In the midst of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, it felt like the 2025 Oscars might have to be cancelled. But now, following the Grammys, Critics Choice Awards, and SAGs, awards season is officially back on track—and Hollywood’s biggest night is just days away.
Here, everything we know so far about the 97th Annual Academy Awards.
Who is nominated for an Oscar in 2025?
Jacques Audiard’s divisive Emilia Pérez (the campaign for which has been rocked by scandal in recent days) leads the pack with 13 nods, closely followed by Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist and Jon M. Chu’s Wicked, with 10 apiece. See the nominations list in full, as well as our rundown of the most shocking snubs and surprises.
When will the 2025 Oscars take place?
The Oscars are scheduled for Sunday, March 2, from 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
Where will the 2025 Oscars be held?
The 97th Academy Awards will be held at its usual venue, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Who will host the 2025 Oscars?
Taking the reins from Jimmy Kimmel, who oversaw proceedings in 2023 and 2024, will be the beloved comedian Conan O’Brien. The Academy confirmed the news on November 15, 2024, releasing a video of the five-time Emmy winner and first-time Academy Award host pretending to accept an Oscar himself.
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” the Academy’s CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in an accompanying statement. “He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies and his live TV expertise. His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best—honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year.” A number of other names had been in the mix before O’Brien officially signed on, though, per The Hollywood Reporter, both Kimmel and previous Governors Awards host John Mulaney had already passed on the opportunity to anchor the 2025 show.
Will the 2025 Oscars feel different from previous shows?
Yes, it inevitably will. In a statement released by Kramer and Yang on January 13, the pair said: “We are devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community. The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship. Our members always share how important it is for us to come together as a community, and we are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient and compassionate industry. We also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognizing those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts. We will get through this together and bring a sense of healing to our global film community.” This suggests that, much like the Grammys, which raised $24 million for fire relief efforts, the Oscars could also serve as a telethon of sorts.
The pair released a further statement on January 22, which added that the ceremony will “honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century. We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry.”
Who will perform at the 2025 Oscars?
In a break from tradition, those in the running for the best-original-song Oscar—Elton John, Selena Gomez, et al—won’t be performing as usual. In the same January 22 statement, Kramer and Yang confirmed that “this year the Best Original Song category presentation will move away from live performances and will be focused on the songwriters. We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees.”
There will, however, be “powerful musical moments that connect film’s rich history to its bold and inspiring future.” Those moments are set include an opening performance from Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who haven’t publically performed together since last year’s Met Gala; as well as appearances from Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink (and The White Lotus), Queen Latifah, and Raye. Additional performers will likely be announced in the coming days.
Who will be presenting at the 2025 Oscars?
Expect the full list of presenters to be revealed in due course, but the Academy has confirmed that last year’s four acting winners—Emma Stone, Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr.,and Da’Vine Joy Randolph—will be back to present the acting statuettes.
Also joining them will be Joe Alwyn, Dave Bautista, Halle Berry, Sterling K. Brown, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Elle Fanning, Harrison Ford, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Selena Gomez, Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Connie Nielsen, Amy Poehler, Margaret Qualley, Alba Rohrwacher, Zoe Saldaña, Ben Stiller, June Squibb, Oprah Winfrey, Bowen Yang, and Rachel Zegler.
Best Picture
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Best Director
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
James Mangold, A Complete Unknown
Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Best Actor
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best Original Song
“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez
“Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez
“Like a Bird” from Sing Sing
“The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight
“Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late
Best Original Score
Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist
Volker Bertelmann, Conclave
Clément Ducol and Camille, Emilia Pérez
John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, Wicked
Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot
Best Sound
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best Live-Action Short
“A Lien”
“Anuja”
“I’m Not a Robot”
“The Last Ranger”
“The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
Best Cinematography
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Best Documentary Feature
Black Box Diaries
No Other Land
Porcelain War
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Sugarcane
Best Documentary Short
“Death by Numbers”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
Best Editing
Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
Best Visual Effects
Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Dune: Part Two
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked
Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Best International Feature
Brazil, I’m Still Here
Denmark, The Girl with the Needle
France, Emilia Pérez
Germany, The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Latvia, Flow
Best Costume Design
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Production Design
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Hair and Makeup
A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked
Best Adapted Screenplay
James Mangold and Jay Cocks, A Complete Unknown
Peter Straughan, Conclave
Jacques Audiard, in collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi, Emilia Pérez
RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes, Nickel Boys
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, with a story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield, Sing Sing
Best Original Screenplay
Sean Baker, Anora
Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David, September 5
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Best Animated Feature
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best Animated Short
“Beautiful Men”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Wander to Wonder”
“Yuck!”
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
Editor
Radhika SethCredit
Lead Image: IMDb