The 2025 Oscars nominations have been unveiled, showcasing a mix of record-breaking achievements, historic milestones, and unexpected omissions. Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, a musical about a transgender gangster navigating life in Mexico, has made history by earning 13 nominations, the most ever for a film not in the English language. Among its accolades, Karla Sofía Gascón, who stars as the titular character, became the first out trans actor to receive an Oscar nomination.
The film’s recognition extends to categories including Best Picture, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, and International Feature, alongside nods for Zoe Saldaña in the Supporting Actress category, and multiple technical awards such as cinematography and sound. It also earned two nominations for Original Song. Audiard’s project surpasses previous records held by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Roma.
Another frontrunner is Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, which shares 10 nominations with the musical adaptation Wicked. Corbet’s sprawling epic, chronicling the journey of a Hungarian architect played by Adrien Brody, secured recognition across major categories but sparked controversy due to its use of AI technology to adjust the accents of its lead actors. Corbet defended the decision, saying, “Adrien and Felicity’s performances are completely their own.”
James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown also received eight nominations, including acting nods for Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro, alongside lead star Timothée Chalamet. Similarly, Edward Berger’s Conclave matched with eight nominations, though Berger himself was notably excluded from the directing category.
In the Best Actress race, Karla Sofía Gascón faces fierce competition, including Cynthia Erivo for Wicked, Demi Moore for Babygirl, and Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here. Moore, a Golden Globe winner for her role, is considered a frontrunner. The leading actor category also saw surprises, with Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes, Colman Domingo, Timothée Chalamet, and Sebastian Stan vying for the award.
Notable omissions this year include Denzel Washington for Gladiator II, which only managed a nomination for Costume Design, as well as Nicole Kidman and Angelina Jolie for their much-anticipated roles in Babygirl and Maria, respectively. British talent also faced setbacks, with neither Hugh Grant nor Daniel Craig earning recognition for Heretic and Queer. Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s reunion with Mike Leigh in Hard Truths similarly failed to earn a nod.
The Best International Feature category features Emilia Pérez alongside I’m Still Here, Danish drama The Girl With the Needle, Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of a Sacred Fig, and Latvian animated film Flow. Meanwhile, Flow joins other animated features such as Inside Out 2, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and The Wild Robot.
In documentaries, the shortlist leans toward politically charged narratives, with No Other Land exploring the destruction of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank, competing against Porcelain War about Ukrainian artists and Sugarcane, which investigates Canada’s residential school system.
This year’s nominations process was twice delayed due to California’s devastating wildfires, allowing the Academy’s 10,000 voters more time to evaluate entries. Reflecting on the challenges, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang emphasized the resilience of the industry in their letter to members. “We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry,” they wrote.
The 2025 Oscars will take place on 2 March, hosted by Conan O’Brien.
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