On Sunday night, the 98th annual Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. It was a night to celebrate the movies. It worked just like award shows work in hockey, at least, that’s what Gary Bettman hopes. The Oscars are the pinnacle of award shows, celebrating performances at the theatre.Â
For years, the state of New Jersey has been home to some of the greatest actors history has ever known. From John Travolta to Bruce Springsteen (yes, he acts too) to Jack Nicholson, there are absolute greats who began their journeys in New Jersey.
This year, there are three nominees who have real New Jersey roots. Two are actors. Michael B. Jordan spent much of his childhood in Newark. He’s nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Sinners. Ethan Hawke is trying to get his first Best Actor win for his performance in Blue Moon. Hawke moved to West Windsor as a child and spent his high school years in the Garden State.
Speaking of Blue Moon, its writer, Robert Kaplow, is nominated for Best Original Screenplay. He grew up in Westfield and spent much of his life in Metuchen. He even taught English at Summit High School.
In history, there are many winners who have their claims to New Jersey. Here are five you may not know represent New Jersey.
1. Merryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep was born in 1949 in Summit, New Jersey. She began her acting career in middle school, when she starred as Louise Heller in the play The Family Upstairs. She did a ton of acting at Bernards High School, and eventually made this her life’s work when she went to Vassar College in New York.
She’s a three-time Oscar winner, taking home the gold statue for her performances in Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, and The Iron Lady. She’s known as one of the greatest actresses of all time, and that career began with roots in New Jersey.
She continues to give back to New Jersey, with one of her foundations, the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts, being based in Morristown. And she’s believed to be a Devils fan! At least, some believe she has attended some games. She at least stars in The Devil Wears Prada, which has to account for something.Â
2. Mira Sorvino
Mina Sorvino was born in Manhattan, but she claims New Jersey. She was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,[5] where she acted in theater productions at Dwight-Englewood School. From that small Bergen County school, she was accepted into Harvard University, and eventually, her acting career took off.
Most well known for her role in Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, she actually won an Academy Award two years prior to that movie coming out. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1995 for her performance in Mighty Aphrodite.Â
We can’t find an instance where she has shown her allegiance to the Devils, we also haven’t seen her support the New York Rangers, like New Jersey native Susan Sarandon. She also won in 1995, the same year the Devils won their first Stanley Cup.
3. Eva Marie Saint
Eva Marie Saint was a long-time actress with a career that spanned decades. She began her career in 1946 with an appearance on the TV show Camp Hoopla. At 101 years old, she’s one of the longest-surviving actresses from the Golden Era of Hollywood. She’s also the earliest-surviving Academy Award winner.Â
While she has appeared in several popular films and TV shows, like Love Boat, North by Northwest, and Superman Returns, her Best Supporting Actress nomination came via her role in On the Waterfront. It was a performance where she got to stand alongside Marlon Brando at his absolute peak. She was actually very pregnant when she won her Oscar, and gave birth just days later. She never hit the heights many thought she might, but she had a long and successful career.
She was born in Newark, but her family eventually moved to New York. She’s someone who accepted and remained in Los Angeles once she became an actress.Â
4. Rod Steiger
Saint’s co-star also has roots in New Jersey. Rod Steiger was one of the stars in On the Waterfront, but that’s not where he got his Oscar. He won 13 years later for Best Actor when he starred in the picture In the Heat of the Night. He played opposite legendary actor Sidney Poitier.Â
Steiger is another person who might not be considered one of the best ever in acting, but he had an insane filmography. His mother was in a vaudeville act, but when she quit show business, she moved the family to New Jersey to raise her son as a single mother. After living in a few different towns, they settled in Newark, where he went to West Side High School.Â
He didn’t finish high school because he dropped out to join the Navy. After fighting in World War II, he returned to New Jersey and attended drama classes. From there, his career was born. He eventually enrolled in the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York.Â
5. Bruce Springsteen
There has never been a more obvious celebrity from New Jersey than Bruce Springsteen. One of the world’s most famous musicians has sung about this great state throughout his career. When someone asks to name a celebrity from New Jersey, Springsteen is at the top of the list. That’s not what’s surprising; it’s the fact that Springsteen has an Academy Award to his name.Â
He actually won for Best Original Song for his song Streets of Philadelphia for the movie Philadelphia in 1993. He was also nominated for his song Dead Man Walking in 1995 for the movie that bears the same name. He also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for the title song for 2008’s The Wrestler.
Now, is Bruce Springsteen a Devils fan? They sure do play a lot of his music during games, including Glory Days. That doesn't mean he is a Devils fan, but for a musician who embodies everything New Jersey, we would hope he roots for the one team that represents his favorite state.