LOS ANGELES — The excitement is building as Hollywood prepares for the biggest night in the film industry – the Academy Awards. With no clear frontrunner among the top contenders, including “Anora,” “The Brutalist,” and “Conclave,” the race for the prestigious Best Picture prize is sure to be a nail-biter.
This year’s ceremony, hosted by comedian and talk show host Conan O’Brien, promises to be a mix of laughter, celebration, and heartfelt tributes. O’Brien, who is hosting the Oscars for the first time, has promised to deliver a show that is both entertaining and meaningful.
“Good jokes are important, but there’s also more to it than that,” O’Brien said in a recent press conference. “We’re aiming for different tones and textures to make this year’s Oscars a memorable one.”
The Oscars race has been full of twists and turns, with no single movie dominating the precursor film awards. This has kept the suspense and drama alive, making it anyone’s game until the very end. According to Oscars pundits, any of three films could take home the coveted Best Picture award.
One of the top contenders is “Anora,” the heart-wrenching story of a sex worker with a chance at a Cinderella story. The other two are “The Brutalist,” a tale of a Jewish immigrant and architect chasing the American dream, and “Conclave,” a gripping portrayal of the secretive process of choosing a new pope.
But the competition is tough, with other notable films in the running, including the blockbuster musical “Wicked,” a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” and “A Complete Unknown,” a biopic about legendary musician Bob Dylan, starring the talented Timothee Chalamet.
Netflix’s musical “Emilia Perez” leads the pack with the most nominations, but its chances of victory were dampened when offensive social media posts from its star Karla Sofia Gascon surfaced. However, Gascon, who is the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar, is expected to attend the ceremony.
Her co-star, Zoe Saldana, is the favorite to win the Best Supporting Actress award for her powerful performance as a fixer who helps a Mexican drug lord (Gascon) transition to a woman and start a new life.
The winners of the coveted golden Oscar statuettes are chosen by the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is made up of around 11,000 actors, producers, directors, and film professionals.
But behind all the glitz and glamour, Hollywood is also fighting to maintain its position as the center of the global film industry. Surprisingly, none of the ten Best Picture contenders were filmed in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the film industry.
In the acting categories, Kieran Culkin is the favorite to win Best Supporting Actor for his role in “A Real Pain,” where he plays a man who travels to Poland with his cousin to study their family history.
The Best Actor category is a tight race between Chalamet and Adrien Brody, who stars in “The Brutalist.” Brody made history in 2002 when he became the youngest Best Actor winner at the age of 29 for his performance in “The Pianist.” Chalamet, who is nine months younger than Brody was at the time, could follow in his footsteps and make history himself.
In the Best Actress category, all eyes are on Demi Moore for her powerful performance in “The Substance.” However, some experts predict a possible upset win for Brazil’s Fernanda Torres for her role in “I’m Still Here.” With the academy’s increased international membership, Torres could be a surprise winner, according to Ian Sandwell, movies editor at Digital Spy.
“We could see a surprise win for Torres, the only one who could take the award away from Moore on the night,” Sandwell said.
This year, the producers have decided to forgo the tradition of having musicians perform each of the nominated original songs. Instead, they want to focus on the songwriters themselves. However, there will still be plenty of musical moments, including a performance by “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and a tribute to the late music producer Quincy Jones.
And as always, there will be some surprise appearances by unannounced guests, adding to the excitement of the evening.
“We absolutely love the element of surprise,”
