Feb 11, 2026
3 min read
The Berkeley High Jacket is the award-winning student newspaper of Berkeley High School in California.Since 1912, Jacket has provided a program for professional-level student registration.
Oakland-born director Ryan Coogler is known for directing and writing blockbusters that combine social commentary, black culture, and identity. Coogler's latest film, The Sinner , announced its 98th Oscar nomination of 2026 on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The horror film set in 1932 Mississippi earned 16 Oscar nominations, making it the most nominated film inOscar history. Among those awards, Coogler was nominated for best director, marking the first time a black filmmaker from Oakland was recognized in the category.
Record-breaking nominations abounded in nearly every area of filmmaking, including acting, cinematography, editing, costume design, sound, original screenplay and best picture.Even before the Oscars, "Sinners" earned major — though some say it still lacks — recognition at the Golden Globes, where the film won for Best Original Score and Achievement in Motion Picture.
These achievements add to Coogler's already impressive body of work.He first gained national attention in 2013 for "Fruitvale Station," a powerful film based on Oscar Grant III, whose death deeply affected the Oakland community.Coogler then moved on to bigger studio projects, directing Marvel's "Creed" and "Black Panther."It alone received seven Oscar nominations and won three, while "Judas and the Black Messiah," co-starring Coogler, received five nominations and won two.His work has consistently balanced blockbuster appeal with a relatable story.
Born in Oakland and raised in Richmond, Coogler attended St.Mary's College High School in Berkeley before continuing his studies at California State University, Sacramento, and then Southern California School of Cinematic Arts for his Master of Arts (MFA).Thus began the framework for his future.
Coogler's success was supported by his wife and producing partner Zinzi Coogler.Raised in Oakland, Zinzi met Ryan when they were both college athletes. She has been intimately involved in every step of his career, from helping him access professional screenwriting tools to co-founding Proximity Media with Sev Ohanian in 2021.
With "Sinners", Coogler discovered a new genre by combining historical drama with horror.The film follows Sammie, a young blues musician who navigates both family conflict and supernatural forces in Jim Crow-era Mississippi.At its core, the story examines music, faith, race and survival.Much of the film is based on Coogler's own family history, particularly regarding relatives who immigrated from Mississippi to California after World War II.His connection to blues music, passed down through a close family member, also helped form the film's emotional foundation.
Music plays a major role in this project.Oakland artist Raphael Sadiq contributed an Oscar-nominated original song.Actor Delroy Lindo, an Oakland resident since the 1990s, also won his first Oscar for his performance in "Sinner."
Today, Coogler is one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation.From local theater in Auckland to the international awards stage, her journey shows the power of creative ambition that exists in the community.
