Thread by @VanityFair

Presenting the 28th annual Hollywood Issue. This year, V.F. convened eight commanding stars who are breaking boundaries, thrilling audiences, and inventing the movieland they want to live in. vntyfr.com/oXhqTP9

Nicole Kidman just clinched the fifth Oscar nomination of her career for her role as Lucille Ball. Still, the ‘Being the Ricardos’ actress doesn’t think of herself as a movie star: “I’m a little oddball, so I’m happy to support other oddballs.”

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‘The Harder They Fall’ star @IdrisElba wants to keep surprising people. From blockbuster franchises to Netflix's upcoming ‘Luther’ movie—plus his second career as a DJ and musician—there's no limit to what he can do, onscreen and off.

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Kristen Stewart—newly engaged and nominated for her first Oscar—is riding high, but prepping for ‘Spencer’ required the star to channel the late royal’s loneliness. “Diana was so friendless. I’m constantly going ‘Where was your f—king homie?’”

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Oscar nominee and #ThePowerOfTheDog star Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t afraid to poke industry Goliaths: “If I’m in the belly of the beast, then surely I can start asking questions of it.”

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‘Pose’ and ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez broke barriers with her historic Golden Globe win this year, the first-ever awarded to a trans person. With a debut EP and Apple TV+ show on the way, she's not done making history yet.

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Simu Liu shouldered superhuman expectations with aplomb in ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’ Now, he’s contending with the responsibilities—and revelations—of success: “I still feel very much like I’m an outsider in Hollywood.”

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Penélope Cruz’s performance in ‘Parallel Mothers’ has earned the global superstar a coveted Best Actress nomination, but the role took its toll on her mental state while filming. “I pretended that I had things under control, but I was scared.”

🔗: vntyfr.com/oXhqTP9

Andrew Garfield’s star turn in ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ earned him his second Oscar nomination—and helped him navigate loss off-screen. “Theater saved my life.” The actor speaks to V.F. about his remarkable performances, lying for ‘Spider-Man,’ and more.

🔗: vntyfr.com/oXhqTP9