Surrey

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Cynthia-Erivo-and-Ariana-Grande-Wicked-Universal.jpg" alt="Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Wicked Universal" class="wp-image-105847" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wicked/ Universal Pictures</figcaption></figure>



We’re just days away from the red carpet frocks and film fest – and it’s one of the tightest Oscars races in history. Last year&nbsp;Oppenheimer&nbsp;was tipped to dominate (and did) and Ryan Gosling’s Kenergy stole the show. This year could be upset central – and we’re not just talking about Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s messy legal battle.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Zzoe-Saldana-Emelia-Perez-Netflix.jpg" alt="Zoe Saldana Emelia Perez Netflix" class="wp-image-105851" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Emelia Pérez/ Netflix</figcaption></figure>



The 97th Academy Awards take place this weekend (Sun 10 Mar), but who will walk away with those highly-prized gold statues?&nbsp;Emilia Pérez&nbsp;was hotly tipped to dominate with 13 noms, but lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s killed its chances after her toxic old tweets bubbled back up like a nasty case of acid reflux. Meanwhile&nbsp;The Brutalist‘s use of AI and&nbsp;Anora‘s lack of an intimacy co-ordinator will be causing a headache for Hollywood. Throw in the grim backdrop of wildfires which devastated Los Angeles, and you can see the challenges.



But the show must go on, and we’re putting out positive Spanx on to bring you our Oscars 2025 predictions. The Muddy winners are…



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-picture">BEST PICTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Anora-Universal-Pictures-Mickey-Madison.jpg" alt="Anora Universal Pictures Mickey Madison" class="wp-image-105845" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Anora/ Universal</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Anora</li>



<li>The Brutalist</li>



<li>A Complete Unknown</li>



<li>Conclave</li>



<li>Dune: Part Two</li>



<li>Emilia Pérez</li>



<li>I’m Still Here</li>



<li>Nickel Boys</li>



<li>The Substance</li>



<li>Wicked</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;Anora&nbsp;– and not just because it’s a blissful 139mins long. We’re so over bladder-busting films that drone on for 3+ hrs. More importantly it’s a film that sweeps you off your feet when Ani (Mikey Madison) – a gutsy but naive lapdancer – falls for a Russian oligarch’s spoilt son, and marries him. It’s the Cinderella story with a twist we need right now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-actor">BEST ACTOR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Timothee-Chalamet-stars-as-Bob-Dylan-in-the-movie-_A-Complete-Unknown._-Macall-Polay_Searchlight-Picture.jpg" alt="Timothee Chalamet stars as Bob Dylan in the movie, _A Complete Unknown._ Macall Polay_Searchlight Picture" class="wp-image-105850" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A Complete Unknown/ Searchlight Picture</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Adrien Brody,&nbsp;The Brutalist</li>



<li>Timothée Chalamet,&nbsp;A Complete Unknown</li>



<li>Colman Domingo,&nbsp;Sing Sing</li>



<li>Ralph Fiennes,&nbsp;Conclave</li>



<li>Sebastian Stan,&nbsp;The Apprentice</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;Could the Bob Dylan biopic&nbsp;A Complete Unknown&nbsp;deliver Timothée Chalamet&nbsp;his first Oscar? The Muddy Office says YES! The man learned to play guitar and harmonica, sang more than 40 Dylan songs and piled on a few pounds to play the pop poet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-actress">BEST ACTRESS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Substance-Demi-Moore-MUBI.jpg" alt="The Substance Demi Moore MUBI" class="wp-image-105849" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Substance/ MUBI</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Cynthia Erivo,&nbsp;Wicked</li>



<li>Karla Sofía Gascón,&nbsp;Emilia Pérez</li>



<li>Mikey Madison,&nbsp;Anora</li>



<li>Demi Moore,&nbsp;The Substance</li>



<li>Fernanda Torres,&nbsp;I’m Still Here</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;Demi Moore for&nbsp;The Substance. The film could deliver her first Oscar not just for services to cheekbones, but her unfiltered, ambitious performance in this fever dream horror about an actress whose fame is slipping from her grasp due to her age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-supporting-actor">BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Kieran-Culkin-The-Real-Pain-Searchlight-Pictures.jpg" alt="The Real Pain/ Searchlight Pictures" class="wp-image-105848" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Real Pain/ Searchlight Pictures</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Yura Borisov,&nbsp;Anora</li>



<li>Kieran Culkin,&nbsp;A Real Pain</li>



<li>Guy Pearce,&nbsp;The Brutalist</li>



<li>Edward Norton,&nbsp;A Complete Unknown</li>



<li>Jeremy Strong,&nbsp;The Apprentice</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;Kieran Culkin, Edward Norton and dark horse Guy Pearce all make the Muddy cut. While we would love to see Edward Norton win after four nominations, Culkin’s on a winning streak for his performance as Benji Kalin in a dramedy&nbsp;A Real Pain&nbsp;– about two cousins who tour Poland to honour their grandmother with a load of family baggage to unpack.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-supporting-actress">BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ariana-Grande-Glinda-Wicked-Universal.jpg" alt="Ariana Grande Glinda Wicked Universal" class="wp-image-105846" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wicked/ Universal Pictures</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Monica Barbaro,&nbsp;A Complete Unknown</li>



<li>Ariana Grande,&nbsp;Wicked</li>



<li>Felicity Jones,&nbsp;The Brutalist</li>



<li>Isabella Rossellini,&nbsp;Conclave</li>



<li>Zoe Saldaña,&nbsp;Emilia Pérez</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;It’s Zoe Saldaña’s award to lose having picked up Supporting Actress awards at the Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critic’s Choice and SAG. We would be tickled pink if Ariana Grande was snuggling Oscar at the Vanity Fair party, but&nbsp;Wicked&nbsp;is more likely to win big for its technical genius.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-director">BEST DIRECTOR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Adrien-Brody-The-Brutalist-Universal.jpg" alt="Adrien Brody The Brutalist Universal" class="wp-image-105844" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Brutalist/ Universal Pictures</figcaption></figure>



<ul>
<li>Jacques Audiard,&nbsp;Emilia Pérez</li>



<li>Sean Baker,&nbsp;Anora</li>



<li>Brady Corbet,&nbsp;The Brutalist</li>



<li>Coralie Fargeat,&nbsp;The Substance</li>



<li>James Mangold,&nbsp;A Complete Unknown</li>
</ul>



And the Muddy winner is…&nbsp;It’s too close to call. Our money is on Sean Baker for&nbsp;Anora&nbsp;having scooped the Palm D’Or at Cannes and the Directors Guild Award. But it’s not a done deal and Brady Corbet’s&nbsp;The Brutalist, about a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor struggling to achieve the American Dream&nbsp;could clinch it.



Watch the 97th Academy Awards live at the Dolby Theater in LA on ITV and ITVx on Sun 2 Mar 2 (midnight Mon 3 Mar for UK film fans).



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Want more? <a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/film-tv/film-tv-whats-new-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The best of what&#8217;s on TV this week</a>

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