Steven Spielberg must feel pretty.
The “West Side Story” director scored his eighth Oscar nomination for best director Tuesday, making him just the fourth person to cross that threshold.
Billy Wilder was also nominated for eight, Martin Scorsese has racked up nine and William Wyler earned 11.
Spielberg was previously nominated for best director for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Munich” and “Lincoln.”
Tuesday’s nomination also means he has received such honors in six different decades.
If Spielberg wins at the March 27 ceremony, that will be his third trophy for best director, after “Schindler’s List” in 1994 and “Saving Private Ryan” in 1999. Only three directors have won at least four awards in that category: Wyler, Frank Capra and John Ford.
“West Side Story” also earned nominations for best picture, best actress in a supporting role (Ariana DeBose), cinematography, costume design, production design and sound.
The original version won 10 trophies, including best picture and best supporting actress for Rita Moreno and best director for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins.
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