What Are These Pop Stars’ Chances of Landing Acting Nods in 2025?

Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Zendaya are used to running up against each other on the Billboard Hot 100 and running into each other at music awards shows.

But now they may also be bumping into each other at non-music awards shows. Pop Stan accounts are buzzing about the possibility that these multi-threats could be nominated for acting awards early next year. Oscar nominations are extremely hard to come by, but Golden Globes (having separate comedy and drama categories) and SAG Awards (having both individual and ensemble categories) are a bit easier to crack.

Let’s take a closer look at these pop stars who are hoping for acting nods.

Lady Gaga

Film: Joker: Folie à Deux

Acting Nods: Gaga received an Oscar nod for actress in a leading role six years ago for playing Ally in A Star Is Born. She also received BAFTA and Golden Globe nods for both that role and for House of Gucci (2022). She won a Globe for TV’s American Horror Story: Hotel (2016). And she has received four SAG Award nominations – as lead actress and also as part of the cast of both A Star Is Born and House of Gucci.

Notes: Gaga more than held her own with Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born. If she’s good in this sequel to 2019’s Joker, she could easily be nominated. Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical psychological thriller directed by Todd Phillips, who received three Oscar nominations for his work on Joker – directing, writing and best picture. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his Oscar-winning role as the Joker, with Gaga joining the cast as his love interest Harley Quinn. Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled for an international theatrical release on Oct. 2, followed by a U.S. release on Oct. 4.

Selena Gomez

Film: Emilia Pérez 

Acting Nods: Gomez was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for the third season of Only Murders in the Building. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe in that category in each of the last two years. And she has been nominated for a SAG Award for ensemble in a comedy series all three years the show has been on the air.

Notes: It took a while for the Emmy acting nod to come, but that’s always been a very competitive category, back to the days of Lucy and Mary Tyler Moore. And Gomez had to prove that she was a full partner with comedy greats Steve Martin and Martin Short. Over the course of three seasons, she has done that.

Emilia Pérez is a Spanish-language French musical crime comedy written and directed by Jacques Audiard. It also stars Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir and Édgar Ramírez. The film premiered on May 18 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and its female ensemble won the best actress award. The film has grossed $4.7 million worldwide since its theatrical release in August.

Ariana Grande

Film: Wicked

Acting Nods: Grande was nominated for a SAG Award for cast in a motion picture for Don’t Look Up.

Notes: Wicked is an upcoming musical fantasy directed by Jon M. Chu. It’s the first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, which received 10 Tony nominations in 2004 (winning three). The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Grande. Wicked will premiere in London on Nov. 18, with a U.S. theatrical release scheduled for Nov. 22. The sequel, Wicked Part Two, is scheduled to be released on Nov. 21, 2025.

Zendaya

Film: Challengers

Acting Nods: Zendaya won two Primetime Emmys for outstanding lead actress in a drama series (2020 and 2022) for her role as Rue on HBO’s Euphoria. The first win made her, at age 24, the youngest winner in the history of the category. The second made her the first Black actress to win twice. Zendaya also won a Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a television series – drama (2023) for that role. And she was nominated for a SAG Award for female actor in a drama series in 2023.

Notes: This is a lead role, which would make a nomination harder to land. But she was very good in the sexy and critically acclaimed film.

Challengers is a romantic sports drama directed by Luca Guadagnino, who received an Oscar nod for best picture as a producer of Call Me by Your Name. It stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. The film has grossed $50.1 million in domestically and $94.2 million worldwide since opening in April.

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