On Jan. 28, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 2025 Oscars, honoring notable movies from last year. This year marks the 97th annual Oscars ceremony, which will be held on March 2 and hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien at the Dolby Theater.
Netflix musical “Emilia Pérez,” which covers a trans cartel boss attempting to create a new life as a woman, leads with 13 total nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Actress and Supporting Actress. The movie broke the record for the most nominations for a non-English film and allowed the film’s leading lady, Karla Sofía Gascón, to become the first openly trans actress to receive an Oscar nomination.
However, “Emilia Pérez” received a significant amount of criticism from the press and social media alike for its controversial portrayal of Mexican and trans culture. GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, spoke out against the film, noting it as a “step backward for trans representation.” Additionally, many Mexicans were outraged by the frivolity with which the film treats violence. Film critic Gaby Meza told the BBC that Mexico perceived the film as “exploiting a current tragedy … to generate an entertainment product.” Jacques Audiard, the French director nominated for Best Director for “Emilia Pérez,” notably stated in an interview he did not conduct in-depth research into Mexico, as he believed he “already knew what [he] had to understand.”
“Emilia Pérez” also made headlines due to its use of AI, as it used voice-enhancing to improve the singing voice of its leading lady, Karla Sofía Gascón, to increase her vocal range. The film’s re-recording mixer, Cyril Holtz production, also blended their singing with that of Camille, the French pop star who co-wrote the film’s score.
Similarly, the A24 film “The Brutalist” received criticism for AI use after its editor revealed production used Ukrainian software company Respeecher, the same “Emilia Pérez” used, to make actors Felicity Jones and Adrien Brody sound more authentic when speaking Hungarian in the film.
“The Brutalist” also sparked conversation as it garnered 10 nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Jones, Best Actor for Brody, Best Director for Brady Corbet and Best Picture. Though 3 hours and 34 minutes in length, the film has been widely praised, with Baltimore Magazine describing it as “a deeply personal story told on a grand scale.”
However, one of the most popular movies of 2024, “Challengers,” was noticeably absent from the nomination list. According to Venture Smarter, the film was generally seen with high regard from critics and casual viewers and skyrocketed Google search queries for “adult tennis lessons” by 245% worldwide. The film was predicted to be a strong contender for best original score with multiple songs having millions of streams on Spotify due to its addicting techno music.
Additionally, “Wicked” was a standout film in pop culture this year and received rave reviews from critics and fans. The film ultimately earned 10 total nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Cynthia Ervio’s portrayal of Elphaba, and Best Supporting Actress for Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Galinda. Though Variety predicts it will lose in all three categories, it is a predicted winner for the Original Score, Costume Design and Makeup and Hairstyling categories.
Sean Baker, Coralie Fargeat and James Mangold were nominated for their directorial work on “Anora,” “The Substance” and “A Complete Unknown,” respectively.
Other nominees for Best Picture include “Anora,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “I’m Still Here,” “The Substance” and “The Nickel Boys.”
The 2025 Academy Awards ceremony will air on ABC and Hulu on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. In a letter obtained by NPR, the Academy leaders stated the ceremony “will celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.”