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Record-setting 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez㽶Ƶֱ tops Oscar nomination list

Spanish-language film sets record for a non-English language film with 13 nominations
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This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody, left, and Guy Pearce in a scene from 㽶ƵֱThe Brutalist.㽶Ƶֱ (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)

In the wake of that struck at the heart of the movie industry, an embattled Hollywood lined up behind the Netflix narco-musical about trans identity 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez㽶Ƶֱ in Thursday.

Jacques Audiard㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez,㽶Ƶֱ a Spanish language, French-made film, dominated the nominations with a leading 13 nominations, including best picture and best actress for making her the first openly trans actor ever nominated for an Oscar. The film also landed nominations for directing, original screenplay, two of its songs and for Zoe Saldaña.

Netflix, despite its starring role in Hollywood, has never won best picture. Many of its top contenders have previously racked up large numbers of nominations (including 㽶ƵֱMank,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱThe Irishman㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱRoma㽶Ƶֱ) but gone home with only a handful of trophies.

㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez,㽶Ƶֱ though, may be its best chance yet. It became the most nominated non-English language film ever, surpassing Netflix㽶Ƶֱs own 㽶ƵֱRoma,㽶Ƶֱ which scored 10 nominations. Only three films 㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱAll About Eve,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱTitanic㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱLa La Land㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ have scored more nominations in Academy Awards history.

Another musical 㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱWicked,㽶Ƶֱ the smash Broadway adaptation 㽶Ƶֱ came away with nearly as many nominations. Jon M. Chu㽶Ƶֱs lavish 㽶ƵֱWizard of Oz㽶Ƶֱ riff scored 10 nominations, including best picture and acting nods for its stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

filmed in VistaVision, also came away with a commanding 10 nominations, including best picture, best director and nominations for actor Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones. The A24 release

The nominees for best picture are: 㽶ƵֱAnora㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱThe Brutalist㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱConclave㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱDune: Part Two㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm Still Here.㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱNickel Boys㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱThe Substance㽶Ƶֱ; 㽶ƵֱWicked.㽶Ƶֱ

In a wide-open Oscar race, the six most honored films 㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱWicked,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱThe Brutalist,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱAnora㽶Ƶֱ (six nominations) 㽶ƵֱConclave㽶Ƶֱ (eight nominations) and 㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ (eight nominations) 㽶Ƶֱ all fared as expected. The biggest surprises were the Brazilian film 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm Still Here,㽶Ƶֱ which also landed Fernanda Torres a best actress nomination, and RaMell Ross㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱNickel Boys,㽶Ƶֱ a POV-shot drama that had been overlooked by many guilds in earlier voting.

Those nominees likely displaced a few best-picture possibilities in 㽶ƵֱSing Sing,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱSeptember 5㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱA Real Pain,㽶Ƶֱ though those films all landed nominations elsewhere.

One of 2024㽶Ƶֱs most audacious films, 㽶Ƶֱ landed a surprising pair of nominations, for Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. The film dramatizes the formative years of s emergence in New York real estate under the tutelage of attorney Roy Cohn. Trump has called those involved with the film 㽶Ƶֱhuman scum.㽶Ƶֱ

In the best actor category, where Stan and Brody were nominated, the other nominees were Timothée Chalamet (㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ), Colman Domingo (㽶ƵֱSing Sing㽶Ƶֱ) and Ralph Fiennes (㽶ƵֱConclave㽶Ƶֱ). Most notably left out was Daniel Craig, acclaimed for his very un-James Bond performance in 㽶ƵֱQueer.㽶Ƶֱ

Best actress, a category that Demi Moore has appeared to have locked up for her full-bodied performance in 㽶ƵֱThe Substance,㽶Ƶֱ saw nominations for Moore, Gascón, Torres, Erivo and the star of 㽶ƵֱAnora,㽶Ƶֱ Mikey Madison. Arguably the year㽶Ƶֱs most competitive category, that left out Marianne Jean-Baptiste (㽶ƵֱHard Truths㽶Ƶֱ), Pamela Anderson, 㽶ƵֱThe Last Showgirl㽶Ƶֱ), Nicole Kidman (㽶ƵֱBabygirl㽶Ƶֱ) and Angelina Jolie (㽶ƵֱMaria㽶Ƶֱ).

In the directing category, 㽶ƵֱThe Substance㽶Ƶֱ filmmaker Coralie Fargeat managed to crack into the otherwise all-male group of Sean Baker (㽶ƵֱAnora㽶Ƶֱ), Corbet, Audiard and James Mangold (㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ). Most had expected Edward Berger to be nominated for directing the papal thriller 㽶ƵֱConclave.㽶Ƶֱ

Supporting actor was led by Kieran Culkin, the favorite for the award, for his performance in 㽶ƵֱA Real Pain.㽶Ƶֱ The other nominees were: Yura Borisov (㽶ƵֱAnora㽶Ƶֱ), Guy Pearce (㽶ƵֱThe Brutalist㽶Ƶֱ), Edward Norton (㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ) and Strong.

The supporting actress nominations went to Grande, Saldaña, Jones, Monica Barbaro (㽶ƵֱA Complete Unknown㽶Ƶֱ) and Isabella Rossellini (㽶ƵֱConclave㽶Ƶֱ).

The nominations had originally been planned for Jan. 17. But after wildfires on Jan. 7 began burning through the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other areas around Los Angeles, leaving behind historic levels of destruction, the academy extended its voting window and twice postponed the nominations announcement. Fresh fires outside Los Angeles continued Thursday.

With so many in the film industry reeling from the fires, some called on the academy to cancel the Oscars altogether. Academy leaders have argued the March 2 ceremony must go ahead, for their economic impact on Los Angeles and as a symbol of resilience for the industry. Organizers have vowed this year㽶Ƶֱs awards will 㽶Ƶֱcelebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱWe will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry,㽶Ƶֱ Bill Kramer, academy chief executive, and Yang said in an email to members Wednesday.

But much of the usual frothiness Hollywood㽶Ƶֱs award season has been . The film academy canceled its annual nominees luncheon. Other events have been postponed or downsized. On Wednesday, Kramer and Yang said original song nominees won㽶Ƶֱt be performed this year. , whose Pacific Palisades home was spared by the fires, .

The Oscar nominations followed a up-and-down year for Hollywood that saw expansive post-strike delays, wide swaths of unemployed workers due to an industry-wide production slowdown and the tragedy of the California fires in January. Most humbling, perhaps, was the presidential election that returned Trump to office in a race where podcaster Joe Rogan seemed to hold more sway than all A-listers combined.

At the same time, even amidst a downturn for the superhero film, the industry rallied behind some galvanizing hits, including Universal Pictures㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱWicked,㽶Ƶֱ and three Walt Disney Co. $1 billion grossers in 㽶ƵֱInside Out 2,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱDeadpool and Wolverine㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱMoana 2,㽶Ƶֱ a film originally developed as a series for Disney+. Those films missed nominations Thursday, except for 㽶ƵֱInside Out 2,㽶Ƶֱ which joined the best animated nominees of 㽶ƵֱThe Wild Robot,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱFlow,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱMemoir of a Snail㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱWallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ

That uncertain state of the movies seemed to be reflected in the Oscar nominations, which were spread across films both widely seen and little noticed, theatrically released and predominantly streaming.

But unlike last year, when Hollywood rallied around the success of 㽶ƵֱOppenheimer,㽶Ƶֱ the 2024 movie year offered up no clear frontrunner for the industry㽶Ƶֱs top honor.

With five weeks to go until the Oscar ceremony, at least four or five movies 㽶Ƶֱ including 㽶ƵֱThe Brutalist,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱEmilia Pérez,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱAnora,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱConclave㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱWicked㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ are seen having a shot at best picture.





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