“Emilia Pérez,” a musical about a drug kingpin who undergoes gender affirming surgery, topped the 2025 Oscar nominations with 13 nods. It was followed closely behind by “The Brutalist,” a historical epic the examines the immigrant experience, and “Wicked,” the hit screen version of a long-running Broadway sensation, which both nabbed 10 nominations. “Conclave,” a thriller about the election of a new pope, and “A Complete Unknown,” a look at Bob Dylan’s early, freewheelin’ years, each had eight nominations. All five of those films are up for best picture, the ceremony’s top prize, alongside indies like “Anora,” “Nickel Boys,” and “I’m Still Here,” as well as the body horror film, “The Substance,” and “Dune: Part Two,” one of the rare studio blockbusters to garner Oscar attention.
The Academy Awards nominations were unveiled Thursday after voting had been extended twice because of the wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 people and catastrophic property damage. This week, the Oscars announced that its March telecast will “acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.”
Timothée Chalamet, who has proved his box office drawing power with “Dune” and “Wonka,” was nominated for best actor for his chameleonic performance as Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” He will face off against “The Brutalist” star Adrien Brody, who became the youngest best actor winner in history at 29 for 2003’s “The Pianist.” Other best actor nominees include Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), and Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”). Stan’s recognition came after “The Apprentice,” a Donald Trump biopic in which he plays the real estate mogul, struggled to get distribution — companies were concerned about getting on the bad side of the 47th president. His co-star Jeremy Strong, who plays Trump mentor Roy Cohn, was also nominated for best supporting actor.
Demi Moore, who had been one of Hollywood’s brightest stars in the 1990s, continued her career comeback, capturing a best actress nomination for “The Substance,” a subversive horror film that examines the movie industry’s sexism and ageism. Her fellow best actress contender, “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón, made history as the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar. Mikey Madison (“Anora”), Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”) rounded out the list of best actress nominees.
Strong’s “Succession” co-star Kieran Culkin was also nominated for best supporting actor for his work as a young man whose wisecracks mask his emotional turmoil in “A Real Pain.” He is widely considered to be the frontrunner after earning several critics prizes and a Golden Globe. Culkin and Strong will vie for the prize against Edward Norton (“A Complete Unknown”), Yura Borisov (“Anora”) and Guy Pearce (“The Brutalist”).
(Excerpt) Read more in: Variety