OSCANDALS 2025

If the Academy Awards are meant to honor the best in cinema, this year’s ceremony is proving that the drama off-screen can be just as compelling. From AI-generated performances to social media-fueled rivalries, the preparations to Hollywood’s biggest night has been anything but predictable. “Emilia Pérez”

Leading the pack with 13 nominations, “Emilia Pérez” is the epicenter of one of the most heated debates of the season. The movie and its portrayal of Mexican culture and sensitive issues through eurocentric glasses has been creating a lot of backlash (more on BBC). Additionally, the casting of non-Mexican actors in key roles and the decision to shoot the film in France have led to accusations of cultural insensitivity and stereotyping.?

Karla Sofía Gascón’s historic nomination as the first openly transgender actress running for an Academy Award has been met with both celebration and controversy. When bigoted tweets (Variety) from the leading actress surfaced, revealing derogatory comments about Muslims, George Floyd's death and the Chinese, Karla Sofía was removed from the Oscar’s campaign (more on THR).? ?

"The Brutalist"

Tied with “Wicked” at ten nominations, “The Brutalist” is a visually striking period drama—but its real legacy may be the firestorm it has sparked over AI in filmmaking. The film’s use of artificial intelligence to refine actor performances and design key elements of its sets has drawn both praise and outrage.?

Director Brady Corbet has defended the technology as an artistic tool, but critics argue that “The Brutalist” represents a dangerous step toward replacing human craftsmanship with machine-generated shortcuts (Vulture).

?

Snubs

The absence of Best Director nominations for Denis Villeneuve for “Dune: Part Two" (THR), and Jon M. Chu for “Wicked” (Variety) sparked debates about the Academy’s current criteria (or lack of). An important clue about the exclusion of blockbusters films in securing directorial recognition can be found in last year’s uproar over Greta Gerwig’s snub in the same category for “Barbie”(BBC). ?

"Anora"

Sean Baker’s “Anora” has ignited significant debate over the use of intimacy coordinators in cinema. Lead actress Mikey Madison revealed that she declined the filmmakers’ offer to hire one for the film’s explicit scenes, stating she felt comfortable without it. This has sparked a broader discussion about whether intimacy coordinators should be optional or mandatory in productions featuring sensitive content (more on Variety).

?

"I’m Still Here"

While much of the Oscars conversations has been dominated by flashy contenders, “I’m Still Here” has quietly emerged as the dark horse for the Best Picture race (read CBC’s review), in addition to?Best Foreign Picture. More than 25 years after his last Academy nomination, Brazilian director Walter Salles?returns with the biggest?appointment?of his career. Leading actress Fernanda Torres, who already won the Golden Globes, is also running?for Best Actress for her pivotal?performance, following the footsteps of her mother who was?in the same category back in 1998.

?

The 97th Ceremony

With the industry more divided than ever, and social media amplifying every feud, this year’s Oscars aren’t just about who will take home the gold—they’re about the cultural battles defining the future of Hollywood. Whether these debates will influence the final results or merely add to the spectacle remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the 2025 Academy Awards will be remembered not just for its winners, but for the controversies that shaped them. Best,

Duda? (Duda Persson is a junior content manager at Malin Entertainment)