Musical ‘Emilia Perez’ Tops Oscar Nominations with 13 Nods

Jacques Audiard’s musical Emilia Perez is a bold tale of a ruthless Mexican drug lord transitioning to life as a woman and leaving behind a life of crime

Thu Jan 23 2025
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LOS ANGELES: The nominees for the 97th Academy Awards were announced on Thursday, with Jacques Audiard’s musical Emilia Perez topping the list with a record-breaking 13 nominations, the most ever for a non-English-language film. The awards ceremony is set to take place in Hollywood on 2 March.

Netflix’s Emilia Perez, a bold tale of a ruthless Mexican drug lord transitioning to life as a woman and leaving behind a life of crime, garnered nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Feature, and multiple technical categories, as well as acting nods for its stars Karla Sofia Gascon and Zoe Saldana.

Gascon, who portrays the titular role, made history as the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for Best Actress.

This year’s nominations reflect a shift towards progressive storytelling and increased recognition of diverse voices in cinema.

Emilia Perez is joined at the top by The Brutalist, an epic immigrant drama, and the Broadway adaptation Wicked, each receiving 10 nominations. Other frontrunners include the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown and the Vatican-set thriller Conclave, with eight nods apiece.

Nominations amid controversies

French director Jacques Audiard expressed excitement over the historic success of Emilia Perez. “It’s an example of hybrid cinema,” he said in an interview, highlighting the film’s blend of Spanish-language dialogue, music, and a compelling narrative.

Audiard also addressed criticism from Mexico, where the film’s portrayal of drug trafficking has drawn controversy. “My intentions were virtuous, but I understand the sensitivity,” he remarked.

The film’s success surpasses the previous record of 10 nominations held by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Roma. However, Emilia Perez has also faced scrutiny, particularly for Selena Gomez’s Spanish-language performance, which was omitted from the acting categories.

Surprises and snubs

In the Best Actress category, Gascon faces stiff competition from Mikey Madison (Anora), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Demi Moore (The Substance), and Brazilian veteran Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here).

Moore, enjoying a career resurgence, is widely regarded as the frontrunner following her acclaimed Golden Globes speech.

The Best Actor race includes favourites Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing).

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However, Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice has sparked significant debate. The film, which faced legal threats from Trump’s lawyers, includes a controversial depiction of his formative years.

Jeremy Strong also received a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role as Trump’s mentor Roy Cohn, edging out strong contenders like Denzel Washington (Gladiator II).

Other highlights

The Best Director category features all first-time nominees, including Audiard (Emilia Perez), Sean Baker (Anora), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown).

Mangold is the only nominee with prior Oscar recognition, having been nominated for Ford v Ferrari and Logan.

In the musical sphere, Wicked and Emilia Perez led a strong year for the genre, with A Complete Unknown also earning praise for Timothee Chalamet’s renditions of Bob Dylan classics.

Oscar, Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez, Hollywood

However, the Academy announced that live performances of Best Original Song nominees would not feature at the ceremony, opting instead for segments focusing on songwriters.

International and technical recognition

Brazil’s I’m Still Here leads the Best International Feature category alongside The Girl with the Needle (Denmark), The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany), and Flow (Latvia).

Flow is also nominated for Best Animated Feature, competing against Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

In documentaries, Black Box Diaries and Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat lead the race.

Wildfires’ shadow

This year’s announcement was delayed due to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, which forced thousands to flee.

The 97th Academy Awards will celebrate a diverse slate of nominees, reflecting cinema’s evolution while honouring groundbreaking achievements in storytelling and representation.

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