THREAD PREDICTS THE 2025 ACADEMY AWARDS
BY CAMI SEYMORE ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF
The 97th Academy Awards take place Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. EST, honoring cinema from the past year. The Oscars are the last film awards to take place, following ceremonies like the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the British Academy of Film Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Critics’ Choice Awards. The awards show can be streamed on ABC, Hulu, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, and Fubo TV.
2024 was a big year for film: “Emilia Pérez” led with 13 Oscar nominations, with “Wicked” and “The Brutalist” following with 10 each. However, frontrunner “Emilia Pérez” might have lost its chance of taking home any awards, following a series of controversial tweets by supporting actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón.
Now, the award results could go in any direction. Here are Thread’s picks for six of the main categories.
Best Picture: “Anora”
“Anora” undeniably emerged as one of the best films of the year. While “Conclave” may currently be the critics’ favorite for this award, “Anora” masterfully blends humor with emotional themes about class and sex work. Everything about this film works, from the perfectly timed one-liners to the cast’s chemistry, but most importantly its captivating storytelling makes it a strong contender for Best Picture.
Best Director: Sean Baker
This category is extremely competitive this year, with Brady Corbet and Sean Baker taking the lead. Baker’s direction of “The Florida Project” (2017) was nothing short of masterful, drawing raw and emotional performances from his cast. His ability to elicit such depth from actors continues to solidify his place as a frontrunner this year.
Leading Actor: Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet himself jokes that he never takes home any awards, but this might be his year. After winning the SAG Award in this category, his chances are even higher. Chalamet’s depiction of folk singer Bob Dylan in the biopic “A Complete Unknown” was spot on. He accurately mimicked Dylan’s mannerisms, singing, and talking voice, and completely immersed himself in the role.
Adrien Brody could also snag the award for his intense performance in “The Brutalist,” but Chalamet is still the top contender.
Leading Actress: Demi Moore
Demi Moore is definitely a fan favorite in this category, and her Golden Globes acceptance speech only amplified her Oscars campaign. Her performance as Elisabeth Sparkle in “The Substance” is outstanding, perfectly capturing the ageism and misogyny in Hollywood. The scene where she violently removes her makeup, disgusted by her appearance, is honestly enough to win her the Oscar alone.
Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin is the clear pick for this category. Culkin plays Benji Kaplan in “A Real Pain,” who travels to Poland with his cousin to honor their late grandmother. Culkin’s depiction of grief was poignant, intimate, and authentic, making him the obvious choice for this award. After sweeping the category in other awards ceremonies, it’s pretty clear this award has Culkin’s name on it.
Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña
Now that Gascón is taking a backseat, her co-star, Zoe Saldaña, is likely to take home the award. Saldaña won the SAG award, the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and the BAFTA award for her role in “Emilia Perez,” and it’s doubtful the Oscars results will deviate from this pattern.
