to this industry. I founded the gestation technique! That’s what I used to love so much about acting.”
The interviewer asked her if she would ever give up; she enthusiastically responded, “Never.”
Her commitment paid off. As Diamond arrived for the Academy Awards, every interviewer was fighting to ask her, “Is this the performance that finally wins you the much-deserved award?”
Her excitement was palatable, but the veteran actress maintained her composure and humility.
“Breathe” has been praised for its portrayal of what it is like to embark on a journey to train for a marathon for the first time as a 60-year-old. From waking up early to feed her backyard squirrels, raising her three grandchildren, and dealing with the crippling onset of osteoporosis, Diamond had to dig deep to truly capture character Agatha Humphreys’ challenging life and desire to follow her dreams — no matter the cost.
In her emotional speech, Diamond opened with an homage to Meryl Streep’s first Oscar acceptance speech, saying, “Oh, boy! No matter how much you try to imagine what this is like, it’s just so incredibly thrilling, right down to your toes!”
In the two weeks since she received her award, Diamond attended several different Oscar celebration parties, clubs, and promotional events in California. Fans speculate that she is getting nearly three decades of pent-up emotion out through her big win.
Diamond tweeted a series of pictures of her holding her award in different places, such as with her at breakfast, in the car, and in her bathroom, with the caption, “So humbled, so honored, I could not have expected that. Let’s make it back-to-back wins! See you next year BABY!”
Photo by Reece Feldman.
Photo Caption: Despite stiff competition in the Best Actress category, Paloma Diamond left the ceremony with the golden statuette.