The 97th Academy Awards nominations are finally here! On Thursday, Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott revealed the contenders for Hollywood’s biggest night. The announcement, which acknowledged the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, set the stage for an exciting Oscars race leading up to the March 2 ceremony on ABC. Conan O’Brien will host the glamorous evening.
The musical “Emilia Pérez” dominated with an impressive 13 nominations. It outpaced heavyweights like “The Brutalist” and “Wicked,” which both secured 10 nominations each. This marks a major triumph for non-English language films, with “Emilia Pérez” breaking records previously set by “Roma” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
“Emilia Pérez” faced significant backlash over Selena Gomez’s Spanish dialogue and its portrayal of the transgender community. However, its four Golden Globe wins softened critics and solidified its position as an awards-season juggernaut.
Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” is another major contender. The film follows Hungarian refugees, played by Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, as they rebuild their lives in post-WWII America. Despite controversy over its use of AI for dialects, Corbet’s defense of his artistic choices has kept the film’s momentum strong.
Meanwhile, the blockbuster “Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu, brought its massive fanbase into awards contention. Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande earned acting nods, with Grande celebrating her first-ever Oscar nomination. If Erivo wins, she will achieve EGOT status, joining an elite group of fewer than 30 artists.
This year’s nominations made history. For the first time since 1968, two musicals, “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked,” are up for Best Picture. The acting categories are packed with fresh talent, as 13 first-time nominees, including Kieran Culkin, Demi Moore, Isabella Rossellini, and Zoe Saldaña, received nods.
Here’s a breakdown of the top categories:
Best Picture
- “Anora”
- “The Brutalist”
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Conclave”
- “Dune: Part Two”
- “Emilia Pérez”
- “I’m Still Here”
- “Nickel Boys”
- “The Substance”
- “Wicked”
Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
- Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
- Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
- Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
- Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
Best Actress in a Leading Role
- Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
- Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
- Mikey Madison, “Anora”
- Demi Moore, “The Substance”
- Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
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 Supporting Actress
- Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
- Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
- Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
- Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
- Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”
Best Director
- Sean Baker, “Anora”
- Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
- James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
- Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”
- Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
Other major categories include Best Cinematography, Best International Feature, and Best Original Song, where tracks like “El Mal” and “Mi Camino” from “Emilia Pérez” are competing.
This year’s Oscars promise to be thrilling, with intense competition across all categories. Stay tuned as Hollywood’s brightest stars battle for the ultimate honor on March 2!
