2025 Oscars: Best Actress Predictions
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The 2025 Oscars are approaching, and the race for Best Actress is already heating up. Several talented performers have delivered outstanding performances, making it a highly competitive year. This article discusses the top contenders for the prestigious award, including Karla Sofía Gascón for her role in Emilia Pérez and Angelina Jolie for her performance in Maria.
The State of the Race for Best Actress
Nominations voting for the 2025 Oscars will take place from January 8-12, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 17, 2025. The final voting will be held from February 11-18, and the 97th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 2, live on ABC at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. Keep checking back with us as we continue to update our Oscar predictions throughout the awards season.
Netflix
Netflix may not have the strongest track record in securing Oscar wins for actors, but it consistently manages to get its stars nominated. Roma's Yalitza Aparicio, Blonde's Ana de Armas, and Nyad's Annette Bening are examples of Netflix-backed performers who were surprises on nomination day but still made the cut.
This year, Netflix acquired Maria, starring Angelina Jolie, even though they already have a strong contender in Emilia Pérez's lead, Karla Sofía Gascón. The move suggests confidence that both women could earn nominations rather than showing a preference for one over the other. Jolie's status as a previous Oscar winner and her comeback in a biopic gives her an edge. However, Gascón's film has the potential to secure multiple nominations, including Best Picture. If Gascón receives a nod, she would become the first transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar.
A24
Following the fall festivals, Nicole Kidman took home the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice for her role in Babygirl, beating out Jolie. Some may argue that this year's Venice jury, led by Isabelle Huppert, wasn't focused on Oscar predictions. However, Kidman has received high praise for her bold and crowd-pleasing performance, which could garner more attention throughout awards season.
Pedro Almodóvar's The Room Next Door also made waves at Venice, winning the Golden Lion. It features two potential Best Actress contenders: Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. Typically, both actresses might have strong chances, but the competition this year is so fierce that vote-splitting and mixed reactions to the film may leave both in uncertain positions. Swinton seems the more likely of the two to break through.
Sony Pictures Classics is distributing The Room Next Door, which adds another layer of intrigue, as the studio also has The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan and I’m Still Here with Fernanda Torres. While Torres could be a dark horse, Ronan seems more likely to be nominated, particularly given her four previous Oscar nods without a win. She is also in contention for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Blitz, which could bolster her chances for The Outrun.
NEON
Mikey Madison emerges as another frontrunner after her film Anora won the Palme d’Or and was the runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at TIFF. Despite her momentum, no one is entirely safe given the high caliber of performances vying for attention.
Other notable mentions include Demi Moore (The Substance), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths), and Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), all of whom received glowing reviews at TIFF. While these films are from smaller distributors, which may limit their awards campaigns, these iconic actresses still have a shot at catching the Academy's attention.
Interestingly, this year’s Golden Globes may play a significant role in shaping the Oscar race. Match-ups like Madison versus Gascón in the Musical/Comedy category, and Jolie versus Ronan in Drama, could help determine the frontrunners as awards season progresses.
Top Contenders for Best Actress
Frontrunners:
Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez)
Angelina Jolie (Maria)
Nicole Kidman (Babygirl)
Mikey Madison (Anora)
Saoirse Ronan (The Outrun)
Contenders:
Amy Adams (Nightbitch)
Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl)
Ryan Destiny (The Fire Inside)
Cynthia Erivo (Wicked)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths)
Demi Moore (The Substance)
Julianne Moore (The Room Next Door)
Tilda Swinton (The Room Next Door)
Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here)
Zendaya (Challengers)
Long Shots:
Anna Kendrick (Woman of the Hour)
Kirsten Dunst (Civil War)
Lily Colias (Good One)
Lily Gladstone (Fancy Dance)
Kani Kusruti (All We Imagine as Light)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Tuesday)
Florence Pugh (We Live in Time)
Renate Reinsve (Armand)
June Squibb (Thelma)
Kate Winslet (Lee)
The race for Best Actress at the 2025 Oscars is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent years. With performances ranging from biopics to intense dramas and bold crowd-pleasers, the competition is fierce, and no one contender can be deemed a lock for the coveted award. As awards season progresses, it will be intriguing to see which actresses gain momentum, and which films resonate most with voters. The Golden Globes may offer some early indicators, but ultimately, this year's Best Actress race is anyone's game. Stay tuned for further updates as we draw closer to the big night on March 2, 2025.
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