Academy Awards
Numerous music documentaries are among 169 features that are vying for Oscar nominations for documentary feature film.
Music docs on the entry list include Elton John: Never Too Late; Eno (about Brian Eno); I Am: Celine Dion; Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All; Luther: Never Too Much (about Luther Vandross); Mad About the Boy – The Noel Coward Story; Music by John Williams; Piece by Piece (about Pharrell Williams); and The World According to Allee Willis.
John Williams is a five-time Oscar winner for his scores. Pharrell Williams has been nominated twice – best original song for “Happy from Despicable Me 2 and as a producer of best picture nominee Hidden Figures. Elton John is a two-time Oscar-winner for best original song.
The Greatest Night in Pop, the Netflix film about the 1985 recording session that produced “We Are the World,” is also on the eligible list. The much-decorated film was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special and is a current Grammy nominee for best music film.
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Also eligible: Following Harry, about Harry Belafonte’s social justice work; Studio One Forever (about the L.A. nightclub that is described as “America’s first gay disco”) and Flipside (about a comical attempt to save a New Jersey record store).
Non-music, but music-adjacent, docs that are eligible in the category include Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion, Jim Henson Idea Man and Remembering Gene Wilder.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences notes that “Some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfill that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.”
Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The shortlist of 15 films will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
The Academy also announced feature films eligible for consideration in the animated feature film and international feature film categories.
Thirty-one features are eligible for consideration in the animated feature film category. To determine the five nominees, members of the Animation Branch are automatically eligible to vote in the category. Academy members outside of the Animation Branch are invited to opt in to participate and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
Eighty-five countries or regions have submitted films that are eligible for consideration in the international feature film category. An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the U.S. with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Academy members from all branches are invited to opt in to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must meet a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.
Preliminary voting for the 97th Academy Awards will begin on Monday, Dec. 9, and end on Friday, Dec. 13. Shortlists in select categories will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Nominations will be announced on Friday, Jan. 17.The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.
When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences releases its Academy Award shortlists in 10 categories on Dec. 17, the most immediately obvious change from past years will be that the number of shortlisted scores will jump from 15 to 20. The best song shortlist will remain at 15.
Nominations-round voting runs Jan. 8-12, and nominations will be announced Jan. 17. Final-round voting runs Feb. 11-18, and the 2025 Oscars will be held March 2. Billboard highlights some of the potential nominees in the best original song and best original score categories below.
“Forbidden Road”Sacha Skarbek, Freddy Wexler, Robbie WilliamsBetter Man, Paramount
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Better Man is a biographical film about British pop star Williams, who is portrayed as a chimpanzee through use of motion capture. All three co-writers are past Grammy Award nominees. Skarbek was nominated for song of the year for co-writing James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”; Wexler for album of the year for his songwriting contributions to the deluxe edition of Justin Bieber’s Justice; and Williams for a pair of music videos.
“Winter Coat”Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, Taura StinsonBlitz, Apple Original Films
Stinson was previously nominated in this category for co-writing “Mighty River” from Mudbound. If she’s nominated again, she’ll tie Siedah Garrett as the Black woman with the most nods in this category. Britell is a three-time nominee for best original score. Blitz director McQueen won a best picture Oscar as a producer on his film 12 Years a Slave in 2013.
“Never Too Late”Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, Bernie TaupinElton John: Never Too Late, Walt Disney Pictures
John is a two-time winner of best original song for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman. Taupin was a co-winner on the latter. Carlile has received four Grammy nods for song of the year, John has received two and Watt one. John’s victory lap also includes an EGOT-clinching Emmy win for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.
“El Mal”Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais, Jacques AudiardEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Ducol and his personal and professional partner, Dalmais, composed the score and collaborated on the songs for this film. Audiard, the film’s writer, director and co-producer, joined them in writing this song. The film premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where the couple won the soundtrack award. In addition to her film work, Dalmais has recorded five albums in her native France.
“Mi Camino”Clément Ducol, Camille DalmaisEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Emilia Pérez is one of three films with a reasonably good chance of placing two songs on the best original song shortlist. Piece by Piece and Twisters could also do it. Last year, three films had multiple songs on the shortlist: Barbie led with three (two of which went on to be nominated), and The Color Purple and Flora and Son each had two.
“Beautiful That Way”Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, Andrew WyattThe Last Showgirl, Roadside Attractions
Wyatt won in this category in 2019 for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born. He was nominated at this year’s Oscars for co-writing “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Wyatt has received three Grammy nods for song of the year for co-writing “Shallow,” Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night.” Cyrus was nominated in that category at the 2024 ceremony for “Flowers.” This would be her first Oscar nod.
“Beyond”Abigail Barlow, Emily BearMoana 2, Walt Disney Pictures
Songwriter-composer duo Barlow & Bear won a Grammy in 2021 for best musical theater album for The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. This would be the first song by an all-woman team to be nominated in this category since the Diane Warren-Laura Pausini collaboration “Io sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead four years ago. Lin-Manuel Miranda was nominated in this category for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from the first Moana, released in 2016.
“I Always Wanted a Brother”Lin-Manuel MirandaMufasa: The Lion King, Walt Disney Pictures
Miranda has been just an Oscar away from an EGOT since 2014, when he won his first Primetime Emmy. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. None of the songs from the 2019 reboot of The Lion King were nominated, but three were from the 1994 original, all written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
“For Real”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Piece by Piece is an animated film co-produced and directed by Morgan Neville, who won an Oscar for best documentary (feature) in 2014 for directing 20 Feet From Stardom. It follows the life and career of Williams, who stars in the film, through the lens of Lego animation. The movie also features the voices of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg.
“Piece by Piece”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Williams was nominated for best original song for “Happy” from 2013’s Despicable Me 2. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks after he performed it at the 2014 Oscars. He received a second Oscar nod three years later as a producer of best picture nominee Hidden Figures. Williams has amassed 39 Grammy nods, including one for song of the year for co-writing Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.”
“The Journey”Diane WarrenThe Six Triple Eight, Netflix
If Warren is nominated, she’ll tie midcentury lyricist Sammy Cahn for the longest streak of consecutive nominations (eight) in the history of the category. (Cahn was a contender every year from 1954 to 1961.) This would be Warren’s 16th overall nod in this category, more than any other woman. Among women, she’s currently tied with the late Marilyn Bergman.
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs, Jonathan SingletonTwisters, Universal
All three co-writers have received Grammy nods for best country song — Alexander for co-writing Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You” and Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck,” Combs for co-writing his own hit “Doin’ This” and Singleton for co-writing Tim McGraw’s “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.” Twisters: The Album reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
“Out of Oklahoma”Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnallyTwisters, Universal
McAnally is a two-time Grammy winner for best country song for co-writing the Kacey Musgraves hits “Merry Go ’Round” and “Space Cowboy.” Last year, he received a Grammy nod for songwriter of the year, non-classical. Dick was nominated for best country song for co-writing Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird.” Wilson’s Bell Bottom Country won a Grammy for best country album in February.
“Kiss the Sky”Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali TamposiThe Wild Robot, DreamWorks Animation
Pollack received a Grammy nod for song of the year for co-writing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” The Johnson brothers were nominated in that category for co-writing the Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey smash “The Middle”; Tamposi for co-writing Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Morris has received five Grammy nods for best country song. Singer-songwriter Delacey has written such hits as Halsey’s “Without Me,” which topped the Hot 100 in 2019.
“Harper and Will Go West”Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Josh GreenbaumWill & Harper, Netflix
Wiig was an Oscar nominee for best original screenplay for co-writing the 2011 smash Bridesmaids. She co-wrote four songs for the 2021 film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Douglas received a Grammy nod for best country song for co-writing the Thomas Rhett hit “Die a Happy Man.” Greenbaum directed and co-produced this film, which stars Will Ferrell and Harper Steele.
Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios)Benjamin Wallfisch
This would be Wallfisch’s first Oscar nod. He received Grammy and Golden Globe nods for Hidden Figures and BAFTA and Grammy nods for Blade Runner 2049. Alien: Romulus is part of the Alien franchise, set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). Fun fact: Wallfisch was born less than three months after the release of the first Alien.
Blitz (Apple Original Films)Hans Zimmer
Zimmer has received 12 nominations in this category across five decades. He won for The Lion King (1994) and Dune (2021). Steve McQueen wrote, produced and directed Blitz, a historical war drama. The film stars four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson and Elliot Heffernan in his film debut. Following a theatrical run, Blitz is set for a streaming release on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22.
The Brutalist (A24)Daniel Blumberg
This would be the first nomination for Blumberg, an English artist, musician, songwriter and composer. The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody as Hungarian Jewish architect László Tóth, who survives the Holocaust and constructs a new life in America. The film, which also stars Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, is scheduled to be released in the United States on Dec. 20.
Challengers (Amazon MGM)Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Reznor and Ross have received three nominations in this category, winning for The Social Network (2010) and Soul (2020), the latter a collaboration with Jon Batiste. In addition, they have jointly won an Emmy, two Grammys and two Golden Globes for their scoring work. Luca Guadagnino directed Challengers, about the love triangle between a tennis coach (Zendaya), her tennis player ex-boyfriend (Josh O’Connor) and her tennis champion husband (Mike Faist).
Conclave (Focus Features)Volker Bertelmann
Bertelmann won in this category for 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front. He was previously nominated for Lion, on which he collaborated with Dustin O’Halloran. Conclave is a mystery-thriller directed by Edward Berger, who also directed All Quiet on the Western Front. In this film, a cardinal played by Ralph Fiennes organizes a papal conclave to elect the next pope. The film also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais
Emilia Pérez premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and its stars (Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Zoe Saldaña) jointly won the best actress award. Pathé released the film theatrically in August. It was selected as the French entry for best international feature film at the upcoming Oscars.
The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM)Tamar-kali
This would be the first nod for Tamar-kali, whose previous scores include Mudbound and the documentaries John Lewis: Good Trouble and Little Richard: I Am Everything. The Fire Inside, which tells the story of professional boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (played by Ryan Destiny) as she trains for the 2012 Summer Olympics, is set for release on Christmas Day. The film marks Rachel Morrison’s feature directorial debut.
Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)Harry Gregson-Williams
This would be Gregson-Williams’ first nod. Hans Zimmer was nominated for scoring the original 2000 film, which won five Oscars including best picture. Ridley Scott directed both the original movie and this long-awaited sequel, which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington — but not Russell Crowe, who won the best actor Oscar for the first film. Gladiator II is scheduled to be released in the United States on Nov. 22.
The Goat Life (Netflix)A.R. Rahman
Rahman won for scoring Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and was nominated again two years later for 127 Hours. The Goat Life was written, directed and co-produced by Blessy. The film is an international co-production involving companies in India and the United States. It’s an adaptation of the 2008 Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham, which is based on the real-life story of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant laborer in the Gulf.
Here (Sony Pictures)Alan Silvestri
Silvestri was nominated for scoring 1994’s Forrest Gump, that year’s best picture winner. This film reunites the director (Robert Zemeckis), screenwriter (Eric Roth) and stars (Tom Hanks and Robin Wright) of that film. Silvestri was also nominated for best original song for co-writing “Believe” from yet another Hanks film, The Polar Express. Here depicts a single home and its inhabitants over time.
From left: Ryan Reynolds in IF, Inside Out 2, Zendaya in Challengers, Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux and The Wild Robot.
illustrations by Klawe Rzeczy
IF (Paramount Pictures)Michael Giacchino
Giacchino was nominated for scoring Ratatouille (2007) and won two years later for Up. John Krasinski wrote, directed, co-produced and co-starred in IF, which combines live-action and animation. The cast also features Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds and Fiona Shaw. The film’s soundtrack includes a pair of pop classics, Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” and Nat “King” Cole’s “L-O-V-E.”
Inside Out 2 (Pixar)Andrea Datzman
With this release, Datzman became the first woman to score a Pixar feature film. This would be her first Oscar nomination. Datzman previously composed the music for the Pixar short Carl’s Date (2023) and co-scored the studio’s animated-shorts series Dug Days (2021) with Curtis Green. The first Inside Out (scored by Michael Giacchino) received two Oscar nods but was passed over in this category.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.)Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur won for scoring the first Joker. This sequel bombed at the box office and critics generally panned it, but the film’s music earned praise. If Hildur’s score is nominated, she would become the third woman to receive two or more nods in scoring categories, following Rachel Portman (who leads with three) and Angela Morley (who had two nods in the defunct original song score or adaptation score category).
Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM/Orion)Alex Somers, Scott Alario
This would be the first nomination for Somers and Alario, who were members of the Icelandic experimental duo Parachutes that recorded two albums and an EP in the 2000s. Nickel Boys is based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. RaMell Ross directed and co-wrote the film, which follows two African American boys, Elwood and Turner, who are sent to an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida.
Nosferatu (Focus Features)Robin Carolan
This would be Carolan’s first nod. Nosferatu is a gothic horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers. It’s a remake of a 1922 German film, which was in turn based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. Nosferatu is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on Christmas Day.
The Piano Lesson (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
Desplat has amassed 11 nominations in this category, winning for The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Shape of Water (2017). The Piano Lesson is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1987 play by August Wilson. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Erykah Badu. Washington is the brother of the film’s director, Malcolm Washington (who is making his feature directorial debut). Their father is two-time Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Queer A24Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
If Reznor and Ross are nominated for both Challengers and Queer, it would be the second time they were double-nominated in this category. They were in contention for both Soul and Mank four years ago. Luca Guadagnino directed Queer, which is based on a 1985 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs. Set in 1950s Mexico City, the film stars Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.
The Room Next Door (Sony Pictures Classics)Alberto Iglesias
Iglesias has garnered four nominations in this category for The Constant Gardener (2005), The Kite Runner (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Parallel Mothers (2021). The Room Next Door marks his 14th collaboration with director Pedro Almodóvar. This film is Almodóvar’s first full-length feature in the English language and scheduled for a limited release in the United States on Dec. 20.
Saturday Night (Sony Pictures)Jon Batiste
Batiste won in this category for 2020’s Soul, a collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He was nominated for best original song last year for co-writing “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony. Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, recounts the night of the 1975 premiere of NBC’s Saturday Night (as Saturday Night Live was originally called). In addition to scoring the film, Batiste plays Billy Preston, who performed on that first episode.
The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation)Kris Bowers
Bowers has received two Oscar nominations but not in music categories. He was nominated for best documentary short film for A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020) and won in that category for The Last Repair Shop (2023). Chris Sanders, a three-time Oscar nominee for best animated feature film, wrote and directed The Wild Robot, which features the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story appears in the Nov. 16, 2024, issue of Billboard.
The 2024 Oscars won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding variety special (live), the first time the Oscars have won a top program Emmy since 1991, so it’s not surprising that the creative team behind that show will largely remain in place for the 2025 Oscars. The event will air live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET.
Raj Kapoor is set to return as executive producer and showrunner of the 2025 Oscars, Katy Mullan as executive producer and Hamish Hamilton as director. It is Kapoor and Mullan’s second time executive producing and Hamilton’s fifth time directing the Oscars. Kapoor and Mullan were among the recipients of that Emmy win for outstanding variety special (live); Hamish also won for directing the show, but in a separate category, outstanding directing for a variety special.
Michael Bearden, a music director, keyboardist, arranger, conductor and composer, joins the creative team as music director for the first time. Rickey Minor was last year’s music director, and won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding music direction for his work on the show. Bearden has worked with such artists as Whitney Houston, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson (as the King of Pop’s final music director).
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Bearden received Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding music direction for the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show Featuring Lady Gaga (2017) and One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (2022). He has served as a music director for the Primetime Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and as a musician and arranger for several Kennedy Center Honors and Oscars shows. Bearden’s feature film scores include Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only, Outlaw Johnny Black, Michael Jackson’s This Is It, American Blackout and Constellation.
Kapoor has won two Primetime Emmys. In addition to the 2024 Oscars, he won as an executive producer of Adele: One Night Only, which won outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) in 2022. Kapoor has also been nominated for Emmys for his work on four Grammy telecasts, another Oscar telecast and Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter.
Kapoor’s other credits include the ACM Awards, the Latin Grammys, the Emmy Awards, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, and The Paris Olympics LA28 Handover Closing Ceremony.
Mullan is an executive producer, showrunner and partner in the global live event production company Done + Dusted. Her work in live entertainment ranges from producing the London Olympics opening and closing ceremonies to The Little Mermaid Live!. Mullan’s recent credits include Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, Step Into…the Movies and the Disney Family Singalong franchise.
Hamilton made his Oscars debut directing the 82nd Academy Awards telecast in 2010. In addition to the 2024 Oscars, he also won an Emmy (alongside Jay-Z) for co-directing the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show starring Rihanna. Hamilton has directed many other live televised events, including The Emmy Awards, The Grammy Awards, 15 Super Bowl Halftime Shows and the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. Hamilton has received 13 Primetime Emmy nominations, a BAFTA Award, a Peabody Award and a Grammy Award nomination for the music special Robbie Williams – Live at the Albert. He is the founder of Done + Dusted.
Production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, who also won Emmys for their work on the 2024 Oscars in the category of outstanding production design for a variety special, will also return, as will red carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin. The official live red carpet show airs at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The host of the 2025 Oscars has yet to be nominated. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the 2024 show.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is inviting 487 artists and executives, including 21 in the music branch, to join the organization.
The invitations spotlight the Academy’s ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity. Of the 2024 class, 44% identify as women (up from 40% in last year’s new member invited class), 41% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities (up from 34% last year) and 56% are from 56 countries and territories outside the U.S. (up from 52% last year).
The music branch was one of 14 branches that extended the majority of their invitations to candidates from countries or territories outside the U.S.
Six branches (not including music) invited more women than men. Four branches (again not including music) extended the majority of their invitations to members of underrepresented ethnic or racial communities.
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The Academy notes that demographic information is provided by the candidate when possible or projected through research and will be confirmed by members upon acceptance. In keeping with past policy, those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2024. This is seen as a sign of the Academy’s laser focus on boosting its diversity numbers.
If all 2024 invitees accept membership, the total number of members (including emeritus members) will be 10,910. The number of voting members will be 9,934.
Likewise, if all 2024 invitees accept membership, 35% of the Academy will identify as women; 20% will be from underrepresented ethnic or racial communities; and 20% will be from countries or territories outside the U.S.
“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of new members to the Academy,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “These remarkably talented artists and professionals from around the world have made a significant impact on our filmmaking community.”
Eight individuals have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches. These individuals must select one branch upon accepting membership.
There are 71 Oscar nominees, including 19 winners, among the invitees.
Here’s a complete list of the 21 individuals who have been invited to join the music branch.
Michael K. Bauer – Cassandro, The Equalizer 3
Stephen Bray – The Color Purple, Psycho III
Anthony Chue – Man on the Edge, G Storm
Gary M. Clark – Flora and Son, Sing Street
Marius de Vries – Navalny, CODA
Jerskin Fendrix – Poor Things
Simon Franglen – Avatar: The Way of Water, The Magnificent Seven
Jo Yeong-wook – Decision to Leave, Hunt
Shari Johanson – Maybe I Do, All Together Now
Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch – All of Us Strangers, Living
Fabrizio Mancinelli – Il Viaggio Leggendario, The Boat
Diego Navarro – The Cuckoo’s Curse, The Wasteland
Martin Phipps – Napoleon, The Princess
Plínio Profeta – Desapega!, Nosso Sonho
Philippe Rombi – Driving Madeleine, Joyeux Noël
David Sardy – The Beekeeper, Zombieland
Katrina Marie Schiller – Wonka, Black Mass
Carl Sealove – Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, The Human Trial
Ryan Shore – Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World, Zombie Town
Kubilay Uner – American Traitor: The Trail of Axis Sally, Force of Nature
Dan Wilson – American Symphony, Love Again
Sabrina Carpenter loves Cillian Murphy so much that he’s got her talking nonsense. While preparing for the Academy Awards festivities on Sunday night (March 10), the pop star sang Murphy’s praises and told Vanity Fair what she would do if she ran into the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer star at an afterparty. “If I see Cillian Murphy, […]
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Will Smith and The Oscars will forever be linked after the slapping incident heard around the world involving the actor and Chris Rock. However, some on X are wondering out loud why Will Smith is banned for his actions but John Cena going nude on the Oscars stage got to fly without a hitch.
In a bit with Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel, John Cena presented the nominees for the Best Costume Design award. Cena’s state of undress was a callback to the 1974 Academy Awards ceremony where a naked streaker took to the stage.
Cena elected not to run across the stage but instead was naked save for covering the front of his privates with the nominee list. The award was given to Holly Waddington, who worked on the film, Poor Things.
While the moment was focused on being comedic at its root, it appears some on X are wondering how the academy heads let this fly and Smith was hit with a decade-long ban from the festivities.
There are also folks online calling the moment for Cena a “humiliation ritual” as a part of whatever phantom Hollywood cabal’s initiation practices. We’ll leave that one alone for all the reasons one can imagine.
As it stands, Will Smith is trending on X, formerly Twitter, and we’ve got reactions to John Cena’s moment below.
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Photo: Getty
“Fan it,” instructs Emily Blunt with a bit of humor, speaking of her dress’ train as she prepares to enter the Dolby Theater’s main floor seating. Meanwhile, a showrunner whispers into her walkie-talkie that Bradley Cooper should really be in his seat by now for the top of the show as Mark Ronson and wife […]
There weren’t many nail-biters at the 2024 Oscars, which were presented on Sunday (March 10) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Everybody knew Oppenheimer would dominate, which it did, winning seven awards on the night. There was a moderate upset in the lead actress category when Emma Stone won best actress for Poor Things over […]
Billie Eilish and Finneas entered the Oscar record books on Sunday (March 10) by winning best original song for their Barbie ballad “What Was I Made For?,” two years after winning with their title song from the James Bond film No Time to Die.
They became the youngest two-time Oscar winners in history – in any category. Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, took that distinction from actress Luise Rainer, who won her second Oscar (for The Good Earth) at age 28. Next on the leaderboard are Jodie Foster, who won her second Oscar (for Silences of the Lambs) at 29, and Hilary Swank, who won her second Oscar (for Million Dollar Baby) at 30.
This was also the fastest repeat win in the best original song category by any songwriter since Tim Rice won three times in the space of five years in the 1990s (with different collaborators each time).
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Eilish and Finneas are the first songwriting team to win best original song twice in the space of three years since Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman won with “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid in 1990 and the title song from Beauty and the Beast in 1992. Here’s an updated list of all songwriters who have won in this category twice in the space of three years in Oscar history.
Also, “What Was I Made For?,” which won the Grammy for song of the year on Feb. 4, is the first song in a generation to win both the Oscar for best original song and the Grammy for song of the year. The last song to win both awards was “My Heart Will Go On,” the love theme from Titanic. Here’s an updated list of all songs to win both the Grammy for song of the year and the Oscar for best original song.
“What Was I Made For?” is the second winner for best original song from a film that was solely directed by a woman. Greta Gerwig directed Barbie. Ava DuVernay directed Selma, which spawned the 2014 winner, “Glory,” which was written and performed by John Legend and Common. Two films that were co-directed by women spawned best original song winners. The Prince of Egypt, co-directed by Brenda Chapman, gave us “When You Believe.” Frozen, co-directed by Jennifer Lee, spawned “Let It Go.”
Ludwig Göransson won best original score for Oppenheimer, five years after he won for Black Panther. Göransson is one of just five composers or composing teams to win twice in this category since 2000. He follows Howard Shore (the second and third installments in The Lord of the Rings franchise), Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain and Babel), Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network and Soul) and Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Sound of Water).
Oppenheimer won a night-leading seven Oscars, including best picture, followed by Poor Things with four and The Zone of Interest with two. No other film won more than one Oscar.
Killers of the Flower Moon was shut out, despite 10 nominations. It’s director Martin Scorcese’s third film to go 0-10 on Oscar night, following Gangs of New York (2002) and The Irishman (2019).
Oppenheimer has grossed $329.3 million at the domestic boxoffice, which is the fourth-highest total for any Oscar-winning best picture in history. It trails only Titanic ($674.3 million), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (379.4 million) and Forrest Gump ($330.5 million).
Oppenheimer is the fifth film since 2000 to win for both best picture and best original score. It follows The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Slumdog Millionaire, The Artist and The Shape of Water.
Christopher Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas were among the producers who won best picture Oscars for Oppenheimer (in tandem with Charles Roven). They are the first married couple to win for best picture since Richard D. Zanuck and Lil Fini Zanuck won for producing Driving Miss Daisy, the 1989 winner. Another married couple won on the night. Justine Triet and her husband, Arthur Harari, won best original screenplay for Anatomy of a Fall.
Emma Stone won best actress for the second time for Poor Things in an upset over Lily Gladstone, who was seen as having a slight edge for Killers of the Flower Moon. Stone won seven years ago for La La Land. Stone was the only one of this year’s acting winners who had won previously.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph won best supporting actress for The Holdovers. She’s the 10th Black actress to win in that category, compared to just one in the lead actress category – Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball.
Wes Anderson finally won his first Oscar for best live-action short film for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, on which he collaborated with Steven Rales. Anderson had received seven previous nominations in a wide range of categories for his work on The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel (three nominations) and Isle of Dogs. Unfortunately, Anderson was a no-show on the night he won his first Oscar.
WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko won best animated short. The film’s title was inspired by “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” a 1971 song by John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. John Lennon won an Oscar 53 years ago, along with the other former Beatles, for Let It Be. That film project won for best original song score, a category that still exists but has long been on hiatus, owing to an insufficient number of entries.
The Boy and the Heron won best animated feature film, in what was seen as a close contest with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Hayao Miyazaki, who won for The Boy and the Heron, won in the same category 21 years ago for Spirited Away. The Japanese-bornMiyazaki is the first person who was born outside the U.S. to win twice in this category. Here’s an updated list of all winners of best animated feature.
Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot took the documentary (short subject) award for The Last Repair Shop, about a shop in Los Angeles that repairs musical instruments for schools. Bowers, who is also a noted film composer, and Proudfoot were nominated in this same category three years ago for A Concerto Is a Conversation.
Godzilla Minus One won best visual effects. It was the first win – or even nomination – for a Godzilla movie.
This long awards season will come to an end on Sunday (March 10) when the 96th Oscars are presented at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Oppenheimer is expected to be the night’s big winner, with eight or so awards. Barbie didn’t get as much awards season love as expected, but it is likely to finish second on the night with two Oscars. No other film is expected to win more than one award, though there are often surprises.
All five nominated songs will be performed on the show. Billie Eilish and Finneas will perform “What Was I Made For?,” which is expected to win best original song. It will be third Oscar performance in five years. They sang The Beatles’ poignant “Yesterday” as the In Memoriam song four years ago and their nominated “No Time to Die” two years ago. (That James Bond song went on to win the award).
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Becky G will perform “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. It will be her second performance, but her first in the solo spotlight. She was one of eight artists featured on “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto two years ago. That song wasn’t nominated, but it was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, so Oscar producers booked the performance anyway. (They’re no dummies.)
Ryan Gosling is set to perform “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie in tandem with the song’s co-writer, Mark Ronson. It will be Gosling’s first Oscar performance. He and Emma Stone declined to perform the nominated “City of Stars” from La La Land (the eventual winner) seven years ago.
If it seems like the presenters list is especially long this year, and includes an oddly high percentage of past Oscar winners, you’re on to something. The Oscars will revive a presentation tactic last used 15 years ago in which five former winners in each of the four acting categories will individually pay tribute to this year’s nominees and then award this year’s winners, in effect welcoming them to the club.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the stars of the upcoming Wicked, were both announced as presenters. It would not be a surprise if they did something together.
The Oscars have not yet announced who will perform in the In Memoriam spot.
Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the fourth time, the 96th Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 10 at the new, earlier time of 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner. Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan are also executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is directing the show. Rickey Minor is music director.
Here are the performers and presenters who have been announced for the 2024 Oscars.
Performers
Ryan Gosling with Mark Ronson, “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie
Billie Eilish with Finneas, “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie
Jon Batiste, “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony
Becky G, “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot
Scott George with The Osage Singers, “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon
Presenters
Mahershala Ali
Emily Blunt
Bad Bunny
Nicolas Cage
Jamie Lee Curtis
Cynthia Erivo
America Ferrera
Sally Field
Brendan Fraser
Ryan Gosling
Ariana Grande
Chris Hemsworth
Dwayne Johnson
Michael Keaton
Regina King
Ben Kingsley
Jessica Lange
Jennifer Lawrence
Melissa McCarthy
Matthew McConaughey
Kate McKinnon
Rita Moreno
John Mulaney
Lupita Nyong’o
Catherine O’Hara
Al Pacino
Michelle Pfeiffer
Ke Huy Quan
Issa Rae
Tim Robbins
Sam Rockwell
Octavia Spencer
Steven Spielberg
Mary Steenburgen
Anya Taylor-Joy
Charlize Theron
Christoph Waltz
Forest Whitaker
Michelle Yeoh
Ramy Youssef
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