As expected, the nominations for the 97th Oscars have drawn plenty of mixed reactions, from interesting picks to missed recognitions.
The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced on Thursday morning, with presenters Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang introducing those in the running for Oscars.
There were expected contenders, a couple of surprising additions to the awards ceremony, and several snubs that didn’t go unnoticed. Here’s the rundown of this year’s Oscars nominations.
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Big Contenders
The Spanish-language film Emilia Pérez is in the lead with 13 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director for Jacques Audiard, Best Actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, and Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña. Gascón is also officially the first openly trans actress ever nominated for an Oscar.
Following close behind, The Brutalist and Wicked came out with 10 nominations each, including Best Picture.
The other Best Picture nominees are Anora, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, and The Substance.
Two of the films, A Complete Unknown and Dune: Part Two, star Timothée Chalamet in the lead roles. He is also in the running for Best Actor for his work in A Complete Unknown, where he portrays American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.
Pleasant Surprises
Among the Best Picture hopefuls, two historical dramas came as quite a surprise, the American film Nickel Boys and a Brazilian entry I’m Still Here.
So far, Nickel Boys has been recognized at the Critics Choice Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, and the Golden Globe Awards to name a few, boosting the film’s visibility.
Meanwhile, I’m Still Here has had quite the momentum as a frontrunner among international films. The film’s star Fernanda Torres’ nomination may have also come as a surprise, had she not won the Golden Globe for Best Actress earlier this month.
While The Substance has definitely generated plenty of buzz this awards season, it may be a bit of a surprise that Coralie Fargeat was nominated for Best Director. She didn’t receive a nod from the Directors Guild of America Awards, which the rest of the directors vying for the Oscar got a nomination from.
Guy Pearce, who missed out on a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination, finally got his first-ever Oscars nod this year. He’s competing for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Brutalist.
Acting veteran Isabella Rossellini, who starred in Conclave, also earned her very first Oscar nomination (Best Supporting Actress).
Missed the List
Some of the most brought up snubs this year are two of Luca Guadagnino’s works—Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor, as well as Queer, featuring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.
Both films have been praised by critics and audiences alike and acknowledged by other award-giving bodies, but neither received a single nomination at this year’s Oscars.
While Emilia Pérez topped this year’s nominations, one of its stars, Selena Gomez, missed out. Gomez was also up for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and is in the race at the upcoming BAFTAs.
Among the filmmakers nominated at the DGAs, Conclave director Edward Berger is the only odd one out at the Oscars this year, with Fargeat taking his place instead. He has also been nominated at the CCAs, the BAFTAs, and the Golden Globes.
High-profile performers such as Angelina Jolie (Maria), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) and Kate Winslet (Lee) all missed out on Best Actress nominations. Pamela Anderson, who earned her first-ever SAG Award nomination for The Last Showgirl, also didn’t make the cut.
The 97th Academy Awards will take place on March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. To see the full list of nominees, head to oscars.org.
Banner image via Instagram @wickedmovie.
