The much-anticipated nominations for the 97th Academy Awards have been announced, celebrating the best in cinema over the past year. Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, has emerged as the frontrunner with an impressive 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and acting nods for Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña. The musical comedy-drama, lauded for its bold storytelling, revolves around a love story intertwined with themes of identity and transformation, featuring Gascón in a groundbreaking role as a transgender woman navigating life after love.

Other notable contenders include Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist and Jon M. Chu’s Wicked, each garnering 10 nominations. The Brutalist, a poignant exploration of modernist architecture and personal loss, earned nods in Best Picture, Best Actor for Adrien Brody, and Best Director for Corbet. Wicked, an adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, celebrates its transition to the big screen with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo nominated for their performances.

A Spotlight on Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown

One of the standout nominations for this year’s Oscars is Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown. The film delves into the formative years of the iconic singer-songwriter as he transitioned from a Minnesota native named Robert Zimmerman into the voice of a generation. Set against the backdrop of Dylan’s rise in the 1960s folk music scene, the film explores his creative genius, personal struggles, and cultural impact.

Bob Dylan, known for his raspy voice and poetic lyrics, revolutionized music with albums like The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and Highway 61 Revisited. From anthems of protest like “Blowin’ in the Wind” to introspective masterpieces like “Like a Rolling Stone,” Dylan’s work transcended music, earning him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016. Mangold’s film captures these crucial moments, with Chalamet earning accolades for his deeply nuanced performance, fully immersing himself in Dylan’s enigmatic personality and distinctive mannerisms.

A Diverse Lineup for Best Picture

This year’s Best Picture category showcases a variety of genres and themes:

• Dune: Part Two: Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi sequel continues the saga of Paul Atreides.
• Sing Sing: Colman Domingo shines in this gripping prison drama about creativity and redemption.
• Conclave: A Vatican-set thriller exploring faith, power, and secrets.
• A Complete Unknown: Timothée Chalamet stars as Bob Dylan in a biographical musical masterpiece.
• The Substance: Demi Moore leads this mind-bending psychological thriller.

Historic Firsts

The nominations mark a milestone for diversity and representation. Karla Sofía Gascón’s Best Actress nomination for Emilia Pérez is a landmark moment, as she is the first openly transgender performer nominated in this category. The film also represents an intersection of cultures and stories, with its unique blend of humor, drama, and music.

This year’s nominations reflect a growing emphasis on inclusion and creativity in global cinema, making the race to the Oscars a particularly exciting one. Hollywood now eagerly awaits the winners of this glittering night.

Complete List of 97th Academy Awards Nominations

Best Picture

1. Emilia Pérez
2. The Brutalist
3. Wicked
4. Dune: Part Two
5. Sing Sing
6. Conclave
7. A Complete Unknown
8. The Substance

Best Director

1. Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
2. Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
3. Jon M. Chu – Wicked
4. Denis Villeneuve – Dune: Part Two
5. James Mangold – A Complete Unknown

Best Actor

1. Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
2. Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
3. Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
4. Tim Blake Nelson – The Substance
5. Joaquin Phoenix – Beau Is Afraid

Best Actress

1. Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
2. Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
3. Natalie Portman – May December
4. Fantasia Barrino – The Color Purple
5. Greta Lee – Past Lives

Best Supporting Actor

1. Willem Dafoe – Poor Things
2. Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
3. Ryan Gosling – Barbie
4. Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things
5. Glenn Howerton – BlackBerry

Best Supporting Actress

Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

1. Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
2. Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
3. America Ferrera – Barbie
4. Julianne Moore – May December

Best Original Screenplay

1. Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain
2. Past Lives – Celine Song
3. Poor Things – Tony McNamara
4. May December – Samy Burch
5. Barbie – Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. The Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
2. Killers of the Flower Moon – Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese
3. Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan
4. Dune: Part Two – Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts
5. The Color Purple – Marcus Gardley

Best International Feature Film

1. The Zone of Interest – (UK/Poland)
2. Anatomy of a Fall – (France)
3. The Teachers’ Lounge – (Germany)
4. Perfect Days – (Japan)
5. The Settlers – (Chile)

Best Animated Feature Film

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. The Boy and the Heron
3. Frozen 3
4. Nimona
5. Wish

Best Documentary Feature

1. 20 Days in Mariupol
2. The Fire Within
3. Invisible Nation
4. Occupied City
5. The Eternal Memory

Best Cinematography

1. Poor Things – Robbie Ryan
2. Oppenheimer – Hoyte van Hoytema
3. The Zone of Interest – Lukasz Zal
4. Dune: Part Two – Greig Fraser
5. Killers of the Flower Moon – Rodrigo Prieto

Best Original Score

1. Dune: Part Two – Hans Zimmer
2. Barbie – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
3. Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson
4. Poor Things – Jerskin Fendrix
5. Past Lives – Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen