Unless you consider yourself a film buff, keeping track of the Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) can be overwhelming! If you want to sound like you know what you’re talking about on March 2, here’s a quick rundown of the prestigious “big five” award categories.
- Best Screenplay
The nominees (original): “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Nickel Boys,” “Sing Sing”
The nominees (adapted): “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “A Real Pain,” “September 5,” “The Substance”
- Context: This award has two subcategories – one for completely original screenwriting, and another for screenwriting based on adapted material, like a pre-existing book or a play. Of this list, most of the Best Screenplay noms are also up for best picture. You can read the entirety of the screenplays straight from the script here.
- Best Director
The nominees: Sean Baker (“Anora”), Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), James Mangold (“A Complete Unknown”), Jacques Audiard (“Emilia Pérez”), Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”)
- Context: This award is a key moment of Oscars night; of the 82 films that have historically taken home Best Picture, 60 of them first received the Best Directing award. Variety predicts that Brady Corbet will take the award this year. His film, “The Brutalist,” runs at more than 3.5 hours and has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It illustrates the life of an architect, escaping post-war Europe to rebuild his life in Pennsylvania.Â
- Best Actress in a Leading Role
The nominees: Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), Karla SofĂa GascĂłn (“Emilia PĂ©rez”), Mikey Madison (“Anora”), Demi Moore (“The Substance”), Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”)
- Context: Demi Moore is most expected to take this award, nominated for her widely-acclaimed performance in “The Substance.” She portrayed Elisabeth Sparkle, a former TV fitness star who loses her job and begins injecting herself with experimental serum to stay relevant by Hollywood standards. Despite her long and successful career, this is Moore’s first Oscar nomination, and she screamed when she heard the news. Her “Substance” performance also earned her a Golden Globe – her first – for Best Female Actor.
- Best Actor in a Leading Role
The nominees: Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), Colmon Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”)
- Context: In 2002, at 29 years old, Adrien Brody became the youngest ever winner in this category. This year, he’s back as a top contender, up against the 29-year-old Timothee Chalamet. If Chalamet takes the award, he will break Brody’s record by a few months, becoming the youngest Best Actor in history. “A Complete Unknown” makes Chalamet a strong contender; biopics are often considered especially Oscar-friendly.Â
- Best Picture
The nominees: “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Pérez,” “I’m Still Here,” “Nickel Boys,” “The Substance,” “Wicked”
- Context: Of this list, “Dune: Part Two” and “Wicked” saw the biggest box office success. However, Anora is widely predicted to be the big winner of the night. The dramadey follows a young sex worker in Brooklyn as she meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Pérez” – a Spanish-French-English musical that’s earned several awards this season – are also heavily favored among the contenders.
As much as movie-goers may speculate, there’s no way of knowing who will win big until their names are finally announced. Grab some popcorn, invite your friends over and tune into the Oscars at 4 p.m. PST on March 2, 2025.