2025 Academy Awards Nominations: Snubs & Surprises That Got Everyone Talking

Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor in "Challengers"
Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor in "Challengers"

After months of anticipation, the Academy Awards nominations are finally in, with Emilia Pérez leading the way with a total of 13 nods. Many other acclaimed movies made the cut, while other worthy films and performances were ignored, and here are five snubs and surprises that we didn’t see coming.

Snub: Angelina Jolie, Maria

The race for the best actress has been pretty competitive this year, but it was still a shocker to see Angelina Jolie miss out on a nomination for Maria. Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) also failed to make the cut.

Surprise: The Apprentice

Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong have both given stellar performances in The Apprentice, and it was a pleasant surprise to see the Academy recognize their outstanding work.

Snub: Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez

Even though Emilia Pérez received 13 Oscar nods, a supporting actress nomination for Selena Gomez wasn’t one of them. Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Jamie Lee Curtis (The Last Showgirl)) have also been shut out of this category.

Surprise: The Substance

After ignoring the horror genre time and time again, the Academy has finally given some love to The Substance and awarded it with five nominations, including best picture, director, and actress for Demi Moore.

Snub: Challengers

Challengers has always been a long shot in the main categories, but it was a shocker to see it miss out on nominations for best score and editing.