EDITORS' NOTE

IN THIS STRANGEST of awards seasons— when William Goldman's old maxim about nobody knowing anything in the movie business seems truer than ever—we can actually be certain of a few significant things: that the late Chadwick Boseman is a marvel in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, playing "probably the greatest role written for a young Black actor," as his costar Viola Davis tells Yohana Desta in our cover story; that the 10 filmmakers featured in this issue's photo portfolio released vital work despite the challenges of the pandemic; that Amanda Seyfned is luminous in Mank; that Soul and One Night in Miami... scribe Kemp Powers is a compelling new voice; and that Eurovision's "Ja Ja Ding Dong" guy deserves a Nobel Prize, or at least an Oscar (on that, perhaps, our staff is not in total agreement). Most of all, we know that even in a time of global upheaval, the show must go on. "I didn't want to weep. I wanted to have hope," Taylor Swift tells us of the inspiration for her best original song contender. That's what "Only the Young" gave her—that's what the Academy Awards give us.

YOHANA DESTA

"Grand Finale"

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For her cover story on the late Chadwick Boseman, Vanity Fair Hollywood writer Yohana Desta spoke to many of the actor's friends and colleagues and describes it as some of the most difficult reporting she's done by far. "I feel like I got to see another side to him," says Desta. "One that I feel honored to share with folks who read this piece."

CHRISTOPHER ROSEN

"Speak Now"

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"I'm an avowed Swiftie who finds her music and career evolution completely fascinating," says Christopher Rosen. So when reporting on the singer-songwriter's documentary Miss Americana, he was drawn to the film's original song contender, "Only the Young." "There's a real compelling thread tying together the best original song Oscar category with the act of songwriting."

CASSIE DA COSTA

"Super Powers"

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Kemp Powers offers an unusual trifecta: journalist, screenwriter, and playwright, which made him a fascinating interview for Vanity Fair staff writer Cassie da Costa. "His mind is both analytical and imaginative," says da Costa. "He was able to answer my questions with a depth and candor that made our phone interview refreshingly dynamic."

TRACY MOORE

"Silence Is Golden"

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The Silence of the Lambs has been part of the pop culture canon for 30 years, so Tracy Moore set out to uncover fresh meaning when speaking to some of the film's key players, "it opened up new layers of understanding about how a movie about an FBI rookie and a face eater is still so relevant for audiences today," says Moore.