Movies

Oscars 2025: The Full List of Nominees

BBG News

Regardless of the hardships and turmoil in Southern California over the past few weeks, we’re ready to move forward. And that means it’s time to reveal the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards!

Once again, the list of nominees offers a blend of anticipated contenders and unexpected choices. It’s delightful to find that the darkly humorous body horror comedy The Substance, featuring Demi Moore as a struggling star who regains her youth after taking an enigmatic drug with devastating consequences, has garnered numerous nominations. This intriguing film has been recognized in five Oscar categories: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, a nod for Demi Moore as Best Actress, and Coralie Fargeat for Best Director.

Instead of being surprised, I was taken aback by several oversights. The captivating cinematography in Nickel Boys went unnoticed, as did the powerful score for Challengers. Additionally, there were numerous nominations for the biopic about Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown: Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Lead Actor, Supporting Actors (both male and female), Sound, and Costume Design.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be tuning in on March 2nd, 2025, to catch the grand unveiling of the Oscars winners! This exciting event will be broadcast live not just on ABC, but also on Hulu. And who better to host such a momentous occasion than the hilarious Conan O’Brien! Can’t wait for this unforgettable night of film glory!

Best Picture

1. Anora – The Enigmatic

2. The Brutalist – The Harsh One

3. A Complete Unknown – A Total Mystery

4. Conclave – Gathering of the Powers (or High Council)

5. Dune: Part Two – Dune Sequel (or Dune 2)

6. Emilia Perez – Emily Perez

7. I’m Still Here – I Persist

8. Nickel Boys – The Nickel-Plated Ones (implies a group of boys who are like polished nickels, possibly due to their uniform or demeanor)

9. The Substance – The Essence

10. Wicked – Villainous

Best Director

1. Sean Baker’s film is titled “Anora.”

2. Brady Corbet’s movie goes by the name “The Brutalist.”

3. James Mangold’s work is known as “A Complete Unknown.”

4. Jacques Audiard’s creation is called “Emilia Perez.”

5. Coralie Fargeat’s production carries the title “The Substance.”

Best Actor

1. Adrien Brody stars in “The Harsh Architect”;

2. Timothee Chalamet features in “A Stranger with No Identity”;

3. Colman Domingo is in “The Prison Song”;

4. Ralph Fiennes appears in “The Vatican Assembly”;

5. Sebastian Stan plays the role of “The Learner”

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo is known as “Wicked”
Karla Sofia Gascon goes by “Emilia Perez”
Mikey Madison uses the name “Anora” on stage
Demi Moore has a character named “The Substance”
Fernanda Torres is recognized as “I’m Still Here” in her roles.

Best Supporting Actor

1. Yura Borisov is starring in “Anora”

2. Kieran Culkin features in “A Real Pain”

3. Edward Norton plays the lead role in “A Complete Unknown”

4. Guy Pearce takes on the main character in “The Brutalist”

5. Jeremy Strong is seen in “The Apprentice”

Best Supporting Actress

1. Monica Barbaro stars in “A Complete Unknown”

2. Ariana Grande is in the musical adaptation of “Wicked”

3. Felicity Jones plays the lead role in “The Brutalist”

4. Isabella Rossellini acts in “Conclave”

5. Zoe Saldana portrays Emilia Perez in a film or series (depending on context)

Best Original Screenplay

Anora
The Brutalist
A Real Pain
September 5
The Substance

Best Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Emilia Perez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing

Best Animated Feature

Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot

Best International Feature

I’m Still Here
The Girl With the Needle
Emilia Perez
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Flow

Best Live Action Short

“A Lien”
“Anuja”
“I’m Not a Robot”
“The Last Ranger”
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”

Best Original Score

The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Perez
Wicked
The Wild Robot

Best Original Song

Never Too Late (Original) – “It’s Never Too Late,” by Elton John (Simplified)

Best Documentary Feature

Black Box Diaries
No Other Land
Porcelain War
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Sugarcane

Best Sound

A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Perez
Wicked
The Wild Robot

Best Production Design

The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked

Best Documentary Short

1. “Numbers Claiming Lives” (for “Death By Numbers”)

2. “I Am Prepared, Guard” (for “I Am Ready, Warden”)

3. “Unforeseen Event” (for “Incident”)

4. “Tools of the Pulsating Organ” (for “Instruments of a Beating Heart”)

5. “The Sole Melodist in the Band” (for “The Only Girl in the Orchestra”)

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Perez
Maria
Nosferatu

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

A Different Man
Emilia Perez
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked

Best Animated Short

“Beautiful Men”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Wander to Wonder”
“Yuck!”

Best Costume Design

A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Nosferatu
Wicked

Best Film Editing

Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Perez
Wicked

Best Visual Effects

Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Dune: Part Two
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked

People Who Won Oscars To Make Up For Awards They Should Have Won in the Past

Elizabeth Taylor (Best Actress for Butterfield 8)

Elizabeth Taylor, a legendary figure in Hollywood, has been celebrated for her captivating performances on the big screen. However, it was a lesser-known film, “BUtterfield 8,” that earned her the first of her multiple Oscars. In this movie, she portrays a despondent prostitute yearning for love and a better life. The win was somewhat controversial due to several factors: Taylor had been previously nominated three times for what many considered superior films, such as “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and she publicly criticized the film during promotions, which she made in order to fulfill her contractual obligations with MGM before filming “Cleopatra” with 20th Century-Fox. Some also speculated that the emergency tracheotomy she underwent prior to the ceremony may have garnered her additional sympathy votes.

John Wayne (Best Actor for True Grit)

In a surprising turn of events, John Wayne, another screen legend, clinched the prestigious award for his role as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn in “True Grit”, leaving many baffled given his illustrious career. In 1969, he was an experienced actor, and some speculated that his age might have played a part in him winning the award for a performance that was good, but not as extraordinary as some of his previous works. It seemed like a case of “If we don’t give it to him now…”. Interestingly, this was only his second nomination for Best Actor, with the first being for the 1949 World War II film “Sands of Iwo Jima”, and he never received another nomination or win after that.

Paul Newman (Best Actor for The Color of Money)

The Color of Money” is an excellent film, and Paul Newman delivers a fantastic performance in it. However, it’s somewhat unexpected that this role earned him his first and only Oscar, given that he had been nominated for six Best Actor awards before this. This win is often cited as an instance where the Academy recognized the actor rather than the specific performance. Interestingly, Newman was also nominated for playing the character “Fast Eddie” Felson in The Color of Money, a role he had previously been nominated for in 1962’s The Hustler.

In this revised version, I’ve aimed to make the text easier to understand and more conversational, while still preserving the original meaning and structure.

Jessica Tandy (Best Actress for Driving Miss Daisy)

In another instance of “It’s high time they gave them an Oscar,” this recognition goes to Jessica Tandy, who captivated audiences as the elderly former schoolteacher and resistant traveler in the movie “Driving Miss Daisy“. At that point in her career, Tandy had already made a significant impact on film, television, and stage for several decades. The Academy, impressed by the critical and commercial success of the film starring Tandy and Morgan Freeman, deemed it fitting to honor Tandy’s extensive body of work. Remarkably, at 80 years old, Tandy became the oldest actor ever to receive an Academy Award.

Judi Dench (Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love)

Judi Dench’s victory at the Oscars for her brief portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in “Shakespeare in Love” is often cited as one of the most surprising consolation prizes. The intense marketing strategy by Miramax led “Shakespeare in Love” to claim the night’s top award, surprisingly edging out the favorite, “Saving Private Ryan”. This upset overshadowed Dench’s equally astonishing win for her brief role as the steel-eyed queen, with just a few scenes. Even Dench herself seemed somewhat taken aback, expressing her thoughts as she pointed to her statuette: “For eight minutes on the screen, I should only get a little bit of this.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Best Picture, etc.)

Reflecting on my experience watching “The Return of the King,” the final installment in Peter Jackson’s epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, I was thrilled to see it sweep numerous technical categories and secure a well-deserved Best Director award. However, as the night drew to a close and it was announced as the Best Picture winner, some viewers felt that the Academy was acknowledging the trilogy rather than the individual film. While “The Return of the King” undeniably showcases exceptional technical prowess, with some of the most complex visual effects among the three movies, many devotees argue that it is not their favorite in the series. It’s truly remarkable that this fantasy film became the first and only one to win an Oscar, but perhaps the sentiment amongst fans would have been more satisfying if “The Fellowship of the Ring” had taken the top prize instead.

Sandra Bullock (Best Actress for The Blind Side)

Sandra Bullock’s win at the Oscars for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in “The Blind Side” didn’t just happen. The movie, a moving biopic, was widely praised, making it a prime candidate for an Academy Award. Additionally, Bullock was riding high on the commercial success of her romantic comedy “The Proposal,” which had been released that summer and marked a resurgence in the career of a much-loved actress whose career had faced some challenges in the early 2000s. The public’s affection for Bullock, coupled with this career revitalization, gave her the boost she needed to clinch the Oscar.

Julianne Moore (Best Actress for Still Alice)

The film “Still Alice” is a heart-wrenching, skillfully acted drama about an illness that typically resonates with voters during award seasons. It was no shock when Julianne Moore’s powerful portrayal of Alice Howland, a middle-aged linguistics professor diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, earned her an Oscar. Compared to her previous nominations for movies like “Boogie Nights,” “The End of the Affair,” “Far from Heaven,” and “The Hours,” her win for “Still Alice” seemed more like a long-overdue recognition.

Ennio Morricone (Best Original Score for The Hateful Eight)

Quentin Tarantino is recognized for blending various music styles in his films, often a mix of current pop tunes and themes from other movies’ soundtracks. Inviting Ennio Morricone to score the snowy western film “The Hateful Eight” was somewhat daring: it was the first time he had ever asked for an original score for one of his films, and at that time, Morricone was quite old, making it likely that this would be his final composition. This setup seemed ideal for winning an Oscar, especially considering the Academy had previously nominated Morricone for even more acclaimed work, yet failed to recognize his best pieces. Morricone’s win recognized his entire career.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Best Actor for The Revenant)

Was the anticipation strong if Leo DiCaprio would win his first Oscar at the 2016 Academy Awards? With four previous nominations, three as Best Actor for “The Aviator,” “Blood Diamond,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and one as Best Supporting Actor for “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” many wondered what it would take to see DiCaprio claim the award. Known as a prominent figure of that time, it left us pondering when he might finally win. Interestingly enough, his victory for “The Revenant” felt like a long-overdue acknowledgment, perhaps even an apology for not winning earlier, such as for “The Aviator” or “Titanic.

Roger Deakins (Best Cinematography for Blade Runner 2049)

In the realm of technical categories, only a handful of names hold significant recognition among the general public, and Roger Deakins is undeniably one of them. For over two decades, since his 1994 nomination for his exceptional work on The Shawshank Redemption, Deakins had been chasing the Best Cinematography Oscar, but had yet to secure a victory despite being nominated twelve additional times. However, when he delivered an outstanding performance with his vivid and atmospheric work on Blade Runner 2049, the Academy finally decided to bestow him with the award – a move that many viewed as recognition not only for his recent achievement but also for all those past nominations.

Will Smith (Best Actor for King Richard)

In Hollywood, Will Smith was one of those timeless stars who had never received the nation’s top acting honor, despite a career spanning several decades filled with cherished comedies and action films. However, Smith demonstrates an impressive range in drama films as well, earning two previous Academy Award nominations for his roles in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness. The campaign for his latest film, King Richard, where he plays the father and coach of tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, strongly emphasized Smith’s long-overdue recognition. While the win was not without controversy (he infamously slapped a man), it seems the Academy ultimately agreed, granting him the Oscar.

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2025-01-23 17:54

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