‘Emilia Pérez’ Dominates Oscar Nominations with 13 Nods, Followed by ‘Wicked’ and ‘The Brutalist’

In a year overshadowed by devastating wildfires in Los Angeles that disrupted the heart of Hollywood, the Academy Awards saw a historic lineup of nominations. Leading the pack was Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language, French-made narco-musical Emilia Pérez, a Netflix production that delves into themes of trans identity. The film secured an impressive 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, and nods for directing original screenplay, and music.

A Landmark Moment for Trans Representation

Karla Sofía Gascón’s nomination as Best Actress marks a historic moment as the first openly trans actor to receive an Oscar nomination. Emilia Pérez also broke records, becoming the most-nominated non-English language film in Academy history, surpassing the 10 nominations earned by Netflix’s Roma. With its critical acclaim, the film is being hailed as Netflix’s strongest contender yet for the coveted Best Picture award.

Heavy Competition from ‘Wicked’ and ‘The Brutalist’

Musicals stole the spotlight this year, with Jon M. Chu’s Wicked, based on the Broadway smash, garnering 10 nominations, including Best Picture and acting nods for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, a visually stunning postwar epic, matched Wicked with 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and acting nominations for Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones.

Best Picture Race: A Tight Contest

The 10 nominees for Best Picture this year reflect a diverse range of genres and stories:

  1. Emilia Pérez
  2. Wicked
  3. The Brutalist
  4. Anora
  5. Conclave
  6. Dune: Part Two
  7. I’m Still Here
  8. A Complete Unknown
  9. The Substance
  10. Nickel Boys

Among these, Emilia Pérez, Wicked, and The Brutalist lead the charge, but surprises like the Brazilian political drama I’m Still Here and RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys have added intrigue to the race.

Fierce Competition in Acting Categories

The Best Actress category is shaping up to be one of the most competitive this year, with nominees including Demi Moore (The Substance), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), and Mikey Madison (Anora). Meanwhile, notable performances from Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) and Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) failed to cut.

The Best Actor category features heavyweights like Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice).

Directing Category Highlights

Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) made history as the only female nominee in the Best Director category, standing alongside Sean Baker (Anora), Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown).

Wildfires Cast a Shadow Over Awards Season

The Los Angeles wildfires, which caused immense devastation earlier this year, delayed the Oscar nominations and left Hollywood grappling with unprecedented challenges. While some called for the cancellation of the ceremony, the Academy has chosen to move forward, positioning the Oscars as a symbol of resilience for the industry.

In response to the fires, some traditional Oscar events, including the annual nominees luncheon, were canceled, and performances of original song nominees have been omitted from the March 2 ceremony. Conan O’Brien, whose home narrowly escaped the flames, will host the scaled-back event.

Blockbusters Mostly Absent

Despite the dominance of sequels and superhero films at the box office, most blockbusters were notably absent from the nominations. The only exceptions were Wicked and Dune: Part Two, which garnered major nods. Animated films also had a strong showing, with Inside Out 2 joining The Wild Robot, Flow, Memoir of a Snail, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl in the Best Animated Feature category.

No Clear Frontrunner

Unlike 2023, when Oppenheimer became the runaway favorite, the 2024 Oscars remain wide open. With no single film dominating the awards season, the race for Best Picture remains unpredictable. Films like Emilia Pérez, The Brutalist, and Wicked are all vying for the industry’s top honor, making this year’s Oscars one of the most exciting in recent memory.

As Hollywood grapples with the aftermath of wildfires and industry-wide challenges, this year’s Academy Awards promise to celebrate the resilience and creativity of filmmakers while acknowledging the struggles faced by the community.

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