After keeping many fans waiting, part one of the double-feature “Wicked” film arrived in cinemas on Nov. 22. And on Jan 23, the film’s first part was named an Academy Award nominee in ten categories. The record-high-grossing film will contend for the film industry’s highest honor at the 97th annual Academy Awards ceremony, scheduled for March 2 at 7:00 p.m. EST at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC.
Among the categories in which “Wicked” received nominations is the top prize of Best Picture. Also Oscar-nominated are both of the film’s stars, Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo in the category of Actress in a Leading Role for her turn as Elphaba and Broadway alum Ariana Grande as Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Glinda.
The “Wicked” film also received Oscar nods for Original Score (which goes to the musical’s Tony-nominated composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz along with John Powell), plus nominations for Costume Design (for Tony winner Paul Tazewell), Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, Film Editing, Sound and Visual Effects. Notably left off the list was the film’s helmer, Jon M. Chu, in the category of Directing.
“Wicked” wasn’t the only Broadway-adjacent movie to receive Oscar recognition on Thursday morning. Among other categories that perked up the ears of folks in the theater world was the slate of contenders for Actor in Leading Role. That list includes Tony winner Ralph Fiennes for his turn in “Conclave” and two-time Tony nominee Colman Domingo for his performance in “Sing Sing,” along with Broadway alum Sebastian Stan for “The Apprentice,” Off-Broadway alum Timothée Chalamet for his turn as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” and previous Oscar winner Adrien Brody (who recently took to the London stage in “The Fear of 13”) for his performance in “The Brutalist.”
The Supporting Actor category features Jeremy Strong, a 2024 Tony winner for “An Enemy of the People,” this year Oscar-nominated for his performance in “The Apprentice.” Among those whom Strong will vie against on Oscar night is Kieran Culkin (for his turn in “A Real Pain”), whose talent Broadway audiences will enjoy this spring in a revival of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” “A Real Pain” also received a nomination in the category of Writing (Original Screenplay) for writer-director-star Jesse Eisenberg, himself a veteran of the Off-Broadway scene.
Elton John, a two-time Oscar and Tony winner who most recently lent his talent to Broadway with the musical “Tammy Faye,” was among the 2025 Oscar nominees for Music (Original Song). Along with Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin and Andrew Watt, the song “Never Too Late” was nominated for the film “Elton John: Never Too Late.”
Topping the list of 2025 Oscars recognition, with 13 nods, was the original movie musical “Emilia Pérez,” nominated for Best Picture, Actress in a Leading Role (Karla Sofia Gascon) and Actress in a Supporting Role (Zoe Saldana), as well as Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Cinematography, Original Score, Makeup and Hair Styling, Sound, International Feature Film and Original Song for the tunes “El Mal” and “Mi Camino.”
To see a full list of 2025 Academy Award nominations, click here.
