The 97th Annual Oscars Nominees Are Here: A Landmark Year for First-Time Contenders
By Natalie McCarty
It’s the best time of year! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially announced the nominees for the 97th Annual Oscars, and this year’s lineup brings an exciting blend of industry legends and fresh faces. With 9,905 voting members casting their ballots, the nominees represent a rich tapestry of cinematic achievement across genres, countries, and artistic disciplines.
Image Courtesy of the Academy Press Office
Highlights from the Nominees
In a testament to the Academy’s ongoing effort to celebrate diverse and emerging talent, this year sees a remarkable 13 first-time nominees across the four acting categories. From Yura Borisov’s breakout performance in Anora to Karla Sofía Gascón’s role in Emilia Pérez, the acting nominations reflect a broad spectrum of stories and perspectives.
Another standout (unfortunately) is the controversial Emilia Pérez, which has set a new record for the most nominations for a non-English language film, with an astounding 13 nods. It surpasses previous record holders Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Roma (2018).
For industry veterans, this year brings notable returns. Adrien Brody, a past winner for The Pianist (2002), is back in the running for his lead role in The Brutalist. Cynthia Erivo, now on her third nomination, earns recognition for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked. Meanwhile, James Mangold is a standout with five total nominations to date, including three this year for A Complete Unknown.
Timothée Chalamet also becomes the youngest two-time Best Actor Oscar nominee since James Dean.
Image Courtesy of @rollingstone
This Year’s Best Picture Race
The Best Picture category offers a mix of indie powerhouses, studio giants, and international contenders. The list as published by the Academy Press Office is as follows:
NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY – 97TH AWARDS
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
• Adrien Brody in The Brutalist (A24)
• Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown (Searchlight)
• Colman Domingo in Sing Sing (A24)
• Ralph Fiennes in Conclave (Focus Features)
• Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice (Briarcliff Entertainment/Rich Spirit)
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
• Yura Borisov in Anora (Neon)
• Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain (Searchlight)
• Edward Norton in A Complete Unknown (Searchlight)
• Guy Pearce in The Brutalist (A24)
• Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice (Briarcliff Entertainment/Rich Spirit)
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
• Cynthia Erivo in Wicked (Universal)
• Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
• Mikey Madison in Anora (Neon)
• Demi Moore in The Substance (MUBI)
• Fernanda Torres in I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics)
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
• Monica Barbaro in A Complete Unknown (Searchlight)
• Ariana Grande in Wicked (Universal)
• Felicity Jones in The Brutalist (A24)
• Isabella Rossellini in Conclave (Focus Features)
• Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
• Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films) – Nominees to be determined
• Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney) – Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen
• Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films) – Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix) – Nominees to be determined
• The Wild Robot (Universal) – Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann
Best Animated Short Film
• Beautiful Men (Miyu Distribution) – Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Elslande
• In the Shadow of the Cypress – Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi
• Magic Candies (Toei Animation) – Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio
• Wander to Wonder (Miyu Distribution) – Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper
• Yuck! (Miyu Distribution) – Loïc Espuche and Juliette Marquet
Achievement in Cinematography
• The Brutalist (A24) – Lol Crawley
• Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) – Greig Fraser
• Emilia Pérez (Netflix) – Paul Guilhaume
• Maria (Netflix) – Ed Lachman
• Nosferatu (Focus Features) – Jarin Blaschke
Achievement in Costume Design
• A Complete Unknown (Searchlight) – Arianne Phillips
• Conclave (Focus Features) – Lisy Christl
• Gladiator II (Paramount) – Janty Yates and Dave Crossman
• Nosferatu (Focus Features) – Linda Muir
• Wicked (Universal) – Paul Tazewell
Achievement in Directing
• Anora (Neon) – Sean Baker
• The Brutalist (A24) – Brady Corbet
• A Complete Unknown (Searchlight) – James Mangold
• Emilia Pérez (Netflix) – Jacques Audiard
• The Substance (MUBI) – Coralie Fargeat
For cinephiles eager to dive into the nominated films, I’ve curated a complete Letterboxd list of all the nominees to help guide your Oscars journey here: Academy Award Nominees 2025
Image Courtesy of the Academy Press Office
Stay tuned for updates as the countdown to the 97th Academy Awards begins.
