Well, folks, awards season is officially in full swing! The 2025 Oscar nominations have just dropped, and if you’re anything like us, you’re already debating your picks for this year’s winners. The nominations were announced live this morning by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott, and let’s just say, there’s a lot to unpack. From historic firsts to shocking snubs, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Oscar race.
The Big Players: Wicked and Emilia Pérez Lead the Pack
Grab your broomsticks, because Wicked is defying gravity yet again with 10 Oscar nominations! This includes nods for Best Picture, Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande as Glinda), and several technical categories like Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Original Score. The beloved Broadway adaptation is soaring both critically and commercially, having already grossed $709 million globally.
Outshining Wicked is Emilia Pérez, which scooped up 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Jacques Audiard), and Best Actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, who made history as the first trans woman ever nominated in the lead acting category. Talk about a moment!
Major Snubs That Have Everyone Talking
Of course, every year comes with its share of eyebrow-raising omissions. Angelina Jolie, a frontrunner for her transformative performance in Maria, was shockingly left out of the Best Actress race. Similarly, Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) and Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez) didn’t make the cut for Supporting Actress, despite significant buzz. And let’s not forget Daniel Craig, who delivered a career-best performance in Queer, but was overlooked in the Best Actor category.
The Full List of Major Nominees
Best Picture
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- I’m Still Here
- Nickel Boys
- The Substance
- Wicked
Best Director
- Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez)
- Sean Baker (Anora)
- Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)
- Coralie Fargeat (The Substance)
- James Mangold (A Complete Unknown)
Best Actress
- Cynthia Erivo (Wicked)
- Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez)
- Mikey Madison (Anora)
- Demi Moore (The Substance)
- Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)
Best Actor
- Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)
- Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown)
- Colman Domingo (Sing Sing)
- Ralph Fiennes (Conclave)
- Sebastian Stan (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 Supporting Actor
- Yura Borisov (Anora)
- Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)
- Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown)
- Guy Pearce (The Brutalist)
- Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice)
Other Highlights
- Costume Design: Unsurprisingly, Wicked and Nosferatu earned spots here, with Gladiator II also joining the race.
- Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Expect fierce competition between Emilia Pérez and Nickel Boys.
- Music (Original Score): With nominees like The Brutalist and The Wild Robot, this year’s scores are giving us chills already.
Oscar Firsts and Historic Wins
Beyond Wicked’s box-office triumph and Karla Sofía Gascón’s groundbreaking nomination, the Oscars are continuing to embrace diversity. This year features a record number of international films nominated across categories, with Conclave and Anora leading the way for non-English language films.
The Snubs Keep Coming
Aside from the aforementioned acting snubs, some fans are bemoaning the lack of love for Queer in both the acting and screenplay categories. Daniel Craig gave a raw, gut-wrenching performance that many thought would be a sure thing for awards season.
Mark Your Calendars
The 97th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 2, with Conan O’Brien hosting live from the Dolby Theatre. Whether you’re Team Wicked, Team Emilia Pérez, or still bitter about the snubs, it’s shaping up to be a night filled with surprises, glamour, and (hopefully) viral moments.
Final Thoughts
This year’s Oscars feel like a battle of old Hollywood meeting new waves of representation and storytelling. While Wicked and Emilia Pérez are leading the pack, don’t count out dark horses like The Brutalist or Anora. One thing’s for sure—this year’s awards season is going to be a wild ride.
What’s your take on the snubs and surprises? Let us know, and we’ll see you on Oscar night!
