The BAFTA film awards are next in line this award season and the full list of nominees has been revealed ahead of next month’s ceremony. 2024 gave cinephiles some of the best movies they have ever seen, but a couple stood out even among those. Ariana Grande’s Wicked and Selena Gomez’s Emilia Pérez are two movies that have been recognized by millions of fans and critics.
While Gomez has been gracing the silver screen as a cast member of the hit show Only Murders in the Building for quite a few years now, she made her comeback to the big screen with the crime comedy musical Emilia Pérez.
On the other hand, Wicked marked Grande’s grand return to acting. Although both films have been gaining recognition this awards season, Wicked faced a significant disappointment, falling short in the BAFTA nominations.
Wicked faces BAFTA snub as Emilia Pérez shines with 11 nominations
Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, is a fantasy musical film that delves into the friendship between Glinda and Elphaba during their time at Shiz University. Ariana Grande stars as Glinda, while Cynthia Erivo takes on the role of Elphaba. Both actresses have received widespread acclaim for their performances, with the film also earning praise for its compelling story and stunning visuals.
Emilia Pérez is also a musical albeit with different themes. Directed by French filmmaker, Jacques Audiard, the film follows the story of a drug cartel leader named Manitas (Karla Sofía Gascón) who undergoes gender affirmation surgery and takes up the titular role of Emilia with the help of a lawyer portrayed by Zoe Saldaña. Gomez plays the role of Jessi, Manitas’ wife, and mother of his children.
In the BAFTA nominations, Emilia Pérez trails just behind Ralph Fiennes’ Conclave, which leads with 12 nominations compared to the former’s 11 (via Radio Times). Meanwhile, Wicked garnered 7 nominations, but the most striking omission is its absence from the Best Film category – a recognition that Emilia Pérez managed to secure.
Gascón and Erivo have been nominated in the Best Leading Actress category while Grande, Saldaña, and Gomez have been nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category. The MCU alum won the Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress earlier this month. That said, Grande, Gascón, and Gomez are first-time BAFTA film nominees.
Emilia Pérez may be excelling this awards season, but its success has been overshadowed by controversy
Gascón is making history with her award nominations as the first transgender woman to achieve such a huge feat. However, the backlash against Emilia Pérez reached new levels after the film won the Golden Globe award for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy against Wicked.
Fans were shocked and disappointed by this, to say the least. Here is how some of them reacted to it:
One of the biggest criticisms about this movie is that none of the three leading actresses in the movie is Mexican-born. Additionally, although it is known to be a Mexican film, the director is French and has been accused of not doing proper research about Mexican culture. The portrayal of the trans community in the film has also raised some concerns. Not to mention that Gomez’s Spanish accent is not that great.
Despite these criticisms and fans’ displeasure about Wicked being snubbed, celebrities like James Cameron, Madonna, Kate Winslet, and Emily Blunt have nothing but nice things to say about the film. Maybe there is something that some of these fans are not able to see, but the celebrities can.
Wicked is available on AppleTV+ while Emilia Pérez is streaming on Netflix.
Frequently asked questions
How many BAFTA 2025 nominations did Wicked and Emilia Pérez each receive?
Emilia Pérez secured 11 BAFTA nominations, second only to Conclave’s 12, while Ariana Grande’s Wicked received 7. Notably, Wicked missed out on a Best Film nomination, a category in which Emilia Pérez was recognized.
Which actresses from Wicked and Emilia Pérez earned BAFTA acting nominations?
Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) were nominated for Best Leading Actress, while Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez competed for Best Supporting Actress. Grande, Gascón, and Gomez are first-time BAFTA film nominees, and Saldaña had earlier won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
What is Emilia Pérez about, and why has it drawn controversy?
Directed by French filmmaker Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez follows a drug cartel leader who undergoes gender affirmation surgery, with Gascón in the lead, Saldaña as a lawyer, and Gomez as Jessi. The film drew criticism on points such as none of its three leading actresses being Mexican-born and questions over the French director’s research into Mexican culture. Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, stars Grande as Glinda and Erivo as Elphaba.
