The 2025 Academy Awards are shaping up to be one of the most talked-about events of the year, with a star-studded list of presenters and a slate of nominees that has left fans both thrilled and surprised. On Wednesday, the Oscars announced an exciting lineup of presenters, including Selena Gomez, who will grace the red carpet despite being snubbed in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in Emilia Perez. While Gomez’s performance as a desperate and unhinged wife of a Mexican drug lord was overlooked, her song Mi Camino from the same film did earn a nomination. Her costars, Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon, were nominated instead, with Saldana emerging as a strong contender for the win, while Gascon’s chances were overshadowed by backlash over past racist tweets, despite her apology. Gomez, who recently got engaged to producer Benny Blanco, is expected to walk the red carpet with her new fiancé, adding a touch of romance to Hollywood’s biggest night. The couple has also reportedly purchased a $35 million Beverly Hills mansion, proving that their love is as high-profile as their careers.
Joining Gomez as presenters are some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen, Ben Stiller, Joe Alwyn, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, and the incomparable Oprah Winfrey. Nick Offerman will serve as the announcer for the ceremony, bringing his signature charm to the proceedings. The list of presenters also includes last year’s acting award winners, such as Robert Downey Jr., Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Emma Stone, and Cillian Murphy, who will return to the Oscars stage to present awards this year. The ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 2, marking a return to tradition after a year of adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions.
The nominations for the 2025 Oscars were announced on January 23, and as always, they were met with both celebration and controversy. Selena Gomez’s snub was one of the biggest shocks, as fans and critics alike had expected her to be recognized for her raw and emotional performance in Emilia Perez. Instead, Zoe Saldana, who played a lawyer helping a man transition in the same film, earned a nomination, as did Karla Sofia Gascon, who starred as the lead character. Gascon’s nomination was quickly overshadowed by backlash over racist tweets from her past, which resurfaced in the wake of the Oscar announcements. Despite her apology, the outcry has likely derailed her chances of winning, leaving Saldana as the clear frontrunner in her category.
Other notable snubs included Angelina Jolie, who was overlooked for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Maria, despite her recent Golden Globe nomination. Nicole Kidman was also left out for her role in Babygirl, where she played a married tech CEO embarking on an affair with a young intern. Pamela Anderson, who delivered a standout performance in The Last Showgirl as a fading Las Vegas performer, was similarly snubbed, as was her co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. Zendaya, who starred in the tennis drama Challengers, was also ignored by the Academy, despite her growing reputation as one of Hollywood’s most versatile young stars. Stanley Tucci, who gave a powerful performance in Conclave, was overlooked in the Best Supporting Actor category, and Edward Berger was snubbed for his direction of the same film. The list of snubs went on, with many fans taking to social media to express their disappointment and confusion over the Academy’s choices.
Despite the controversies, the 2025 Oscars are still poised to be a celebration of cinematic excellence, with a number of films and actors earning well-deserved recognition. Emilia Perez, the Spanish-language musical directed by Jacques Audiard, emerged as one of the year’s most ambitious films, earning multiple nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldana. The film also earned nods for Best Original Song for El Mal and Mi Camino, with the latter marking a rare instance of a song performed by a nominee also being recognized in a competitive acting category. The Brutalist, a 215-minute postwar epic directed by Brady Corbet, also made a strong showing, earning nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Adrien Brody, who won the same category at the Golden Globes earlier this year.
The Oscars are not just about the winners and losers; they are also about the stories behind the films and the people who bring them to life. This year’s ceremony takes place against the backdrop of unprecedented challenges, as the entertainment industry grapples with the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California. The fires disrupted the lives of millions, including many in the film community, and forced the Academy to extend its voting deadline by a week. As a result, the usual glamour and excitement of awards season have been subdued, with many events canceled or scaled back. Despite these challenges, the Oscars are forging ahead, determined to celebrate the resilience and creativity of the film industry. In a year filled with uncertainty, the Academy Awards remain a beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding us of the power of storytelling to unite and uplift us, even in the darkest of times.
