3.20-97th Academy Awards Preview-Part 4

3.20-97th Academy Awards Preview-Part 4

Author: Jonathan Ytreberg February 27, 2025 Duration: 41:51

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Today is the third of a five episode preview of the 97th Academy Awards where I will be breaking down each and every category throughout the week. Today I am joined by Kevin Pettit from the See You at the Movies newsletter to break down all four acting categories, both screenplay categories, and Best Director. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Original Screenplay:

  • Anora
  • The Brutalist
  • A Real Pain
  • September 5
  • The Substance 

Best Adapted Screenplay:

  • A Complete Unknown
  • Conclave
  • Emilia Pérez
  • Nickel Boys
  • Sing Sing

Best Supporting Actor:

  • Yura Borisov – Anora as Igor
  • Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan
  • Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown as Pete Seeger
  • Guy Pearce – The Brutalist as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.
  • Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice as Roy Cohn

Best Supporting Actress:

  • Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown as Joan Baez
  • Ariana Grande – Wicked as Galinda "Glinda" Upland
  • Felicity Jones – The Brutalist as Erzsébet Tóth
  • Isabella Rossellini – Conclave as Sister Agnes
  • Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro 

Best Actress:

  • Cynthia Erivo – Wicked as Elphaba Thropp
  • Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez as Emilia Pérez / Juan "Manitas" Del Monte
  • Mikey Madison – Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva
  • Demi Moore – The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle
  • Fernanda Torres – I'm Still Here as Eunice Paiva 

Best Actor:

  • Adrien Brody – The Brutalist as László Tóth
  • Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan
  • Colman Domingo – Sing Sing as John "Divine G" Whitfield
  • Ralph Fiennes – Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence
  • Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice as Donald Trump 

Best Director:

  • Sean Baker – Anora
  • Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
  • James Mangold – A Complete Unknown
  • Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
  • Coralie Fargeat – The Substance 

Other media mentioned in this episode include:

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • Seinfeld
  • Conclave by Robert Harris
  • Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
  • Succession
  • The Onion: A Knives Out Mystery directed by Rian Johnson
  • Fight Club directed by David Fincher
  • The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
  • The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • Ferrari directed by Michael Mann
  • Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan
  • Schindler's List directed by Stephen Spielberg
  • Grand Budapest Hotel directed by Wes Anderson
  • The English Patient

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There's a whole century of stories waiting in the Academy's archives, and The Oscar Project Podcast is digging through every single one. Instead of just focusing on the current awards season, this show takes the long view, working its way through every film ever nominated for an Oscar starting all the way back in 1929. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific year or a particular film, unpacking not just the cinematic craft on screen but the historical context that shaped it. You'll hear about forgotten gems, surprising snubs, and how the art of filmmaking has evolved over decades. Alongside these detailed reviews and discussions, the podcast regularly features conversations with filmmakers, historians, and authors who provide unique insights into the industry's past and present. It’s for anyone who loves film history as much as the movies themselves, offering a structured but fascinating journey through Hollywood's most celebrated-and sometimes controversial-moments. Tune in to this thoughtfully crafted podcast for a richer understanding of how the Oscars have reflected, and sometimes directed, the entire trajectory of modern cinema.
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