Oscar Nominations Unveiled: Historic Firsts, Record-Breakers, and Conan O’Brien to Host the 97th Academy Awards
Oscar Nominations Announced
In an early morning announcement, actors Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang revealed the nominees for the 97th Academy Awards from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
This year’s ceremony will see Conan O’Brien, the seasoned host, writer, and comedian, take the helm for the first time, as announced by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang.
The star-studded event will live broadcast on ABC and other international outlets on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. PT, with a red carpet pre-show starting at 3:30 p.m. PT.
The final nominees for major categories such as Best Picture, Animated Feature Film, and Documentary Feature Film will be confirmed in early February, following the Academy’s eligibility and appeals processes. Producers must meet specific criteria to qualify for Best Picture nominations.
Academy members will cast their votes for winners across 23 categories from February 11 to February 18.
Historic Achievements
This year’s nominations have made history in several ways.
Emilia Pérez has shattered the record for the most nominations for a non-English language film with a total of 13 nominations. The previous record stood at 10, held by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Roma (2018).Pérez and I’m Still Here have also become part of an elite group, being nominated for both Best Picture and International Feature Film in the same year. This makes it the 10th and 11th occurrence of this unique honor among films like Parasite (2019), which is the only film from this group that has won both awards.
Thirteen actors received their first-ever Oscar nominations, showcasing fresh talent in the industry. Among the nominees are Demi Moore, Guy Pearce, and Ariana Grande. Non-English-language performances continue to make an impact, with three nominated this year, reflecting a trend over the past decade.
Colman Domingo stands out as the only nominee with back-to-back nominations, while Adrien Brody returns as a past winner.
For the sixth consecutive year, a female-directed film has received a Best Picture nomination, and Coralie Fargeat’s work on The Substance marks the 10th directing nomination for women in Oscar history.
This year also marks a unique moment with Emilia Pérez and Wicked being the first duo of musicals to compete for Best Picture since 1968.
Notable Nominees
Diane Warren, nominated for her song “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight, has extended her record with the eighth consecutive nomination, marking a total of 16 nominations in her career. In a remarkable feat, sound mixer Andy Nelson, nominated for Wicked, achieved his 25th nomination in the Sound category.
France continues to lead the International Feature Film awards, securing its 39th nomination through Emilia Pérez.
Animated films also saw some groundbreaking moments. Flow became the third animated film nominated for both Animated Feature Film and International Feature Film, joining Flee (2021).
Chris Sanders, nominated for Flow, tied the record for most Animated Feature Film nominations with four. Eric Nyari also accomplished the rare feat of being nominated in both Documentaries this year.
Complete List of Key Nominees
Here are some of the key nominees for the 97th Academy Awards:
Actor in a Leading Role
• Adrien Brody, *The Brutalist*
• Timothée Chalamet, *A Complete Unknown*
• Colman Domingo, *Sing Sing*
• Ralph Fiennes, *Conclave*
• Sebastian Stan, *The Apprentice*
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*
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*
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 Picture
• Anora
• The Brutalist
• A Complete Unknown
• Conclave
• Dune: Part Two
• Emilia Pérez
• I’m Still Here
• Nickel Boys
• The Substance
• Wicked