The excitement is building as we approach the 97th Annual Academy Awards, set to air on Sunday, March 2, at 4:00 PM PT/7:00 PM ET on ABC and HULU. This year promises to be unpredictable, with records ripe for breaking, potential surprises in the outcomes, and even a touch of chaos from fans in Brazil and Latvia. Below, we highlight 15 significant moments to watch for during the three-and-a-half-hour Oscar telecast.
Anora, the current front-runner for Best Picture, could make history by becoming only the third film to win both the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or and the Best Picture Oscar. The previous films to achieve this feat were Parasite in 2019 and Marty in 1955. Notably, even before the Palme d’Or was officially named, 1945’s Best Picture winner, The Lost Weekend, triumphed at Cannes.
Another contender, Emilia Perez, stands out with a remarkable 13 nominations, the most ever for an international film. In Oscar history, only 22 films have received 12 or more nominations, and of those, just four did not win Best Picture. Historically, films with 12 nominations, like last year's winner Oppenheimer, have taken home the top prize. If Perez does lose, it will join a select group alongside 2016’s La La Land, which had 14 nominations but did not win.
Should Conclave take home the Best Picture award, it would mark the seventh time a film wins without a corresponding Best Director nomination, as director Edward Berger was surprisingly left out. This trend, seen in films like Argo (2012) and CODA (2021), suggests that Academy voters are increasingly evaluating films based on their overall merit rather than director recognition.
On Oscar night, Sean Baker, the director of Anora, has four chances to step onto the stage, with nominations for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Editing. If he wins, it will echo the triumph of Parasite's Bong Joon Ho during his historic Oscar night. Meanwhile, Jacques Audiard for Emilia Perez has an even broader chance for recognition, being nominated for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Song. However, the Academy’s rule on international film prizes means that while he could win for the film, the award will officially go to France.
The competition for Best Actor is heating up, featuring Adrien Brody from The Brutalist, who has already secured wins at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and BAFTA, and rising star Timothee Chalamet from A Complete Unknown, who recently claimed his first significant victory at the SAG Awards. Should Chalamet win, he would not only dethrone Brody but also become the youngest Best Actor winner in history, surpassing Brody's record set in 2003.
The anticipation does not stop there; if Sebastian Stan wins for his portrayal of a younger Donald Trump in The Apprentice, we can expect Trump himself to make headlines, potentially using his Truth Social platform to weigh in on the Oscars, reminiscent of his antics from last year.
In the Best Supporting Actor category, Yura Borisov from Anora could make history as the first Russian actor to win since 1965. The competition is fierce, especially against Kieran Culkin, who has been a strong favorite following his Emmy wins.
Diane Warren finds herself nominated for Best Song for the eighth consecutive year, bringing her total nominations to 16 without a win. This year, she hopes to break that streak with her song "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight. Interestingly, the songwriter's name does not appear on the ballot, which raises questions about fairness, especially with two-time winner Elton John also in the running.
A notable achievement in nominations goes to sound mixer/editor Andy Nelson, who received his 25th nomination for his work on Wicked. He sits just behind John Williams, who holds 54 nominations in music categories. Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo has the chance to join the prestigious EGOT club should she win Best Actress for Wicked, having already secured a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy.
Isabella Rossellini received her first Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress for Conclave, joining an elite group of mothers and daughters who have both been nominated in this category. Her mother, Ingrid Bergman, won an Oscar in 1974, making this a momentous occasion for the family.
This year also marks a pivotal moment for Brazil, which is vying for its first-ever win in the Best International Feature Film category with I’m Still Here by director Walter Salles. The film has garnered attention not just for its content but also for the historical significance of its cast, with Fernanda Torres nominated for Best Actress, following in the footsteps of her mother, Fernanda Montenegro.
As the Oscar night aligns with Brazil’s Carnival celebrations, the nation plans to broadcast the ceremony in the streets, uniting revelers who are eager for a historic win. Both Emilia Perez and I’m Still Here are nominated for both Best International Feature Film and Best Picture, a rare occurrence that adds to the anticipation of which film will prevail.
With a combination of nostalgia and fresh talent, this year’s Academy Awards promise to be a night to remember, showcasing unforgettable moments and potential milestones in cinematic history.
