A Look at the 2025 Oscar Nominations: ‘Emilia Pérez’, ‘Wicked,’ ‘The Brutalist,’ and More

This morning, Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott took the stage at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills to unveil the nominees for the 97th Academy Awards. It’s an exciting time for movie fans as the countdown to the Oscars officially begins.
So, let’s break down the highlights and surprises from this year’s nominations!
Leading the Pack
It’s official: Netflix’s groundbreaking musical, Emilia Pérez, has stolen the spotlight with a whopping 13 nominations. Directed by Jacques Audiard, this film is not just a milestone for representation but also a powerful narrative about identity, transformation, and resilience.
The story of Emilia, a trans drug lord navigating life in Mexico, has resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. Its 13 nominations span major categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress, making it one of the year’s most talked about films.
Meanwhile, The Brutalist and Wicked have both earned 10 nominations each, showcasing their own unique strengths. The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet, offers a stark and haunting portrayal of an architect’s struggles during post-war reconstruction, combining stunning visuals with powerful performances. And then there’s Wicked, the long-awaited adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, it dazzled fans this past holiday season with memorable performances and spectacular production design that brought Oz to life on the big screen.
Rounding out the top contenders are Conclave and A Complete Unknown, each with eight nominations. Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, delves into the political and spiritual intrigue of electing a new pope, while James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown explores the life of Bob Dylan, anchored by Timothée Chalamet’s incredible performance.
Notable Moments and Snubs
Every Oscars season comes with its share of surprises and disappointments. This year, Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain didn’t make the cut for Best Picture, despite its strong festival buzz and emotional depth. The absence of Angelina Jolie (Maria) and Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) in the Best Actress category has also left fans and critics questioning the Academy’s decisions. Both actresses delivered incredible performances that were widely considered awards-worthy.
On the brighter side, the recognition of Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) is a monumental step forward for representation in Hollywood. Her nomination as the first transgender woman in an acting category not only celebrates her exceptional talent but also signals a progressive shift in the industry’s acknowledgment of diverse voices and stories.
It’s a reminder of how far the Oscars have come—and how far they still have to go.
2025 Oscar Nominees: The Full List
Here’s a look at the full list of this year’s 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 Actress in a Leading Role:
- 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 Actress in a Supporting Role:
- Monica Barbaro – ‘A Complete Unknown’
- Ariana Grande – ‘Wicked’
- Felicity Jones – ‘The Brutalist’
- Isabella Rossellini – ‘Conclave’
- Zoe Saldaña – ‘Emilia Pérez’
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
- Yura Borisov – ‘Anora’
- Kieran Culkin – ‘A Real Pain’
- Edward Norton – ‘A Complete Unknown’
- Guy Pearce – ‘The Brutalist’
- Jeremy Strong – ‘The Apprentice’
Best Director:
- Sean Baker – ‘Anora’
- Brady Corbet – ‘The Brutalist’
- James Mangold – ‘A Complete Unknown’
- Jacques Audiard – ‘Emilia Pérez
- Coralie Fargeat – ‘The Substance’
Best Original Screenplay:
- ‘Anora’
- ‘The Brutalist’
- ‘A Real Pain’
- ‘September 5’
- ‘The Substance’
Best Adapted Screenplay:
- ‘A Complete Unknown’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Nickel Boys’
- ‘Sing Sing’
Best Cinematography:
- ‘The Brutalist’
- ‘Dune: Part Two’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Maria’
- ‘Nosferatu’
Best Original Score:
- ‘The Brutalist’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Wicked’
- ‘The Wild Robot’
Best Original Song:
- ‘El Mal’ – ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘The Journey’ – ‘The Six Triple Eight’
- ‘Like a Bird’ – ‘Sing Sing’
- ‘Mi Camino’ –‘ Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Never Too Late’” – ‘Elton John: Never Too Late’
Best Film Editing:
- ‘Anora’
- ‘The Brutalist’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Wicked’
Best Production Design:
- ‘The Brutalist’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Dune: Part Two’
- ‘Nosferatu’
- ‘Wicked’
Best Costume Design:
- ‘A Complete Unknown’
- ‘Conclave’
- ‘Gladiator II’
- ‘Nosferatu’
- ‘Wicked’
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
- ‘A Different Man’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Nosferatu’
- ‘The Substance’
- ‘Wicked’
Best Sound:
- ‘A Complete Unknown’
- ‘Dune: Part Two’
- ‘Emilia Pérez’
- ‘Wicked’
- ‘The Wild Robot’
Best Visual Effects:
- ‘Alien: Romulus’
- ‘Better Man’
- ‘Dune: Part Two’
- ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’
- ‘Wicked’
Best International Feature Film:
- ‘I’m Still Here’ (Brazil)
- ‘The Girl With the Needle’ (Denmark)
- ‘Emilia Pérez’ (France)
- ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ (Germany)
- ‘Flow’ (Latvia)
Best Animated Feature:
- ‘Flow’
- ‘Inside Out 2’
- ‘Memoir of a Snail’
- ‘Wallace + Gromit: Vengeance Most Foul’
- ‘The Wild Robot’
Best Animated Short:
- ‘Beautiful Men’
- ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress’
- ‘Magic Candies’
- ‘Wander to Wonder’
- ‘Yuck!’
Best Live-Action Short:
- ‘A Lien’
- ‘Anuja’
- ‘I’m Not a Robot’
- ‘The Last Ranger’
- ‘The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent’
Best Documentary Feature Film:
- ‘Black Box Diaries’
- ‘No Other Land’
- ‘Porcelain War’
- ‘Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat’
- ‘Sugarcane’
Best Documentary Short:
- ‘Death by Numbers’
- ‘I Am Ready, Warden’
- ‘Incident’
- ‘Instruments of a Beating Heart’
- ‘The Only Girl in the Orchestra’
Conan O’Brien will host the Oscars ceremony from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 2, 2025.
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