The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were unveiled on Thursday morning, ushering in an exciting awards season and setting the stage for fierce competition among this year’s cinematic standouts.
Hosted by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott, the announcement was preceded by a somber acknowledgment from Academy leadership regarding the devastating wildfires raging across Los Angeles.
As anticipation built, three films emerged as dominant contenders: the musical “Emilia Pérez,” leading the pack with an impressive 13 nominations, followed closely by “The Brutalist” and “Wicked,” each earning 10 nominations.
“Emilia Pérez” proved to be the morning’s biggest success story, despite its tumultuous journey to acclaim. The vibrant musical has faced scrutiny over various controversies, including critiques of Selena Gomez’s performance, particularly her challenges with Spanish dialogue, and concerns about the film’s portrayal of the transgender community.
Nevertheless, the film’s triumph at the Golden Globes, where it secured four wins, softened much of the backlash. Its landmark achievement as a non-English language film, surpassing the previous success of “Roma” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” underscores its resonance with audiences and critics alike.
On the other hand, “The Brutalist” cemented its status as a critical darling, building on its Golden Globes momentum. Directed by Brady Corbet, the film tells the poignant story of Hungarian refugees navigating life in post-World War II America, brought to life by stirring performances from Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones.
The movie, however, has not been without its share of controversy. A heated debate surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to assist with dialect accuracy has cast a shadow over its awards campaign. Corbet has ardently defended his artistic choices and the integrity of his cast, asserting that technology was used to enhance authenticity rather than undermine it.
“Wicked,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, brought its blockbuster energy to the awards race with significant recognition. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film landed a coveted best picture nomination alongside acting nods for its leading stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
For Grande, this marks her first Oscar nomination, while Erivo, a previous nominee for “Harriet,” could make history by achieving EGOT status if she secures a win. With fewer than 30 artists having reached this milestone, her potential victory adds an extra layer of excitement to the ceremony.
This year’s nominations are historic in another way, as “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked” represent the first time in over five decades that two musicals have been nominated for best picture in the same year.
The last instance was in 1968, when “Oliver!” and “Funny Girl” earned nods in the category. The resurgence of musicals in the awards spotlight highlights a renewed appreciation for the genre’s storytelling power and cultural impact.
The acting categories showcased an infusion of fresh talent, with 13 first-time nominees making the cut. Among them are Kieran Culkin, Demi Moore, Isabella Rossellini, and Zoe Saldaña, whose performances captivated audiences and critics alike.
Their nominations reflect a shift toward recognizing a diverse range of voices and stories in the film industry. This year’s slate is a testament to the Academy’s ongoing efforts to celebrate emerging talent and foster inclusivity.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be hosted by Conan O’Brien, known for his wit and charisma, promising an entertaining evening as Hollywood’s brightest stars gather to celebrate cinematic excellence.
Airing live on ABC on March 2, the event will culminate weeks of speculation and debate, as audiences eagerly await the announcement of this year’s winners. As always, the Oscars are poised to deliver unforgettable moments and honor the year’s most remarkable achievements in film.
Here’s the full list:
Best Picture:
- “Anora”
- “The Brutalist”
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Conclave”
- “Dune: Part Two”
- “Emilia Perez”
- “I’m Still Here”
- “Nickel Boys”
- “The Substance”
- “Wicked”
Best Actress:
- Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
- Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
- Mikey Madison, “Anora”
- Demi Moore, “The Substance”
- Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Best director:
- Sean Baker, “Anora”
- Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist
- James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
- Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Perez”
- Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
Best cinematographer:
- Lol Crawley, “The Brutalist”
- Greig Fraser, “Dune: Part Two”
- Paul Guilhaume, “Emilia Pérez”
- Ed Lachman, “Maria”
- Jarin Blaschke, “Nosferatu”
Best actor:
- Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
- Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
- Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
- Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
- Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
Best visual effects:
- Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin and Shane Mahan, “Alien: Romulus”
- Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft and Peter Stubbs, “Better Man”
- Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer, “Dune: Part Two”
- Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story and Rodney Burke, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
- Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk and Paul Corbould, “Wicked”
Best sound:
- Todd A Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey and David Giammarco, “A Complete Unknown”
- Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill, “Dune: Part Two”
- Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz and Niels Barletta, “Emilia Pérez”
- Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and John Marquis, “Wicked”
- Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo and Leff Lefferts, “The Wild Robot”
Best editing:
- “Anora”
- “The Brutalist”
- “Conclave”
- “Emilia Perez”
- “Wicked”
Best animated feature:
- “Flow”
- “Inside Out 2”
- “Memoir of a Snail”
- “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
- “The Wild Robot”
Best international feature film:
- “I’m Still Here” (Brazil)
- “The Girl With The Needle” (Denmark)
- “Emilia Perez” (France)
- “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Germany)
Best documentary short:
- “Death by Numbers”
- “I Am Ready, Warden”
- “Incident”
- “Instruments of a Beating Heart”
- “The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
Best documentary feature film
- “Black Box Diaries”
- “No Other Land”
- “Porcelain War”
- “Soundtrack To A Coup D’Etat”
- “Sugarcane”
Best original song:
- “El Mal” from “Emilia Perez”
- “The Journey” from “The Six Triple Eight”
- “Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing”
- “Mi Camino” from “Emilia Perez”
- “Never Too Late” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
Best animated short film:
- “Beautiful Men”
- “In the Shadow of the Cypress”
- “Magic Candies”
- “Wander to Wonder”
- “Yuck!”
Best supporting actress:
- Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
- Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
- Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
- Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
- Zoe Saldana, “Emilia Perez”
Best supporting actor:
- Yura Borisov, “Anora”
- Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”
- Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”
- Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”
- Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”
Best original screenplay:
- Sean Baker for “Anora”
- Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold for “The Brutalist”
- Jesse Eisenberg for “A Real Pain”
- Mortiz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum and Alex David for “September 5”
- Coralie Fargeat for “The Substance”
Best adapted screenplay:
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Conclave”
- “Emilia Perez”
- “Nickel Boys”
- “Sing Sing”
Best live-action short film:
- “Alien”
- “Anuja”
- “I’m Not a Robot”
- “The Last Ranger”
- “The Man Who Would Not Remain Silent”
Best costume design:
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Conclave”
- “Gladiator 2”
- “Nosferatu”
- “Wicked”
Best makeup and hairstyling:
- “A Different Man”
- “Emilia Perez”
- “Nosferatu”
- “The Substance”
- “Wicked”
