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RaMell Ross, a Lake Braddock Secondary School graduate whose path took him from basketball standout to acclaimed filmmaker, will have another chance to win an Academy Award on Sunday, March 2.
Ross and co-writer Joslyn Barnes are nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Nickel Boys,” Ross’ first fictional feature. The film also secured one of 10 Best Picture nominations, although Ross was not nominated for Best Director.
Adapted from Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Nickel Boys” follows two boys confined in a violent and exploitative reform school. Ross tells the story through an unconventional first-person perspective, a nonlinear structure and archival footage.
The approach carries over some of the experimental style from his feature directorial debut, “Hale County This Morning, This Evening.” That portrait of African American life in Hale County, Alabama—where Ross lived from 2009 to 2012—earned a 2019 nomination for Best Documentary Feature but lost to “Free Solo.”
Born to military parents in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1982, Ross moved with his family to Fairfax and grew up in Northern Virginia. At Lake Braddock, he played guard on the boys basketball team and averaged 20.7 points per game during his junior year. He earned regional and district player honors along with McDonald’s All American and All-Met recognition.
A shoulder injury kept him out for his senior season in 2000, but Ross had already earned a basketball scholarship to Georgetown University. He played portions of four seasons with the Hoyas and received bachelor’s degrees in sociology and English.
Injuries disrupted his college basketball career, leading him toward visual art, photography and filmmaking. Ross has described sports and art as connected pursuits, saying athletes can slow down and control fleeting moments in ways that resemble film and photography.
Ross now lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and teaches in Brown University’s visual arts department. His memories of Northern Virginia include skateboarding, rollerblading, playing basketball and spending time outdoors.
Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw celebrated Ross’ nomination after the Oscar field was announced Jan. 23.
“Fairfax County is proud of RaMell’s accomplishments on the silver screen and on the court,” Walkinshaw wrote. “I’m excited to watch the Oscars and root for the former Bruin!”
“Nickel Boys” will compete for adapted screenplay against “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez” and “Sing Sing.” All but “Sing Sing” also received Best Picture nominations, with “Nickel Boys” seeking to overcome predicted frontrunner “Anora.”
The Oscars ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Sunday. It will air on ABC and stream live on Hulu for the first time.