March 2nd 2025.
The 97th Academy Awards will be held this Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, marking the end of an unpredictable Oscar season. With constantly shifting frontrunners, controversies surrounding old tweets, and the anticipation of "Wicked" being included, it's been quite a ride leading up to the big night.
The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. EST and can be watched on ABC or streamed on Hulu. This year, the host will be Conan O'Brien, who is taking on the role for the first time. The official red carpet preshow will start at 6:30 p.m. on ABC and Hulu, while the unofficial E! red carpet coverage will begin at 4 p.m. EST. For those who want to catch all the arrivals, the Associated Press will be livestreaming starting at 3 p.m.
Unfortunately, there is a chance of light rain in the morning leading up to the ceremony in Los Angeles. The city is still recovering from the wildfires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods earlier this year. These fires impacted many within the film industry, and some even called for the cancellation of the entire awards season. While Conan O'Brien's house was spared, he has been living in a hotel for the past two months. However, the Oscar producers have promised to celebrate the city's resilience during the show.
As for the nominees, Netflix's "Emilia Pérez" leads the pack with 13 nominations. However, the film's chances have taken a hit due to backlash over old offensive tweets from its star, Karla Sofía Gascón, who is also the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for Best Actress. The current favorite to win is Sean Baker's "Anora," which tells the story of a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch. The film, which won the prestigious Cannes Palme d'Or, has also won top awards from the producers, directors, and writers guilds. The only other film to have this same resume and not win Best Picture was "Brokeback Mountain."
Other contenders include "Conclave," a papal thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, which won at the BAFTAs and the SAG Awards. However, this win came just as Pope Francis was hospitalized for double pneumonia, and voting for the Oscars had already concluded. "The Brutalist," which has 10 nominations, and the beloved musical "Wicked," also with 10 nominations, are also in the mix. It's likely that these two films will share some of the early craft Oscars, along with "Dune: Part Two."
Politics will also play a role in this year's ceremony, as for the first time, an actor is nominated for playing a sitting U.S. president. Sebastian Stan is up for Best Actor for his role as a young Donald Trump in "The Apprentice," while his co-star, Jeremy Strong, is nominated for playing Roy Cohn. Trump has publicly criticized the film and those involved, calling them "human scum." With the ceremony taking place during the second Trump administration and just days after his dramatic clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the tone of the show could be volatile. However, host Conan O'Brien has promised to strike a delicate balance between addressing current events and celebrating the achievements of the film industry.
In the acting categories, there are clear frontrunners for the supporting roles in Zoe Saldana and Kieran Culkin. However, the races for Best Actor and Best Actress are much closer. Demi Moore is the favorite to win Best Actress, but Mikey Madison and Fernanda Torres could pull off an upset. In the Best Actor category, Adrien Brody is favored for his performance in "The Brutalist," but Timothée Chalamet stands a good chance of beating him for his role as Bob Dylan in "A Complete Unknown." If he wins, Chalamet would become the youngest Best Actor winner in history, surpassing Brody's record set in 2003 for "The Pianist."
This year's Oscars are taking place in the midst of a tumultuous year for the film industry. The pandemic has greatly impacted ticket sales, and the strikes of 2023 have caused chaos with release schedules. Many studios have scaled back production, leaving many in the industry without work. In addition, the devastating fires in January have added to the difficulties of the past year. Last year's telecast saw high viewership, thanks to major blockbusters like "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie." However, with this year's focus on smaller independent films, it remains to be seen if the academy can draw in a large audience. To mix things up, the academy has decided to forgo performances of the Best Song nominees this year. However, there will still be musical performances, including one by "Wicked" stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, as well as a tribute to the late Quincy Jones featuring Queen Latifah.
The ceremony will also feature appearances from last year's acting winners, including Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. While the academy had initially planned to have five previous winners present each award, this has reportedly been scrapped. Finally, the ceremony will take place just days after the passing of two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at their New Mexico home.
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