Nomadland - Oscar’s Best Pictures Nominees: Where to Watch, Casts and Plot

Photo: YouTube

With four Golden Globe nominations to its name already (and Oscar nods likely to follow), many are predicting Nomadland will score big during this year's award season.

Since first premiering in the United States last month (it was released abroad in September of 2020), the movie, made by filmmaker Chloé Zhao and based on the 2017 book by Jessica Bruder, has earned nothing but praise. Some have labeled Frances McDormand's portrayal of Fern as "the performance of her career," while others have commended Chloé for "beautifully" telling the story of a houseless woman traveling around the American West after losing her job. What's more, it was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review.

Put bluntly, this is a film you need to see. The good news is, Nomadland is soon becoming much more accessible to watch amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Below, you'll find all the info you need about enjoying Nomadland, according to Good Housekeeping.

Nomadland: Where and How to watch

"Nomadland" is now available to stream exclusively on Hulu. The movie premiered on February 19. You can get access to Hulu for $6 per month with its basic, ad-supported plan.

Aside from the basic plan's monthly payment option, you can buy an entire year of Hulu for $60. That's $12 cheaper than the cost of paying for a year on a monthly basis. If you're not a fan of ads, Hulu also has an ad-free option for $12 a month, Business Insider cited.

If you're interested in even more streaming content, we recommend that you take advantage of the $13 per month bundle that includes Hulu Basic, ESPN+, and Disney Plus. With this bundle, you'll get access to two more 2021 Oscar-nominated movies via Disney Plus: "Soul" and "Onward." "Soul," a jazzy music-centric Pixar flick, already took home the 2021 Golden Globe for the best-animated motion picture.

You can watch "Nomadland" through Hulu on a number of streaming devices, including iOS and Android products, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Nintendo Switch, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, web browsers, and smart TVs.

Nomadland will also be shown in select theaters where movie theaters are open. Make sure to check your state's health guidelines before making any plans. It's important to note that the CDC advises limiting indoor activities and crowds and practicing social distancing whenever possible. If you were in a movie theater while traveling, the CDC recommends that you promptly get tested for COVID-19 before or when you get home.

Nomadland: Casts

“Nomadland” has staked its claim as the official frontrunner for the Academy Award for best picture with its best picture (drama) prize at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards. Photo: The Guardian

Frances McDormand As Fern

Frances McDormand stars as Fern, a Nevada woman who goes on a road trip after her husband passes away. McDormand earned Academy Awards for her performances as Marge Gunderson in Fargo and Mildren in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. She recently narrated Good Omens season 1 on HBO as the voice of God, said ScreenRant.

The Nomadland Main Supporting Cast

David Strathairn (above) as Dave: Fern's road friend/possible love interest whom she meets at the Quartzsite Yacht Club. David Strathairn portrayed Pierce Patchett in L.A. Confidential and William Seward in Lincoln. He recently appeared as Black Jack Foley in Billions, Commander Klaes Ashford in The Expanse, and Admiral Stenz in the MonsterVerse. Stathairn earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck.

Tay Strathairn as James: Dave's son who talks to Fern about AA meetings. Tay Strathairn portrayed Bucky in Eight Men Out and Young Sam in Lone Star. He's the son of David Strathairn.

Cat Clifford as Cat: A nomad who sings "Drifting Away I Go." Cat Clifford appeared in Zhao's 2015 film Songs My Brothers Taught Me and starred in her 2017 follow-up Western, The Rider.

Peter Spears as Peter: Dave's neighborhood friend. Peter Spears portrayed Danny Benjamin in Something's Gotta Give and Isaac in the 2017 hit Call Me by Your Name.

Nomadland's Non-Professional Cast

Linda May as Linda May: Fern's Amazon colleague who introduces her to everybody.

Charlene Swankie as Swankie: Fern's terminally-ill friend who teaches her lessons about nomad life.

Brandy Wilber as Brandy: One of Fern's friends who spots her at Amazon and offers a place to stay.

Makenzie Etcheverry as Makenzie: Brandy's daughter.

Patricia Grier as Patty: An employee at Desert Rose R.V. Park.

Rachel Bannon as Rachel: The Fox Peek manager who suggests that Fern stay at a Baptist church to avoid the cold.

Bob Wells as Bob: Fern's bearded friend who warns about the "tyranny of the dollar."

Bryce Bedsworth as Bryce: Bob's friend, a Vietnam veteran with PTSD.

Derek Endres as Derek: A traveler from Wisconsin who meets Fern at two different locations in the movie.

Melissa Smith as Dolly: Fern's sister who wants her to settle down and live a so-called normal life.

Warren Keith as George: Dolly's husband.

Nomadland: Plot

Photo: WEB.DE

Nomadland, written and directed by Chloé Zhao and hitting theaters and Hulu on Feb. 19, is based on a book of the same name by Jessica Bruder. The 2017 nonfiction book is a sweeping account of post-recession contemporary nomads like the fictional Fern. While researching the book, Bruder spent years following nomads across the country, and in doing so, showcased an invisible but significant portion of the American workforce. The author spent months living in a secondhand van, which she named “Halen,” in an effort to better understand her subjects, like Linda May and Swankie, who play themselves in the movie, Time reported.

Nomadland’s loosely unfolding narrative follows Fern as she navigates life on the road, working several jobs, meeting and befriending fellow nomads and adjusting to her new normal. “The filmmakers refer to Frances as a docent, which I really love,” Bruder tells TIME. “She guides us down this road, and we meet all these people. We follow her narrative, but she’s also this backbone, and all these other things spoke off of her story.”