From fraud to AI interference: Controversial 2025 Oscar nominations

A bit of controversy over nominee selections is expected during awards season, but the upcoming Academy Awards may be the most chaotic yet. Several Best Picture contenders have been embroiled in scandals, prompting headlines that brand this year's ceremony as "the worst Oscars of them all" across major news outlets.

One of the biggest debates centers on "category fraud," which the BBC describes in their latest article on the matter as an act where actors are placed in categories that improve their chances of winning. This long-standing strategy often separates co-leads into lead and supporting roles rather than having them compete directly. 

Films like Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, and Wicked have come under fire for this, as their co-stars share nearly equal screen time. For instance, in the Broadway version of Wicked, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were both nominated for Best Actress at the Tonys. Yet, in the film adaptation, Cynthia Erivo is competing for Best Actress while Ariana Grande is in the Supporting category. Similarly, in Emilia Pérez, Karla Sofia Gascón, who has slightly less screen time than co-star Zoe Saldaña, has been nominated for Best Actress, while Saldaña is in the Supporting category.

The most controversial case involves Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain, where he and Jesse Eisenberg share nearly equal screen time. The article reports that the film's writer/director, Jesse Eisenberg has more screen time (62 minutes and 29 seconds) than Culkin does (58 minutes and six seconds), but the film is  about the relationship between two cousins who are almost always on screen together. Nevertheless, Culkin has been nominated as a supporting actor. 

"There are no official rules delineating a lead versus supporting performance, and Academy members can vote however they want," author Michael Schulman told the publication. "In practice, though, the actors and the studios choose how to position the cast, through 'For Your Consideration' ads and the like. The positioning is often strategic, so that two co-stars aren't splitting the vote, or so a semi-lead can cannonball into the supporting race."

Culkin, the younger brother of beloved "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin, has already won a Golden Globe for his role in Succession, competing against co-star Jeremy Strong in the same category.

Another controversy involves AI in film editing. The Brutalist, which won Best Drama Picture at the Golden Globes, faced backlash after a trade outlet revealed its limited use of AI in postproduction. According to US media, the revelation spread on social media and was picked up by major publications, though many failed to mention that other nominees, including A Complete Unknown, Dune: Part Two, and Emilia Pérez, also incorporated AI to varying degrees.

The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 3 with comedian, Harvard graduate and former "The Tonight Show" anchor Conan O'Brien hosting the ceremony for the first time, replacing fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel who led the previous four ceremonies. 

By Nazrin Sadigova