In the wake of that struck at the heart of the movie industry, an embattled Hollywood lined up behind the Netflix narco-musical about trans identity 91ƵEmilia Pérez91Ƶ in Thursday.
Jacques Audiard91Ƶs 91ƵEmilia Pérez,91Ƶ a Spanish language, French-made film, dominated the nominations with a leading 13 nominations, including best picture and best actress for making her the first openly trans actor ever nominated for an Oscar. The film also landed nominations for directing, original screenplay, two of its songs and for Zoe Saldaña.
Netflix, despite its starring role in Hollywood, has never won best picture. Many of its top contenders have previously racked up large numbers of nominations (including 91ƵMank,91Ƶ 91ƵThe Irishman91Ƶ and 91ƵRoma91Ƶ) but gone home with only a handful of trophies.
91ƵEmilia Pérez,91Ƶ though, may be its best chance yet. It became the most nominated non-English language film ever, surpassing Netflix91Ƶs own 91ƵRoma,91Ƶ which scored 10 nominations. Only three films 91Ƶ 91ƵAll About Eve,91Ƶ 91ƵTitanic91Ƶ and 91ƵLa La Land91Ƶ 91Ƶ have scored more nominations in Academy Awards history.
Another musical 91Ƶ 91ƵWicked,91Ƶ the smash Broadway adaptation 91Ƶ came away with nearly as many nominations. Jon M. Chu91Ƶs lavish 91ƵWizard of Oz91Ƶ riff scored 10 nominations, including best picture and acting nods for its stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
filmed in VistaVision, also came away with a commanding 10 nominations, including best picture, best director and nominations for actor Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones. The A24 release
The nominees for best picture are: 91ƵAnora91Ƶ; 91ƵThe Brutalist91Ƶ; 91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ; 91ƵConclave91Ƶ; 91ƵDune: Part Two91Ƶ; 91ƵEmilia Pérez91Ƶ; 91ƵI91Ƶm Still Here.91Ƶ; 91ƵNickel Boys91Ƶ; 91ƵThe Substance91Ƶ; 91ƵWicked.91Ƶ
In a wide-open Oscar race, the six most honored films 91Ƶ 91Ƶ 91ƵEmilia Pérez,91Ƶ 91ƵWicked,91Ƶ 91ƵThe Brutalist,91Ƶ 91ƵAnora91Ƶ (six nominations) 91ƵConclave91Ƶ (eight nominations) and 91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ (eight nominations) 91Ƶ all fared as expected. The biggest surprises were the Brazilian film 91ƵI91Ƶm Still Here,91Ƶ which also landed Fernanda Torres a best actress nomination, and RaMell Ross91Ƶ 91ƵNickel Boys,91Ƶ a POV-shot drama that had been overlooked by many guilds in earlier voting.
Those nominees likely displaced a few best-picture possibilities in 91ƵSing Sing,91Ƶ 91ƵSeptember 591Ƶ and 91ƵA Real Pain,91Ƶ though those films all landed nominations elsewhere.
One of 202491Ƶs most audacious films, 91Ƶ landed a surprising pair of nominations, for Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. The film dramatizes the formative years of s emergence in New York real estate under the tutelage of attorney Roy Cohn. Trump has called those involved with the film 91Ƶhuman scum.91Ƶ
In the best actor category, where Stan and Brody were nominated, the other nominees were Timothée Chalamet (91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ), Colman Domingo (91ƵSing Sing91Ƶ) and Ralph Fiennes (91ƵConclave91Ƶ). Most notably left out was Daniel Craig, acclaimed for his very un-James Bond performance in 91ƵQueer.91Ƶ
Best actress, a category that Demi Moore has appeared to have locked up for her full-bodied performance in 91ƵThe Substance,91Ƶ saw nominations for Moore, Gascón, Torres, Erivo and the star of 91ƵAnora,91Ƶ Mikey Madison. Arguably the year91Ƶs most competitive category, that left out Marianne Jean-Baptiste (91ƵHard Truths91Ƶ), Pamela Anderson, 91ƵThe Last Showgirl91Ƶ), Nicole Kidman (91ƵBabygirl91Ƶ) and Angelina Jolie (91ƵMaria91Ƶ).
In the directing category, 91ƵThe Substance91Ƶ filmmaker Coralie Fargeat managed to crack into the otherwise all-male group of Sean Baker (91ƵAnora91Ƶ), Corbet, Audiard and James Mangold (91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ). Most had expected Edward Berger to be nominated for directing the papal thriller 91ƵConclave.91Ƶ
Supporting actor was led by Kieran Culkin, the favorite for the award, for his performance in 91ƵA Real Pain.91Ƶ The other nominees were: Yura Borisov (91ƵAnora91Ƶ), Guy Pearce (91ƵThe Brutalist91Ƶ), Edward Norton (91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ) and Strong.
The supporting actress nominations went to Grande, Saldaña, Jones, Monica Barbaro (91ƵA Complete Unknown91Ƶ) and Isabella Rossellini (91ƵConclave91Ƶ).
The nominations had originally been planned for Jan. 17. But after wildfires on Jan. 7 began burning through the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other areas around Los Angeles, leaving behind historic levels of destruction, the academy extended its voting window and twice postponed the nominations announcement. Fresh fires outside Los Angeles continued Thursday.
With so many in the film industry reeling from the fires, some called on the academy to cancel the Oscars altogether. Academy leaders have argued the March 2 ceremony must go ahead, for their economic impact on Los Angeles and as a symbol of resilience for the industry. Organizers have vowed this year91Ƶs awards will 91Ƶcelebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.91Ƶ
91ƵWe will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry,91Ƶ Bill Kramer, academy chief executive, and Yang said in an email to members Wednesday.
But much of the usual frothiness Hollywood91Ƶs award season has been . The film academy canceled its annual nominees luncheon. Other events have been postponed or downsized. On Wednesday, Kramer and Yang said original song nominees won91Ƶt be performed this year. , whose Pacific Palisades home was spared by the fires, .
The Oscar nominations followed a up-and-down year for Hollywood that saw expansive post-strike delays, wide swaths of unemployed workers due to an industry-wide production slowdown and the tragedy of the California fires in January. Most humbling, perhaps, was the presidential election that returned Trump to office in a race where podcaster Joe Rogan seemed to hold more sway than all A-listers combined.
At the same time, even amidst a downturn for the superhero film, the industry rallied behind some galvanizing hits, including Universal Pictures91Ƶ 91ƵWicked,91Ƶ and three Walt Disney Co. $1 billion grossers in 91ƵInside Out 2,91Ƶ 91ƵDeadpool and Wolverine91Ƶ and 91ƵMoana 2,91Ƶ a film originally developed as a series for Disney+. Those films missed nominations Thursday, except for 91ƵInside Out 2,91Ƶ which joined the best animated nominees of 91ƵThe Wild Robot,91Ƶ 91ƵFlow,91Ƶ 91ƵMemoir of a Snail91Ƶ and 91ƵWallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.91Ƶ91Ƶ
That uncertain state of the movies seemed to be reflected in the Oscar nominations, which were spread across films both widely seen and little noticed, theatrically released and predominantly streaming.
But unlike last year, when Hollywood rallied around the success of 91ƵOppenheimer,91Ƶ the 2024 movie year offered up no clear frontrunner for the industry91Ƶs top honor.
With five weeks to go until the Oscar ceremony, at least four or five movies 91Ƶ including 91ƵThe Brutalist,91Ƶ 91ƵEmilia Pérez,91Ƶ 91ƵAnora,91Ƶ 91ƵConclave91Ƶ and 91ƵWicked91Ƶ 91Ƶ are seen having a shot at best picture.