The 97th annual Academy Awards ceremony is Sunday, and with this group of nominations comes a bunch of interesting facts. Here’s a look at some fun facts about this season’s crop of nominees.
Wicked and Emilia Pérez are both nominated for best picture, marking the first time since 1968 that two musicals have been nominated in the category. It’s also only the second time ever two musicals received 10 or more nominations in the same year — Emilia Pérez leads the pack with 13 noms, while Wicked earned 10. Wicked is also the first film to receive 10 nominations without a best director or writing nomination.
Speaking of Emilia Pérez, much has been said about its star and best actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón, primarily about her controversial posts on the social platform X in which she expressed views on Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars. The actress made history with her nomination, becoming the first openly trans person to be nominated for an acting Oscar. Despite the controversy, Gascón will attend the ceremony, with Netflix agreeing to pay the expenses.
The Fernanda Torres-starring I’m Still Here is the first Brazilian film to be nominated for best picture, as well as the first from any South American country in the category. If Torres wins best actress, she will become the first Latina best actress winner. Her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, was nominated in the same category in 1999 for her performance in Central Station, which was also directed by I’m Still Here helmer Walter Salles. Montenegro was the first Brazilian to receive an Academy Award nomination for acting, making Torres the second.
Finally, former Succession co-stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong are both nominated in the best supporting actor category for their work in A Real Pain and The Apprentice, respectively. The first-time Oscar nominees, who played brothers Roman and Kendall Roy in all four seasons of Succession, are up for roles in their first major films since they finished making the HBO series. They frequently found themselves competing with each other for an award in the same Emmys category, with Strong taking home outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 2020 and Culkin winning the category in 2024.
The 2025 Oscars will air live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The show will also stream live on Hulu for the first time ever. A special edition of 20/20, Countdown to the Oscars with Robin Roberts, premieres Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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