Academy Awards
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Barbie director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie were famously snubbed in the 2024 Oscar nominations, which were announced on Tuesday (Jan. 23). On Wednesday, they heard from a woman who knows a thing or two about having to deal with a crushing disappointment: Hillary Clinton. “Greta and Margot,” Clinton began her message to her […]
For the most part, the nominations for the 2024 Oscars went as expected. Oppenheimer and Barbie received best picture nods, as did such favorites as The Holdovers, Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon. Two songs from Barbie were nominated for best original song – “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt) […]
They’re both floating on cloud nine! Billie Eilish and brother Finneas‘ “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack earned a 2024 Academy Award nomination for best original song on Tuesday (Jan. 23), and the siblings are delighted by the honor. “We are so incredibly honored to receive a nomination for ‘What Was I […]
Two songs from Barbie were nominated for best original song on Tuesday (Jan. 23) – “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt) and “What Was I Made For?” (written by Billie Eilish and Finneas). A third song from the blockbuster film, “Dance the Night” (on which Ronson and Wyatt collaborated with Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin) failed to advance to the finals. (Based on a 2008 rule change, no more than two songs from a film can be nominated.)
Barbie is the first film to spawn two best song nominees since La La Land seven years ago. “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” were both nominated. “City of Stars” went on to win. Unlike with Barbie, both songs were written by the same team – composer Justin Hurwitz and lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
“What Was I Made For?” is also a Grammy nominee for song of the year.
Oscar perennial Diane Warren was nominated with “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. This is her 15th best original song nomination, a benchmark that only five songwriters have reached. This is the seventh consecutive year in which Warren has been nominated, the longest streak in this category since Sammy Cahn was nominated eight years running, from 1954 to 1961.
Warren has yet to win a competitive Oscar. She is one of just five people in Oscar history to amass so many nominations without a win. She joins sound mixer Greg P. Russell (16 nods), the late art director Roland Anderson (15), composer Thomas Newman (15) and the late composer Alex North (15).
Jon Batiste, who won an Oscar three years ago for collaborating on the Soul score with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, landed his first best original song nod for “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony, a documentary about a year in his life. Batiste co-wrote the song with Dan Wilson. The pair also have a Grammy song of the year nomination, but for a different song, “Butterfly.” American Symphony was passed over for a nod for best documentary feature.
“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon was a surprise nominee. The song is credited to The Osage Tribe. Many expected Lenny Kravitz’s “Road to Freedom” to be nominated, but it fell short.
In the best original score category, Ludwig Göransson was nominated for his score for Oppenheimer. The Swedish composer won in this category five years ago for scoring Black Panther. He was nominated for an Oscar last year for co-writing a song for the sequel.
John Williams was nominated for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This is Williams’ record-extending 49th nod in a scoring category and his fourth for a film in the Indiana Jones franchise. In total, it is Williams’ 54th Oscar nomination (the other five are for best original song), which pulls him closer to Walt Disney’s all-time record of 59 for an individual.
The late Robbie Robertson was nominated for Killers of the Flower Moon. This was the 12th and last Martin Scorsese film that Robertson worked on. Robertson, who died in June at age 80, is the first composer to be nominated in this category posthumously since the legendary Bernard Herrmann was cited in 1976 for both Obsession and Taxi Driver.
Laura Karpman received her first Oscar nod for American Fiction. Karpman is the fifth woman to receive a nomination in this category in the last 25 years, following Rachel Portman (The Cider House Rules and Chocolat), Mica Levi (Jackie), Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker), Germaine Franco (Encanto). Note: Levi, who was shortlisted this year for her score for The Zone of Interest, came out as non-binary subsequent to her nod for Jackie.
English musician Jerskin Fendrix landed his first Oscar nod for scoring Poor Things. Scores expected to make the cut that fell short were Daniel Pemberton’s Spider Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Anthony Willis’ Saltburn.
The 96th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel is hosting for the fourth time.
Here’s a complete list of the songs that were nominated for best original song, followed by a complete list of the shortlisted songs that were not nominated.
Nominated Songs
“It Never Went Away”Jon Batiste, Dan WilsonAmerican Symphony, Netflix
“I’m Just Ken”Mark Ronson, Andrew WyattBarbie, Warner Bros.
“What Was I Made For?”Billie Eilish, FINNEASBarbie, Warner Bros.
“The Fire Inside”Diane WarrenFlamin’ Hot, Hulu/Searchlight Pictures
“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)”The Osage TribeKillers of the Flower Moon (Apple Original Films/Paramount Pictures)
Shortlisted Songs That Were Not Nominated
“Dear Alien (Who Art in Heaven)”Jarvis Cocker, Richard Hawley, Wes AndersonAsteroid City, Focus Features
“Dance the Night”Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, Andrew WyattBarbie, Warner Bros.
“Keep It Movin’”Halle Bailey, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, Morten RistorpThe Color Purple, Warner Bros.
“Superpower (I)”The-DreamThe Color Purple, Warner Bros.
“High Life”Gary Clark, John Carney, Eve HewsonFlora and Son, Apple
“Meet in the Middle”Gary Clark, John Carney, Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John ArdiffFlora and Son, Apple
“Can’t Catch Me Now”Dan Nigro, Olivia RodrigoThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Lionsgate
“Quiet Eyes”Zach Dawes, Sharon Von EttenPast Lives, A24
“Road to Freedom”Lenny KravitzRustin, Netflix
“Am I Dreaming”A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin, Michael Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Roisee, ScriptpluggSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Sony Pictures
Here’s a complete list of the scores that were nominated for best original score, followed by a list of the shortlisted scores that were not nominated.
Nominated Scores
American Fiction (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM)Laura Karpman
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Disney)John Williams
Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple)Robbie Robertson
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)Ludwig Göransson
Poor Things (Searchlight Pictures)Jerskin Fendrix
Shortlisted Scores That Were Not Nominated
American Symphony (Netflix)Jon Batiste
Barbie (Warner Bros.)Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt
The Boy and the Heron (GKids)Joe Hisaishi
The Color Purple (Warner Bros.)Kris Bowers
Elemental (Pixar)Thomas Newman
The Holdovers (Focus Features)Mark Orton
Saltburn (Amazon/MGM)Anthony Willis
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)Daniel Pemberton
Society of the Snow (Netflix)Michael Giacchino
The Zone of Interest (A24)Mica Levi
Oppenheimer is the top nominee for the 2024 Oscars, with 13 nods.
All five of the films nominated for best film last week at the BAFTA Film Awards (Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer and Poor Things) were nominated for best picture Academy Awards, along with five additional films – Barbie, Past Lives, American Fiction, Maestro and The Zone of Interest.
This marks the first time in Oscar history that three films not in English – Anatomy of a Fall, Past Lives and The Zone of Interest – are in the running as best picture nominees. This also marks the sixth consecutive year that one or more films in a language other than English has received a best picture nomination.
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For the fifth consecutive year, at least one film nominated for best picture was directed by a woman. But that picture was not the box office blockbuster Barbie — directed by Greta Gerwig — but rather Anatomy of a Fall, directed by Justine Triet (Sibyl).
Two actors are nominated for lead acting honors and as producers of best picture contenders. Bradley Cooper achieved his double play for Maestro, while Emma Stone earned hers for Poor Things. Stone is the second woman to be nominated for acting and best picture for the same film, following Frances McDormand (Nomadland, 2020). This ups Cooper’s career nominations total to 12 and Stone’s to five.
Cooper was also nominated in the original screenplay category, but was passed over for a best director nod. Cooper becomes the fourth person to direct himself to an acting nomination on more than one film (A Star Is Born, 2018). He follows Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty and Clint Eastwood.
Two songs from Barbie were nominated for best original song – “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt) and “What Was I Made For?” (written by Billie Eilish and Finneas). A third song from the blockbuster film, “Dance the Night” (on which Ronson and Wyatt collaborated with Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin) failed to advance to the finals. (Based on a 2008 rule change, no more than two songs from a film can be nominated.
Barbie is the first film to spawn two best song nominees since La La Land seven years ago. “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” were both nominated in 2016, with “City of Stars” going on to win.
Oscar perennial songwriter Diane Warren was nominated for “The Fire Inside” from the Cheetos dramedy Flamin’ Hot. This is her 15th best original song nomination, a benchmark that only five songwriters have reached. This is the seventh consecutive year in which Warren has been nominated, the longest streak in this category since Sammy Cahn was nominated eight years running, from 1954-61.
John Williams received his record-extending 49th nod in a scoring category for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. His overall total of 54 nominations (including five for best original song) is the most for any living person, and second only to Walt Disney at 59. He is also the oldest nominee in a competitive award category at 91 years of age.
The late Robbie Robertson was also nominated for best original score for Killers of the Flower Moon. This was the 12th and last Martin Scorsese film that late Band leader Robertson worked on. Robertson, who died in June at age 80, is the first composer to be nominated in this category posthumously since the legendary Bernard Herrmann was cited in 1976 for both Obsession and Taxi Driver.
Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the 2024 Oscars, which will be held March 10 at its usual home, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. It will mark Kimmel’s fourth time as host.
The Oscar ceremony, which will air on ABC, will be executive produced by Raj Kapoor, Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan, with Kapoor also serving as showrunner. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. The final round of voting extends from Feb. 22-27.
Here’s the full list of 2024 Oscar nominations.
Best motion picture of the year
“American Fiction,” Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers
“Anatomy of a Fall,” Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion, Producers
“Barbie,” David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, Producers
“The Holdovers,” Mark Johnson, Producer
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, Producers
“Maestro,” Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
“Oppenheimer,” Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers
“Past Lives,” David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, Producers
“Poor Things,” Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, Producers
“The Zone of Interest,” James Wilson, Producer
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Bradley Cooper in “Maestro”
Colman Domingo in “Rustin”
Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers”
Cillian Murphy in “Oppenheimer”
Jeffrey Wright in “American Fiction”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Sterling K. Brown in “American Fiction”
Robert De Niro in “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Robert Downey Jr. in “Oppenheimer”
Ryan Gosling in “Barbie”
Mark Ruffalo in “Poor Things”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Annette Bening in “Nyad”
Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Sandra Hüller in “Anatomy of a Fall”
Carey Mulligan in “Maestro”
Emma Stone in “Poor Things”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Emily Blunt in “Oppenheimer”
Danielle Brooks in “The Color Purple”
America Ferrera in “Barbie”
Jodie Foster in “Nyad”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “The Holdovers”
Achievement in directing
“Anatomy of a Fall,” Justine Triet
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Martin Scorsese
“Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan
“Poor Things,” Yorgos Lanthimos
“The Zone of Interest,” Jonathan Glazer
Adapted screenplay
“American Fiction,” Written for the screen by Cord Jefferson
“Barbie,” Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
“Oppenheimer,” Written for the screen by Christopher Nolan
“Poor Things,” Screenplay by Tony McNamara
“The Zone of Interest,” Written by Jonathan Glazer
Original screenplay
“Anatomy of a Fall” Screenplay – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari
“The Holdovers” Written by David Hemingson
“Maestro” Written by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer
“May December” Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik
“Past Lives” Written by Celine Song
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“American Fiction,” Laura Karpman
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” John Williams
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Robbie Robertson
“Oppenheimer,” Ludwig Göransson
“Poor Things,” Jerskin Fendrix
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot”; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie”; Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
“It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”; Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson
“Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon”; Music and Lyric by Scott George
“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie”; Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
Best animated feature film of the year
“The Boy and the Heron,” Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki
“Elemental,” Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
“Nimona,” Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary
“Robot Dreams,” Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal
Achievement in cinematography
“El Conde,” Edward Lachman
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Rodrigo Prieto
“Maestro,” Matthew Libatique
“Oppenheimer,” Hoyte van Hoytema
“Poor Things,” Robbie Ryan
Achievement in costume design
“Barbie,” Jacqueline Durran
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Jacqueline West
“Napoleon,” Janty Yates and Dave Crossman
“Oppenheimer,” Ellen Mirojnick
“Poor Things,” Holly Waddington
Best documentary feature film
“Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek
“The Eternal Memory” Nominees to be determined
“Four Daughters,” Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha
“To Kill a Tiger,” Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim
“20 Days in Mariupol,” Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath
Best documentary short film
“The ABCs of Book Banning,” Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic
“The Barber of Little Rock,” John Hoffman and Christine Turner
“Island in Between,” S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien
“The Last Repair Shop,” Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
“Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó,” Sean Wang and Sam Davis
Achievement in film editing
“Anatomy of a Fall,” Laurent Sénéchal
“The Holdovers,” Kevin Tent
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Thelma Schoonmaker
“Oppenheimer,” Jennifer Lame
“Poor Things,” Yorgos Mavropsaridis
Best international feature film of the year
“Io Capitano,” Italy
“Perfect Days,” Japan
“Society of the Snow,” Spain
“The Teachers’ Lounge,” Germany
“The Zone of Interest,” United Kingdom
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
“Golda,” Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashra Kelly-Blue
“Maestro,” Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell
“Oppenheimer,” Luisa Abel
“Poor Things,” Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston
“Society of the Snow,” Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé
Achievement in production design
“Barbie,” Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis
“Napoleon,” Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff
“Oppenheimer,” Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman
“Poor Things,” Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek
Best animated short film
“Letter to a Pig,” Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter
“Ninety-Five Senses,” Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess
“Our Uniform,” Yegane Moghaddam
“Pachyderme,” Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius
“WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” Dave Mullins and Brad Booker
Best live action short film
“The After,” Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham
“Invincible,” Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron
“Knight of Fortune,” Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk
“Red, White and Blue,” Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane
“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” Wes Anderson and Steven Rales
Achievement in sound
“The Creator,” Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
“Maestro,” Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
“Oppenheimer,” Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O’Connell
“The Zone of Interest,” Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn
Achievement in visual effects
“The Creator,” Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould
“Godzilla Minus One,” Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould
“Napoleon,” Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould
Want to be among the very first to know how many Oscar nominations Barbie and Oppenheimer collect? You can tune into the 96th Oscars nominations announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 23, and hear them the very moment Hollywood’s top stars and most powerful executives get the news. Just one catch: You have to get up early, especially if you’re on the West Coast. The live presentation begins at (gulp) 5:30 a.m. PT/8:30 a.m. ET.
Actors Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid will host the announcement of the nominations in all 23 categories in a live presentation from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The brief program will stream globally on Oscar.com, Oscars.org and the Academy’s digital platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook), and will be seen on national broadcast and streaming news programs, including ABC’s Good Morning America, ABC News Live and Disney+. The Oscars have aired on ABC since 1976.
We will learn which two of the three shortlisted Barbie songs – “Dance the Night,” “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” – are nominated for best original song. Oscar rules allow just two songs from a film to be nominated.
We will learn if Diane Warren lands her 15th nomination – and seventh in a row – for “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot.
We will learn if the late Robbie Robertson becomes the first composer in 47 years to receive a posthumous nomination for best original score. Robertson is likely to be nominated for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. The last composer to be nominated in this category posthumously was the great Bernard Herrmann, on the 1977 telecast. He had two of the five nominations, for Taxi Driver and Obsession.
We will learn which eight films will go up against “Barbenheimer” for best picture. (There are 10 nominees in this category.) The films that are expected to face Barbie and Oppenheimer are American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest.
The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, with the funny and genial Jimmy Kimmel hosting for the fourth time.
The nominations will be announced in two clusters on Tuesday. The Academy cautions that these categories are not listed in order of presentation and are subject to change, but this will give you a rough idea of what to expect.
5:30 a.m. PT
Actor in a supporting role
Actress in a supporting role
Animated short film
Costume design
Live action short film
Makeup and hairstyling
Original score
Adapted screenplay
Original screenplay
5:41 a.m. PT
Actor in a leading role
Actress in a leading role
Animated feature film
Cinematography
Directing
Documentary feature film
Documentary short film
Film editing
International feature film
Original song
Best picture
Production design
Sound
Visual effects
You may not be able to catch her now, but the Oscars just might be able to.
As awards season kicks into high gear, Olivia Rodrigo has her sights set on the Academy Awards. At the Academy’s 14th annual Governors Awards on Tuesday, the Grammy-winner dished on the Oscar chances for her song “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and her plans for her upcoming 21st birthday.
“It’s so incredible,” Rodrigo gushed to Access Hollywood of her Hunger Games prequel track making the Academy’s shortlist for best original song. “There’s just so many people on that list who I’m inspired by, so many songs that I think are incredible, so it’s an honor.”
Rodrigo, alongside go-to collaborator Dan Nigro, co-wrote and performed “Can’t Catch Me Now” for the box-office-topping Hunger Games prequel starring Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis, Hunter Schafer and Tom Blyth. The haunting Americana-inflected track reached No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100. At the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, “Can’t Catch Me Now” won best original song in a sci-fi, fantasy or horror film.
In addition to “Can’t Catch Me Now,” other notable songs on the Academy’s shortlist include Billie Eilish‘s “What Was I Made For?” (from Barbie) — which won the equivalent Golden Globe Award on Sunday — Fantasia‘s “Superpower (I)” (from The Color Purple), The Osage Tribe’s “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” (from Killers of the Flower Moon) and Jon Batiste‘s “It Never Went Away” (from American Symphony).
Although she finds herself among stiff competition, Rodrigo didn’t write her Hunger Games track with the intention of entering the Oscar race. “I think that if I was writing a song and thought about how other people were gonna hear it, I just would be so overcome by anxiety that I couldn’t write at all,” she told Access Hollywood. “So I try to kind of block that all out and just write for me.”
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Later on the red carpet, the “Traitor” singer spilled her birthday plans to Entertainment Tonight. “It is a big birthday,” she said. “I think I’m gonna have a party with my friends and pop some champagne, you know? It’s the 21st!” The multihyphenate turns 21 next month (Feb. 20), but she says Vegas isn’t quite in her line of sight yet. “I’ll save that. I’ll save that for later,” she said.
Shortly before her birthday, Rodrigo will enjoy the 66th annual Grammy Awards, where she boasts six nominations, including in album of the year (Guts) and record and song of the year (“Vampire”). The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series alum already has three Golden Gramophones to her name; she took home best new artist, best pop vocal album (Sour) and best pop solo performance (“Drivers License”) at the 2022 ceremony.
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So, when exactly did Emma Stone fall in love with longtime friend Taylor Swift? When the two superstars were just teenagers, as it turns out! In a New Year’s Day The Graham Norton Show interview (Jan. 1), Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone opened up about her friendship with Swift, her Eras Tour experiences and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) vault track “When Emma Falls In Love.”
Stone, who won the best actress Oscar for her performance in 2016’s La La Land, revealed that she has attended the Eras Tour “three [times] so far,” including the tour’s opening show in her hometown of Phoenix, Ariz. “Mandy Moore, who was the choreographer of La La Land, was [Taylor’s] choreographer for the tour,” Stone explained. “So it was a bunch of lovely things all come together, and it was incredible to see.”
Moore’s choreography and Stone’s performance were two key elements that resulted in La La Land’s resounding success. At the 2017 Academy Awards, the Damien Chazelle-helmed film won six awards from 14 total nominations, a haul that helped the movie join All About Eve (1950) and Titanic (1997) as the most nominated films in Oscar history. Thanks to the La La Land soundtrack, Emma Stone is a Billboard-charting artist; “City of Stars,” her duet with co-star Ryan Gosling, reached both Digital Song Sales (No. 45) and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 (No. 8).
Nonetheless, Stone and Swift’s story stretches back years prior to their high-profile successes. According to Stone, the two met “at the Young Hollywood Awards when [she] was 18 in L.A.” She continued, “We just kept in touch ever since and became great friends.”
The most devoted Swifties have been well aware of the Stone-Swift friendship, and that knowledge provided the basis of fan theories regarding “When Emma Falls In Love,” a vault track from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Some fans believe that Stone is the titular Emma, but, for her part, the Easy A actress says, “You have to ask [Taylor]!” Naturally, her response drew hearty laughs from both the audience and her fellow Graham Norton guests, including Poor Things co-star Mark Ruffalo.
Watch Emma Stone spill all the Taylor Swift tea above.
At least 15 music docs are among 167 features that are eligible for consideration in the documentary feature film category at the 2024 Oscars. These include films that tell the stories of such varied musicians as Jon Batiste, Carlos Santana, Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, Joan Baez, Little Richard, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Thelonious Monk and […]
Barbie is likely to be well represented when the Academy Award shortlists are revealed Dec. 21. At least two (and maybe even three) songs from the box-office juggernaut could be in contention for best original song (though only two from a film can be nominated, according to a 2008 rule change).
Diane Warren and Alan Menken are each looking to score their 15th best original song nominations, a benchmark that only five songwriters have reached. If John Williams and the late Robbie Robertson are nominated for best original score, each could make history.
“I’m Just Ken”Mark Ronson, Andrew WyattBarbie, Warner Bros.
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Ronson and Wyatt won in this category five years ago for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born. “I’m Just Ken,” sung by Ryan Gosling, provided one of the funniest sequences in Barbie. Ronson and Wyatt could have a second Barbie song on the shortlist — the bubbly “Dance the Night,” which they co-wrote with Dua Lipa and Caroline Ailin.
“What Was I Made For?”Billie Eilish, FINNEASBarbie, Warner Bros.
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The siblings won in this category two years ago for their title song to the James Bond film No Time To Die. They’re likely to be nominated for this tender ballad, which Barbie director Greta Gerwig has described as her movie’s “heart” song. Barbie is vying to become the first film with two best original song nominees since La La Land seven years ago.
“Keep It Movin’”Halle Bailey, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, Morten RistorpThe Color Purple, Warner Bros.
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Bailey (as young Nettie) and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi (as young Celie) sing this song onscreen in this new iteration of The Color Purple. “Miss Celie’s Blues (Sister),” from the original 1985 film, was nominated in this category. Quincy Jones, who co-wrote that song with Rod Temperton and Lionel Richie, served as a producer of both films.
“Out Alpha the Alpha”Marius de Vries, Josh Sharp, Aaron Jackson, Karl Saint LucyDicks: The Musical, A24
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Megan Thee Stallion sings this ribald song onscreen in Dicks: The Musical, which is based on an off-Broadway show with an even more risqué title, F–king Identical Twins. The rap star is also in the cast, along with another famous Megan (Mullally), as well as Bowen Yang and Nathan Lane. Megan Thee Stallion took part in an all-star performance of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” on the Oscar telecast two years ago.
“The Fire Inside”Diane WarrenFlamin’ Hot, Hulu/Searchlight Pictures
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Warren has been nominated in this category the last six years in a row. If she makes it again this year, she’ll have the longest consecutive streak of best original song nods since Sammy Cahn was nominated eight years running (1954-61). The indefatigable Warren has a second song in play, “Gonna Be You” from 80 for Brady.
“High Life”Gary Clark, John CarneyFlora and Son, Apple
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In addition to co-writing this song, Carney wrote and directed the film. Two of Carney’s previous films, Once and Begin Again, yielded best original song nominees (and a winner in the case of Once). Clark, a Scottish musician-songwriter, was the frontman of 1980s pop band Danny Wilson. Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Orén Kinlan and Jack Reynor sing “High Life” onscreen in Flora and Son.
“Can’t Catch Me Now”Dan Nigro, Olivia RodrigoThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Lionsgate
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The Hunger Games franchise has yet to receive an Oscar nod in any category, but the red-hot Rodrigo is at the point in her career that the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is likely to pay notice. She and Nigro have received two Grammy nods for song of the year, for “drivers license” and “Vampire.” Will the moody and atmospheric “Can’t Catch Me Now” find favor here?
“For the First Time”Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel MirandaThe Little Mermaid, Disney
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Menken is an EGOT winner, and Miranda will be one as soon as he wins an Oscar. Menken won his first of four Oscars in this category for “Under the Sea” from the original 1989 iteration of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey sings “For the First Time” onscreen in the film. Two other Menken-Miranda songs from the film, “Wild Uncharted Waters” and “The Scuttlebutt,” are also in play.
“Find a Way”Linda PerryNyad, Netflix
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This would be the first Oscar nod for Perry, a two-time Grammy nominee for song of the year. Annette Bening and Jodie Foster star in the film, which tells the story of Diana Nyad who, at age 64, undertook a 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida. Perry named her song after the title of Nyad’s book, on which the movie is based.
“Road to Freedom”Lenny KravitzRustin, Netflix
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Kravitz, a four-time Grammy winner for best male rock vocal performance, could score his first Oscar nod for this song from a biopic about Bayard Rustin, a lesser-known but crucial figure in the civil rights struggle. The film’s director, George C. Wolfe, helmed the 2020 movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which received five Oscar nods.
“Addicted to Romance”Patti Scialfa, Bruce SpringsteenShe Came to Me, Vertical Entertainment
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Springsteen won an Oscar in 1994 for “Streets of Philadelphia” and was nominated again two years later for “Dead Man Walkin’.” This would be his first nomination with a collaborator — his wife, Scialfa. The original score was composed by The National’s Bryce Dessner. Peter Dinklage and Marisa Tomei star in the film.
“Am I Dreaming”A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin, Michael Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Roisee, ScriptpluggSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Sony Pictures
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Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse won an Oscar for best animated feature film five years ago, though its biggest hit, “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee, missed out on a best original song nod. Metro Boomin curated the soundtrack to this film, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in June. A$AP Rocky’s partner, Rihanna, was nominated in this category last year.
“Peaches”Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond, John SpikerThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, Illumination/Nintendo/Universal
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This was the year’s second-biggest hit at the box office, behind Barbie. In addition to co-writing and performing the song, Black was in the animated film’s voice cast as Bowser. This would be the first Oscar nomination for Black, who won a Grammy for best metal performance nine years ago for a track he recorded with Tenacious D for a Ronnie James Dio tribute album.
“Better Place”Amy Allen, Shellback, Justin TimberlakeTrolls Band Together, DreamWorks Animation
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Animated characters portraying *NSYNC perform this song onscreen in the movie. Timberlake was nominated in this category seven years ago for co-writing “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” for the first Trolls film. He and the other members of *NSYNC are in the voice cast, along with Anna Kendrick, Kid Cudi, Troye Sivan, Camila Cabello and Anderson .Paak, among others.
“This Wish”Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, JP SaxeWish, Disney
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Michaels and Saxe received a Grammy nod for song of the year three years ago for their collaboration “If the World Was Ending.” It was Michaels’ second nod in that category; her first was for co-writing her breakthrough hit, “Issues.” Ariana DeBose, an Oscar winner for the West Side Story remake, sings “This Wish.” She’s also in the voice cast, along with Chris Pine and Victor Garber.
American Fiction (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM)Laura Karpman
Karpman could be headed for her first Oscar nod for her score to this satirical film that was written and directed by Cord Jefferson (in his feature directorial debut). The film stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown. Karpman won a Primetime Emmy three years ago for scoring The Discovery Channel’s Why We Hate.
Barbie (Warner Bros.)Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt
Ronson and Wyatt, who executive-produced the hit soundtrack album — and were involved in writing and producing several of its tracks — could be headed for their first nod in this category. Wyatt has co-written songs for several Ronson albums. In 2012, the two musicians collaborated on a ballet score for The Royal Ballet of London.
Elemental (Pixar)Thomas Newman
If Newman is nominated, this would be his 15th nod in the category, a total so far achieved by only eight composers in Oscar history. Unlike them, though, he has yet to win. Newman is the youngest son of the late Alfred Newman, who amassed 41 nominations in this category, winning a record nine times.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Disney)John Williams
This would be Williams’ record-extending 49th nod in a scoring category and his fourth for a film in the Indiana Jones franchise. In total, it would be Williams’ 54th Oscar nomination (the other five are for best original song), which would pull him closer to Walt Disney’s all-time record of 59 for an individual.
The Killer (Netflix)Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
This would be the fourth nod in this category for Reznor and Ross following The Social Network, Mank and Soul (a collaboration with Jon Batiste). David Fincher, who directed The Social Network and Mank, also directed The Killer. Reznor and Ross won for both The Social Network and Soul. Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton star in The Killer.
Killers of the Flower Moon (Apple)Robbie Robertson
This was the 12th and last Martin Scorsese film that Robertson worked on. Robertson, who died in June at age 80, would become the first composer to be nominated in this category posthumously since Bernard Herrmann was cited in 1976 for both Obsession and Taxi Driver. Two other Scorsese regulars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, star in the film.
Nyad (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
This would be Desplat’s 12th nomination in this category, all since 2006. That’s more than anyone else has accumulated in that period. The French composer has won twice, for The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Shape of Water. This would be Desplat’s first nod in the 2020s, following three in the 2000s and eight in the 2010s.
Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)Ludwig Göransson
The Swedish composer won in this category five years ago for scoring Black Panther. He was nominated for an Oscar last year for co-writing a song for the sequel. Oppenheimer was the year’s fifth-biggest box-office hit, a strong showing for a three-hour adult drama. The Christopher Nolan film was based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Clockwise: Elemental, Killers of the Flower Moon, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Oppenheimer.
Disney/Pixar; Melinda Sue Gordon; Sony Pictures.
Origin (Neon)Kris Bowers
Origin is the fifth feature film directed by Ava DuVernay. Her 2014 historical drama, Selma, yielded the Oscar-winning song “Glory” by Common and John Legend. Bowers was nominated for documentary (short subject) three years ago for co-directing A Concerto Is a Conversation, which centered on his conversations with his jazz pianist grandfather. This would be his first nod in a scoring category.
Past Lives (A24)Christopher Bear & Daniel Rossen
Past Lives was written and directed by Celine Song in her feature directorial debut. The film, which stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro, follows the relationship between two childhood friends over 24 years. Bear and Rossen are members of veteran indie rock band Grizzly Bear, which has landed two top 10 albums on the Billboard 200.
Rustin (Netflix)Branford Marsalis
This would be the first Oscar nomination for jazz saxophonist Marsalis, who is a three-time Grammy winner. Marsalis received a Primetime Emmy nod two years ago for outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special for Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre, which aired on the HISTORY Channel.
Saltburn (Amazon/MGM)Anthony Willis
This would be the Australian composer’s first Oscar nod after building a reputation with his scores for How To Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019), Promising Young Woman (2020) and M3GAN (2022). Saltburn is the second film to be written, directed and co-produced by Emerald Fennell following Promising Young Woman. Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike star in the psychological thriller.
Society of the Snow (Netflix)Michael Giacchino
This would be Giacchino’s third nomination in this category following Ratatouille (2007) and Up (2009). He won for the latter. Society of the Snow is a 2023 survival thriller about a 1972 flight disaster in Argentina’s Andes Mountains. The cast comprises Uruguayan and Argentine actors, most of whom are newcomers to the craft. The film is scheduled to be released in theaters on Dec. 15.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures)Daniel Pemberton
The English composer has yet to be nominated in this category. His only Oscar nod is for co-writing “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7, a best original song nominee three years ago. This film is a sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which Pemberton also scored.
The Zone of Interest (A24)Mica Levi
The English composer was nominated in this category seven years ago for Jackie. The Zone of Interest, based on a Martin Amis novel, revolves around Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife and their plans to build a dream life next to the concentration camp. The film, which was written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, is set to be released in the United States on Dec. 15.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story will appear in the Nov. 18, 2023, issue of Billboard.