Oscars 2025: Our predictions for next week’s nominations

Karen James: Adrien Brody has a lock on a nomination and has jumped to the top of the list after winning a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for his role as an immigrant Holocaust survivor in The Brutalist. His competition is likely to include Timothée Chalamet, who transforms himself into a live-action version of Bob Dylan in “Totally Anonymous,” and Ralph Fiennes, whose powerful performance as a cardinal who questions his faith in the Catholic Church cements the conclave. Daniel Craig is also likely to succeed in his image-shattering role gay As a gay American writer based on William S Burroughs. SAG, a large group whose members often overlap with Oscar voters, nominated these four and Colman Domingo Singing singing. As good as Domingo is, this film is such a small release that I always doubted its Oscar chances, so there may be a surprise, but at the moment it’s the most likely choice for that last spot.

Nicholas BarberAdrien Brody is at the top of the best actor list. He won an Oscar for playing an Eastern European Jewish composer in 2003’s The Pianist, and in The Brutalist he plays the same kind of character (but now he’s an architect), only better this time. No other actor this year has delivered so many takes on the role — and no other actor had to learn to speak Hungarian in the process. Considering that Timothée Chalamet learned to play albums of Bob Dylan songs for A Complete Unknown, and his Dylan impersonation was bizarre, it’s just the kind of thing Oscar voters love. Ralph Fiennes shines with his vast conclave experience, and Sebastian Stan could earn a nomination for his resilient performance in both… trainee Or A Different Man (for which he won a Golden Globe). Colman Domingo is so sympathetic in Sing Sing that he deserves fifth place on the Best Actor list. But if the Academy weren’t so snooty about horror films, Hugh Grant’s playful take on psychotic malevolence in Heretic would certainly win approval.

Best Actress

Nicholas Barber: My personal favorite for the Best Actress Oscar is Mickie Madison, a whirlwind of energy in Anora. Somewhat unknown before she starred in director Sean Baker’s raucous comedy-drama, she creates a vivid, indelible character – and she’s barely on screen from start to finish. But it’s a strong year for female performances, making Madison’s nomination far from guaranteed. Having won a Golden Globe for her role as the indefatigable matriarch in Walter Salles’s insightful Brazilian political drama, “I’m Still Here,” Fernanda Torres is now in the frame for an Oscar. Demi Moore also won a Golden Globe for The Substance, and the Academy may not be resistant to her comeback story. In the same vein, there is a possibility that Pamela Anderson could be nominated for her comeback role The last showgirlhaving received nods at the Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Who leaves that? I’d put my money on Cynthia Erivo or Nicole Kidman, who played strong, vulnerable women in Wicked and Babygirlrespectively.

Karen James: I’m not saying she’ll win, but Demi Moore is more likely than ever to be nominated for The Substance, after winning and Oscar-ready acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awardsback to back with a SAG nomination. Others confirmed are Mikki Madison for her breakout role in Anora, Carla Sofía Gascón, who will be the first openly transgender nominee in this category for Emilia Perez, and possibly Cynthia Erivo for going green and singing songs in Wicked. The last chance is up for grabs and it might go to Nicole Kidman for Babygirl, if only because Oscar voters seem to love her. Fernanda Torres is sexy in I’m Still Here and Marianne Jean-Baptiste is relentless in Mike Leigh Hard factsAnd both He should He will be nominated instead of Erivo and Kidman, but that is unlikely. And while it would be great to see Pamela Anderson sneak into The Last Showgirl category, as she did with her SAG nomination, that vote of confidence may have come too late to give her the momentum she needed.

Best Supporting Actor

Nicholas Barber: This seems like an appropriate moment for my annual whine about actors being placed in categories they don’t belong. Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are co-stars in A Real Pain, and if they were of a different gender than each other, they would be considered “leading” actors. But the powers that be have decided that Culkin is the supporting actor in the film, and he is sure to be nominated for his stunning Golden Globe-winning performance. Edward Norton exudes maturity and gentleness as Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan’s mentor, in a completely anonymous film. And Yura Borisov, as a kind-hearted Russian enforcer, brings new layers of humanity to Anora’s second half. The always underrated Guy Pearce exudes precision and drive in The Brutalist, and it’s time for an Oscar nomination. Finally, Denzel Washington has to be included for his great presence The second wrestler. It’s hard to remember a time when a supporting actor stole an entire movie from the supposed star.

Karen James: It would be a shock if Kieran Culkin didn’t win an Oscar for his role as Jesse Eisenberg’s funny, troubled, messy cousin in Real Pain. He’s already received a Globe Award, a SAG nomination and a slew of awards from critics’ groups, and delivered an entertaining, self-deprecating acceptance speech every time. Other nominees will be there to fill this category, but they give solid performances nonetheless, including Edward Norton, who plays Pete Seeger in A Complete Unknown, Yura Borisov as a good-hearted gangster in Anora, and Guy Pearce as a tough guy. – A kind-hearted businessman in The Brutalist. It’s hard to say fifth place, but I think Jeremy Strong will get it for his multi-faceted performance in The Apprentice as Roy CohenWho taught the dark arts of politics and media manipulation to a young Donald Trump.