© BrunoPress

Penélope Cruz - ‘Volver’ (2006) -

© BrunoPress

Isabelle Adjani - ‘The Story of Adele H.’ (1975) -

French actress Isabelle Adjani competed for Best Actress at the 48th Academy Awards with her performance as Victor Hugo’s daughter, Adèle, in the historical romance 'The Story of Adele H' (languages French and English). Adjani earned a second nomination for her leading role in the French drama 'Camille Claudel' (1988).

© BrunoPress

Sophia Loren - ‘Two Women’ (1960) -

Sophia Loren’s first Oscar was for her leading role in Vittorio De Sica’s 'Two Women.' Nominated for Best Actress, Loren won the prize over the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood.

© BrunoPress

Melina Mercouri - 'Never on Sunday' (1960) -

Greek actress Melina Mercouri became the first person to earn an acting Oscar nomination for a foreign-language performance (the film's languages were English, Greek, and Russian). She was nominated for Best Actress for her role as the prostitute Ilya. The film also received a Best Director nom.

© BrunoPress

Liv Ullmann - ‘The Emigrants’ (1971) -

Norwegian star Liv Ullmann earned her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the drama 'The Emigrants,' which also competed for Best Picture and Best Director. She earned her second Oscar nomination for her role in Ingmar Bergman’s psychological drama 'Face to Face' (1976).

© BrunoPress

Marion Cotillard - ‘La Vie en Rose’ (2007) -

Marion Cotillard became the second woman in history to win the Best Actress Oscar for a foreign-language film performance in her role as Édith Piaf in 'La Vie en Rose' (the film's languages were French and English). She earned a second nomination as Best Actress for her performance in 'Two Days, One Night' (2014). 

© BrunoPress

Roberto Benigni - ‘Life is Beautiful’ (1997) -

Roberto Benigni became the first performer in Oscars history to win Best Actor for a foreign-language performance for his role in 'Life is Beautiful.’ He also directed and co-wrote the film.

© BrunoPress

Marcello Mastroianni - ‘Divorce Italian Style’ (1961) -

© BrunoPress

Marcello Mastroianni - ‘Dark Eyes’ (1987) -

Marcello Mastroianni competed for his third and final Best Actor Oscar with a nomination for Nikita Mikhalkov’s drama 'Dark Eyes.' The actor plays an Italian man who falls in love with a married Russian woman. The film's languages are Italian, Russian, and French.

© BrunoPress

Isabelle Huppert - ‘Elle’ (2016) -

© BrunoPress

Ingrid Bergman - ‘Autumn Sonata’ (1978) -

Ingrid Bergman’s final film performance in Ingmar Bergman’s 'Autumn Sonata' earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Bergman hadn’t spoken Swedish on screen in years, but lost the Oscar to Jane Fonda for 'Coming Home' (1978).

© BrunoPress

Javier Bardem - ‘Biutiful’ (2010) -

Following his Oscar win for the English-language film 'No Country for Old Men' (2007), Javier Bardem received another Academy Award nomination for his Spanish-language performance in 'Biutiful.'

© BrunoPress

Anouk Aimée - ‘A Man and a Woman’ (1966) -

Anouk Aimée became the first French performer to earn an acting Oscar nomination when she competed for Best Actress at the 39th Academy Awards. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

© BrunoPress

Ida Kamińska - ‘The Shop on Main Street’ (1965) -

Alongside Anouk Aimée, Polish actress Ida Kamińska was also up for Best Actress at the 39th Academy Awards. She played the near-deaf Jewish woman in the Czechoslovakia drama ‘The Shop on Main Street.’

© BrunoPress

Sophia Loren - ‘Marriage Italian Style' (1964) -

Sophia Loren earned her second Oscar nomination for Best Actress thanks to Vittorio De Sica’s 'Marriage Italian Style.' This time, Loren lost the prize to Julie Andrews for 'Mary Poppins' (1964).

© BrunoPress

Catalina Sandino Moreno - 'Maria Full of Grace’ (2004) -

Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno was nominated for Best Actress for her breakthrough role in 'Maria Full of Grace.'

© BrunoPress

Christoph Waltz - ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009) -

Christoph Waltz’s Oscar win for Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 film became the third foreign-language film performance in a row to win an Academy Award. While he speaks in English in the film, his role primarily uses French and German.

© BrunoPress

Robert De Niro - 'The Godfather: Part II' (1974) -

Robert De Niro’s role in 'The Godfather: Part II' made him an Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor at the 47th Academy Awards. He largely spoke Italian in the role as the young Vito Corleone.

© BrunoPress

Fernanda Montenegro - ‘Central Station’ (1998) -

Brazilian actress Fernanda Montenegro landed in the Best Actress race for her performance in 'Central Station.' Montenegro played a retired schoolteacher who befriends a young boy.

© BrunoPress

Yalitza Aparicio - ‘Roma’ (2018) -

Yalitza Aparicio made her film debut as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón's 'Roma,' which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film received 10 nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, winning three of them including Best Foreign Language Film.

© BrunoPress

Massimo Troisi - ‘The Postman’ (1994) -

© BrunoPress

Demián Bichir - ‘A Better Life’ (2011) -

Mexican actor Demián Bichir received a Best Actor nomination at the 84th Academy Awards for his predominantly Spanish-language performance in Chris Weitz’s immigrant drama 'A Better Life.'

© BrunoPress

Emmanuelle Riva - ‘Amour’ (2012) -

French legend Emmanuelle Riva became the oldest Best Actress Oscar nominee in history when she landed a nomination at 85 for her role in 'Amour.' The film won the Best Foreign Language Film prize.

© BrunoPress

Max von Sydow - ‘Pelle the Conqueror’ (1987) -

Max von Sydow's performance in the Swedish drama 'Pelle the Conqueror' landed him a Best Actor nomination at the 61st Academy Awards. The legendary actor lost to Dustin Hoffman for 'Rain Man' (1988).

© BrunoPress

Benicio del Toro - ‘Traffic’ (2000) -

© BrunoPress

Catherine Deneuve - ‘Indochine’ (1992) -

The iconic French actress earned her first and only acting Oscar nomination for playing plantation owner Éliane Devries in 'Indochine.' The drama won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

© BrunoPress

Giancarlo Giannini - ‘Seven Beauties’ (1976) -

Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini competed at the 49th Academy Awards for Best Actor for his role in Lina Wertmüller’s 'Seven Beauties.' It was a historic year for foreign-language film performances with Liv Ullman nominated for 'Face to Face' (1976).

© BrunoPress

Gérard Depardieu - ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ (1990) -

Gérard Depardieu played the protagonist in Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s adaptation of the 1897 play of the same name. He earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor at the 63rd Academy Awards, but lost to Jeremy Irons for 'Reversal of Fortune' (1990).

© BrunoPress

Valentina Cortese - ‘Day for Night’ (1973) -

Italian actress Valentina Cortese (right) became the first performer to be nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for a foreign language performance.

© BrunoPress

Adriana Barraza - 'Babel' (2006) -

Adriana Barraza’s predominantly Spanish-language performance in 'Babel' earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 79th Academy Awards.

Sources: (IndieWire) (Entertainment Weekly) (The Hollywood Reporter)

See also: Flashback: iconic photos from Oscars past

© BrunoPress