10 Biggest Oscar Nomination Surprises of 2025 (With Complete List)

“Emilia Pérez” has dominated the 2025 Oscar nominations with 13 nods, coming close but nowhere near the all-time record of 14 held jointly by “Titanic,” “All About Eve,” and “La La Land.”

Los Angeles wildfires caused two nomination delays, yet the Academy forged ahead with its groundbreaking selections. Academy history welcomed Karla Sofía Gascón, who became the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar. The Best Director category recognized Coralie Fargeat as all but one of these nominees were male, earning her spot with “The Substance.”

“The Brutalist” and “Wicked” claimed 10 nominations each. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will unfold on March 2, 2025, at Hollywood’s Dolby Theater. The Academy showed its steadfast dedication to the community by contributing $1 million toward wildfire relief efforts.

Karla Sofía Gascón Makes Oscar History

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Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón made Academy Awards history as the first openly transgender performer to receive an acting category nomination.

First Trans Acting Nominee Details

The 52-year-old star earned a Best Actress nomination for her role as the title character in Emilia Pérez. She gives a powerful performance in this French-produced Netflix musical. Her character, a Mexican cartel boss, transitions and helps victims of gang violence. Her remarkable performance led to wins at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where she shared the Best Actress award with Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz.

Emilia Pérez Nomination Impact

Emilia Pérez got 13 nominations, including:

• Best Picture
• Best Director for Jacques Audiard
• Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña
• Best International Feature (France)
• Best Original Songs for “El Mal” and “Mi Camino”

The film broke records as the most nominated foreign-language film in Oscar history. Director Jacques Audiard saw Gascón’s screen presence and rewrote the role specifically for her.

Industry Response and Significance

This nomination stands as a milestone in Oscar history that builds on previous trans nominees in non-acting categories. Angela Morley became the first trans Oscar nominee for her music in The Little Prince in 1974. Musician Anohni got a Best Original Song nomination in 2016, and documentarian Yance Ford became the first trans director nominee in 2018.

Gascón’s nomination comes at a vital time for trans representation in cinema. Before her, cisgender actors received recognition for playing trans characters, like Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club and Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry. This nomination shows a fundamental change toward authentic representation in Hollywood’s highest honors.

The actress takes a balanced view of her historic achievement. “When I finished my transition, I didn’t know if I was going to have a career after that,” Gascón said in a previous interview. Her work has caught Pedro Almodóvar’s attention, who wants to work with her in future projects.

Succession Stars Face Off

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Former Succession co-stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong are competing against each other again. This time they’re vying for the Oscar’s Best Supporting Actor category.

Culkin vs Strong Nomination Analysis

Culkin got his nomination by playing the chaotic cousin Benji in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain. Strong made his mark with a stern portrayal of Roy Cohn in the Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice. This nomination stands out as Culkin’s first major award consideration for a feature film role. Strong’s fierce portrayal of Roy Cohn stirred up controversy at first, but Briarcliff’s decision to distribute the film helped him land his first Oscar nomination.

Show’s Impact on Their Careers

The HBO drama Succession got 75 Primetime Emmy nominations and won 19 throughout its run. Both actors received recognition during the show’s run. Strong won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2020, and Culkin took home the same award in 2024.

Their different acting styles shaped their post-Succession roles:

• Culkin brought spontaneity to A Real Pain by using techniques he developed during Succession
• Strong dove deep into Roy Cohn’s character research and stuck to his methodical acting approach

Awards Season Performance

Both actors showed their exceptional talent throughout this awards season. Culkin’s work in A Real Pain earned him the Golden Globe, making him a frontrunner in the Oscar race. Strong’s performance in The Apprentice with Sebastian Stan has created plenty of awards season buzz.

These performers’ rivalry goes beyond their Succession days, as their recent interactions show. Culkin questioned certain acting approaches during a Variety “Actors on Actors” conversation, pointing specifically to Strong’s methods. Strong defended his process and dedication to storytelling in a Deadline interview.

Conclave Director’s Shocking Snub

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Edward Berger missed out on a Best Director nomination for Conclave in an unexpected development, though the film got eight nominations overall.

Edward Berger’s Previous Success

The German filmmaker got worldwide recognition for All Quiet on the Western Front, which won four Academy Awards. His experience started at New York University and showed his versatile talent through feature films and television series. His work on the British miniseries “Patrick Melrose” with Benedict Cumberbatch proved his ability to craft refined visuals with controlled tension.

Possible Reasons for Exclusion

This marks Berger’s second time missing a directing nomination despite his film getting a Best Picture nod. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) nominated all but one of these Oscar-nominated filmmakers – Berger. Conclave‘s box office success might have swayed the decision since the Academy’s directors branch often resists mainstream hits. Coralie Fargeat took the spot instead for The Substance, which aligned with the Academy’s love for visionary European filmmaking.

The papal thriller Conclave earned nominations in several categories:

• Best Picture
• Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes
• Visual Effects
• Sound
• Cinematography

Impact on Best Picture Chances

Past examples suggest this directorial snub might not hurt Conclave‘s Best Picture chances. Three films since 2010 – “Argo,” “Green Book,” and “CODA” – won the top prize without Best Director nominations. The film’s strong showing in technical categories and Fiennes’ powerful performance keep it a strong contender. Success at major film festivals like Toronto and Telluride strengthens its position in the awards race.

The Brutalist’s AI Controversy

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AI usage in The Brutalist has sparked intense debate within the film industry. Editor Dávid Jancsó revealed how the film used AI technology during an interview with RedShark News.

Technology Usage Details

The production team used AI in two distinct ways:

• Voice enhancement through Respeecher for Hungarian dialog
• Generative AI for architectural drawings in the epilog scene

Jancsó, a native Hungarian speaker, used Respeecher technology to perfect the Hungarian pronunciation of stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. The team tried traditional automated dialog replacement before turning to AI solutions. The editor stressed that they only made minor adjustments by “replacing letters here and there” to achieve authentic Hungarian pronunciation.

Industry Reaction

Director Brady Corbet defended the film’s AI usage in a statement. “Adrien and Felicity’s performances are completely their own. They worked for months with dialect coach Tanera Marshall to perfect their accents,” Corbet stated. He explained that Respeecher was used only for Hungarian language dialog editing, without any changes to English-speaking scenes.

This controversy mirrors broader industry concerns about AI usage. The 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes had already set protective measures for AI usage. Companies like Respeecher and Flawless now highlight ethical practices in their AI implementations.

Nomination Impact

The AI controversy surfaced just before Oscar voting ended on January 17. The Brutalist earned 10 Academy Award nominations, showing that the revelation had little effect on its Oscar prospects. The film received nominations across multiple categories, with special recognition for Adrien Brody’s performance.

The Brutalist debate reflects a broader industry discussion about AI’s role in filmmaking. Lionsgate announced plans to let filmmakers enhance their work with AI, while other productions like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny used AI for de-aging effects.

Wildfire Impact on Oscar Season

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The Los Angeles wildfires have drastically changed Hollywood’s awards season calendar and led to many prestigious events being postponed or canceled.

Schedule Changes

The Academy postponed its nomination announcements twice before finally choosing January 23 for the virtual reveal. Voting deadlines shifted from January 14 to January 17. These changes triggered several other important schedule adjustments:

• The Critics Choice Awards moved from January 12 to February 7
• The annual nominees luncheon was canceled
• The Scientific and Technical Awards needed a new date from February 18

Industry Response

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang confirmed that the March 2 ceremony would continue as planned. The organization showed its concern for the region’s housing and infrastructure needs during this crisis. The ceremony will include special tributes to firefighters and recognize those affected by the disaster.

The fires hit the film community hard, with four Academy board members losing their homes. The Grammys, scheduled for February 2, quickly stepped up to help by raising funds for wildfire relief efforts.

Community Support Initiatives

Hollywood’s entertainment industry came together with substantial financial support. The Academy redirected the AED 917,985.11 originally meant for the Oscar Nominees Luncheon to wildfire relief efforts. Major Hollywood figures and organizations stepped forward with donations:

• Leonardo DiCaprio gave AED 3.67 million for relief efforts
• YouTube and Google provided AED 55.08 million to various relief organizations
• Paris Hilton’s nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact raised AED 2,937,552.35
• The Producers Guild partnered with the Entertainment Community Fund to contribute AED 1,101,582.13

These devastating blazes claimed 25 lives, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and forced more than 88,000 people from their homes. The Academy’s contributions to the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s fire relief efforts reached AED 3.67 million, showing the industry’s dedication to helping affected communities.

Streaming Services Domination

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Netflix has altered the map of 2025 Oscar nominations by securing 18 nods. The streaming giant’s soaring win comes from acclaimed films like Maestro, Nyad, and Society of the Snow.

Platform Distribution Analysis

Disney’s strategic collaborations through various distributors led to 20 nominations. The nominations now include:

• 20th Century Studios
• Disney+
• Searchlight Pictures
• National Geographic Documentary Films

Comcast/NBCUniversal grabbed 18 nominations through Universal and Focus Features. Academy members have accepted digital platforms and made nominations accessible on Oscar.com, Oscars.org, and social media channels.

Theatrical vs Digital Release Impact

The 2025 ceremony will make history as the first Oscar broadcast to stream live on Hulu. This expansion shows how viewing habits have changed, and streaming services now play a bigger role in awards consideration.

Barbie earned Warner Bros eight nominations, while A24 and Neon each claimed seven. Streaming releases’ success has led major studios to rethink their distribution strategies. Apple has pledged AED 3.67 billion yearly to theatrically-targeted films.

Viewing Statistics

The 2024 Academy Awards attracted 21.01 million viewers across ABC, Hulu, and digital platforms. Social media participation hit record numbers with impressive metrics:

• 28.5 million total social interactions
• 71.8 million video views
• 256 million views for original content

Academy’s social platforms grew significantly and added 2.2 million followers, reaching 17.7 million total across platforms. This 14% year-over-year growth shows the digital audience’s expansion.

International Film Category Shake-up

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The 2025 International Feature Film category brings a big change to Oscar history with 85 submissions. We saw unexpected contenders take the lead while some favorites missed their chance.

Unexpected Entries

Brazil’s I’m Still Here turned out to be a surprise hit that grabbed both Best International Feature and Best Picture nominations. First time director Walter Salles created a powerful drama about Brazil’s military dictatorship. The film’s star Fernanda Torres beat out Hollywood heavyweights Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman at the Golden Globes.

The final nomination list includes:

• I’m Still Here (Brazil)
• The Girl With the Needle (Denmark)
• Emilia Pérez (France)
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)
• Flow (Latvia)

Notable Exclusions

Several predicted frontrunners didn’t make the cut. Matthew Rankin’s Universal Language could have been Canada’s first nomination since 2012’s War Witch. On top of that, the Irish hip-hop drama Kneecap missed out despite its Sundance success and multiple British Independent Film Awards.

Global Cinema Trends

The Academy’s “one-country-one-film” rule keeps stirring up debate in the industry. European films still rule this category with 80% of all wins. The selection process faces these challenges:

Challenge	Impact
Political Interference	Greece’s selection process faced chaos after ministry intervention
Distribution Barriers	Films require significant resources for Academy campaigns
Language Restrictions	English-language films face limitations whatever their origin

Recent changes now let animated features compete in both international and animation categories. The eligibility period runs from November 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024.

The Academy’s definition of “country” remains a hot topic, especially for regions with complex political situations. This year’s submissions show how global cinema is changing. China sent its first documentary while Pakistan stepped up with its first animated feature.

Technical Category Surprises

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The 97th Academy Awards brings major transformations to technical categories that reshape traditional award structures.

Visual Effects Upsets

Unexpected nominations have emerged in the Visual Effects category, where legacy franchises now dominate. Dune: Part Two stands at the forefront, with newcomer Better Man close behind. Ten contenders made the shortlist, which featured superhero films and animated features. All but one superhero movie dropped out, leaving Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine in the race.

Notable developments in the category include:

• Paul Lambert’s quest for a fourth Oscar with Dune: Part Two
• Neil Corbould returns to compete after his win for the original Gladiator
• Audrey Ferrara’s groundbreaking nomination for Mufasa represents rare female talent in the field

Sound Category Changes

Digital technology has transformed how sound professionals work, and the Academy combined sound categories to reflect this reality. Sound professionals backed this merger because digital tools have erased the lines between traditional roles. This change makes sense – eight films won both sound awards over thirteen years.

Nominated sound mixer Mark Weingarten notes: “The collaboration between sound editor and sound mixer has never been more cohesive”. This merger makes sound awards more available to audiences without compromising technical excellence.

Craft Innovation Recognition

Technical breakthroughs in 2025 cover diverse areas. The Academy honored 16 scientific and technical achievements, including:

Innovation	Effect
OpenVDB Progress	Better volumetric data manipulation
Dolby Atmos Cinema	Industry standard for immersive audio
IMAX Prismless Laser	Better theatrical presentation

The Scientific and Technical Awards recognized advances in projection technology, with three different systems earning honors. These innovations build on previous years’ progress in theatrical presentation quality and digital filmmaking tools.

Documentary Category Controversy

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The documentary category created intense discussion when No Other Land, a film that takes a closer look at Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank, joined the nominees.

No Other Land Inclusion Impact

A collective of Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers directed this documentary that won top prizes at the Berlin International Film Festival, Cinema Eye Honors, and International Documentary Association Awards before its nomination. The film stands as the only documentary nominee without U.S. distribution, though 24 countries including the United Kingdom and France picked up distribution deals.

Award	Recognition
Berlin Film Festival	Best Documentary
Cinema Eye Honors	Top Prize
IDA Awards	Best Documentary & Director
European Film Awards	Best European Documentary

Political Implications

Co-director Yuval Abraham’s speech at the Berlin Film Festival sparked controversy when he criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Abraham later received death threats while a right-wing Israeli mob searched his family’s home. The film presents an intimate view of life in Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian communities face displacement by Israeli military forces.

Industry Response

Academy voting patterns show broader changes through the documentary branch’s selections. Voters welcomed international views instead of selecting celebrity-focused documentaries. Several high-profile American documentaries about celebrities and political figures did not make the cut. This move to different content started debate within the industry, as some producers worried about the direction of documentary nominations.

The documentary category’s evolution reflects larger industry discussions about representation and political content. The Academy’s documentary branch showed its openness to challenging subject matter after significant member diversification over the last several years. No Other Land‘s nomination comes at a time of ongoing discussions about political documentaries’ role in awards season.

Original Song Category Transformation

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The Academy’s decision to revamp the Best Original Song category signals a major change in Oscar tradition.

Performance Format Changes

The 97th Academy Awards will break decades of tradition by removing live performances of Best Original Song nominees. The ceremony will highlight songwriters through their personal reflections and creative teams’ behind-the-scenes stories. Academy’s CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang sent an email to Academy members about this change. They highlighted their commitment to celebrate songwriting artistry.

“Fab 5” moments will be part of the new format. Individual film artists will recognize nominees through personal tributes. The ceremony will feature powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its future, without the usual live performances.

Nominee Reactions

These nominated songs feature talent in multiple films:

Film	Song	Artists
Emilia Pérez	“El Mal”	Zoe Saldaña
Emilia Pérez	“Mi Camino”	Selena Gomez
Flamin’ Hot	“The Fire Inside”	Becky G
Barbie	“What Was I Made For?”	Billie Eilish
American Symphony	“It Never Went Away”	Jon Batiste

Becky G showed gratitude for her nomination. She said, “This film, this team, this song represents something so close to my heart”. Billie Eilish and Finneas also thanked the Academy through social media for their recognition.

Ceremony Impact

This format change has created mixed reactions throughout the industry. The decision comes one year after Ryan Gosling’s memorable performance of “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. The Academy wants to give fresh viewpoints on nominated tracks through this new approach.

Changes go beyond just the performances. Special segments will honor Los Angeles’s resilience. Some industry members worry this marks a major break from Oscar tradition. The Academy believes these changes will celebrate songwriting craft better while making the ceremony more streamlined.

Comparison Table

Surprise	Main Subject/Focus	Key Impact/Significance	Notable Statistics	Controversy/Challenge	Industry Response
Karla Sofía Gascón	First trans acting nominee	Best Actress nomination for “Emilia Pérez”	Film earned 13 nominations	Breaking traditional barriers	Warm welcome, with Pedro Almodóvar showing interest in working together
Succession Stars	Kieran Culkin vs Jeremy Strong	Both up for Best Supporting Actor	Previous Emmy wins for Succession	Different acting styles	Created major awards season buzz
Conclave Director	Edward Berger left out	Film got 8 nominations without director spot	Film received 8 total nominations	Unexpected miss despite past success	Questions about Best Picture chances
The Brutalist’s AI	AI use in production	10 Academy Award nominations	AI helped with voice work and architectural drawings	Questions over AI use	Director Brady Corbet released supporting statement
Wildfire Impact	Event timing changes	Many events pushed back	Academy gave AED 917,985.11	Hit 88,000 people, destroyed 12,000 buildings	Industry stepped up with money support
Streaming Services	Netflix leads the pack	18 nominations for streaming giant	Disney grabbed 20 nominations across platforms	Theater vs digital release debate	Oscars to stream live on Hulu for first time
International Film	Category grows bigger	85 films submitted	European films won 80% historically	One film per country rule debate	New rules for eligibility and submissions
Technical Categories	Visual Effects updates	Sound categories combined	16 scientific/technical awards given	Move from old categories	Industry backed category mergers
Documentary Category	“No Other Land” debate	First nominee without U.S. release	Deals in 24 countries	Political issues and threats	Documentary branch welcomed global views
Original Song	Show format changes	Live shows dropped	5 songs nominated	Break from years of tradition	Mixed feedback from industry people

The 2025 Oscar nominations reveal major changes in the entertainment world. Karla Sofía Gascón made history as the first transgender nominee, while streaming giants Netflix and Disney+ dominated the nominations list.

The Academy broke away from its usual approach with several bold moves. Sound categories were merged and live song performances were dropped, which points to a new direction in Oscar presentations. On top of that, Los Angeles wildfires forced schedule changes but brought the entertainment community together through relief work.

International cinema and streaming services have altered the map of Oscar nominations. “Emilia Pérez” grabbed 13 nominations, which shows how global storytelling has gained ground. All the same, modern filmmaking faces tough questions about AI use in “The Brutalist” and political themes in documentaries like “No Other Land.”

Hollywood’s biggest night at the Dolby Theater on March 2, 2025, promises to be memorable. These nominations celebrate both technical progress and authentic storytelling that spark important discussions about representation, innovation, and artistic excellence.