In the wake of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles that deeply impacted the movie industry, Hollywood rallied behind Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, a narco-musical exploring trans identity, as it led the Oscar nominations on Thursday.
Record-Breaking Nominations for Emilia Pérez
Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, a Spanish-language, French-made film, earned a record-breaking 13 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, who became the first openly trans actor ever nominated for an Oscar. The film also secured nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, two of its songs, and Zoe Saldaña.
Netflix’s Strongest Contender Yet
Despite its prominent presence in Hollywood, Netflix has never won Best Picture, with past contenders like Mank, The Irishman, and Roma receiving numerous nominations but few wins. However, Emilia Pérez may be its strongest contender yet, becoming the most-nominated non-English language film in Oscar history, surpassing Roma, which earned 10 nominations. Only All About Eve, Titanic, and La La Land have received more nominations in Academy Awards history.
Other Notable Nominations
Another musical, Wicked—the hit Broadway adaptation—received 10 nominations, including Best Picture and acting nods for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, a postwar epic filmed in VistaVision, also garnered 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and acting nominations for Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones.
Best Picture Nominees
The nominees for Best Picture are: Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Substance, and Wicked.
A Competitive Oscar Race
In a highly competitive Oscar race, the six most-nominated films—Emilia Pérez, Wicked, The Brutalist, Anora (six nominations), Conclave (eight nominations), and A Complete Unknown (eight nominations)—performed as expected. The biggest surprises came from the Brazilian film I’m Still Here, which earned Fernanda Torres a Best Actress nomination, and Nickel Boys, a POV-shot drama directed by RaMell Ross that had been overlooked by many guilds in earlier voting.
Displaced Contenders
These nominees likely displaced potential Best Picture contenders like Sing Sing, September 5, and A Real Pain, though these films still earned nominations in other categories.
Surprising Nominations for The Apprentice
One of 2024’s most daring films, The Apprentice, earned surprising nominations for Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. The film dramatizes the early years of Donald Trump’s rise in New York real estate under the mentorship of attorney Roy Cohn. Trump has referred to those involved in the film as “human scum.”
Best Actor and Best Actress Categories
In the Best Actor category, where Stan and Brody were nominated, other nominees included Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave). Notably absent was Daniel Craig, praised for his unconventional role in Queer.
In the Best Actress category, where Demi Moore is seen as the frontrunner for her powerful performance in The Substance, the nominees included Moore, Karla Sofía Gascón, Fernanda Torres, Cynthia Erivo, and Mikey Madison (star of Anora). This category, arguably the most competitive of the year, saw the exclusion of Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths), Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), and Angelina Jolie (Maria).
Debate Over the Oscars Amid Industry Challenges
As the film industry continues to recover from the wildfires, some have called for the cancellation of the Oscars. However, Academy leaders have insisted that the March 2 ceremony must proceed, citing its economic importance to Los Angeles and its role as a symbol of resilience for the industry. Organizers have pledged that this year’s awards will “celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community” and honor those who fought against the wildfires.
A Tumultuous Year for Hollywood
The Oscar nominations follow a tumultuous year for Hollywood, marked by significant post-strike delays, widespread unemployment due to a production slowdown, and the tragic California fires in January. Perhaps the most humbling moment came in the presidential election, which saw Trump return to office in a race where podcaster Joe Rogan seemed to hold more influence than all the A-listers combined.
A Dispersed Oscar Race
This year’s Oscar nominations reflect the uncertain state of the film industry, with nods spread across both widely known films and lesser-seen works, as well as theatrical releases and streaming hits. Unlike last year, when Oppenheimer emerged as the clear frontrunner, the 2024 film year offers no clear Best Picture contender. With five weeks left until the ceremony, at least four or five films—including The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Anora, Conclave, and Wicked—are considered strong Best Picture contenders.
