The Academy Awards are rolling out the red carpet for a star-studded night on 2 March, and for once, there’s no single film dominating the race. With Emilia Perez, Wicked, and The Brutalist all stacking up nominations across major categories, this year’s Oscars might just be one of the most unpredictable in recent history.
Adding to the excitement, the list of celebrity presenters has just been revealed, featuring first-time Oscar nominee Selena Gomez, along with Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey, Willem Dafoe, Goldie Hawn, Ana de Armas, and Lily-Rose Depp. Meanwhile, Nick Offerman has been tapped as the night’s announcer-so expect some dry humour amidst the glitz.
With 13 nominations, Emilia Perez leads the pack, while Wicked and The Brutalist aren’t far behind with 10 nods each. The coveted Best Film category sees a fierce competition between Anora, Wicked, The Brutalist, Dune: Part 2, Conclave, A Complete Unknown, Emilia Pérez, The Substance, Nickel Boys, and I’m Still Here.
Best Actor could go any way, with Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) all in the mix. Meanwhile, Succession fans are torn between Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice)—who will be crowned the Best Roy brother?
For Best Actress, Demi Moore scores her first-ever Oscar nomination for her horror performance in The Substance, while Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Mikey Madison (Anora), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Perez), and Kristen Stewart (I’m Still Here) are also in the running. Notably, Gascon makes history as the first openly transgender actress to receive a nomination.
With unpredictable frontrunners, historic firsts, and an A-list lineup, the 2025 Academy Awards are shaping up to be a night of surprises. Who will take home the gold? We’ll find out on 2 March!