The nominations for the 98th annual Academy Awards were announced earlier this morning and we’re collecting reactions from a few of the nominees. Please see quotes below and circle back to this page as it’s updated throughout the day.
“We’re humbled by the recognition All the Empty Rooms has received, and by the people who made this film possible. The empty bedrooms in our film belong to four children: Dominic, 14; Hallie, 9; Jackie, 9; and Gracie, 14. Each of these lives was ended far too soon by a crisis that is wholly preventable. Our hope is that this film helps us see gun violence first through a human lens. No matter where we come from, we can agree on one thing: our children deserve to be safe at school. Thank you to the families who opened their lives to us and trusted us to help carry their children’s memories forward. To our team, collaborators, partners, and everyone who has taken the time to watch, listen, and feel, we’re grateful for you.”
- Joshua Seftel, “All the Empty Rooms,” (Best Documentary Short Film)
“It’s a real honor for an indie filmmaker like me to stand in this incredible selection. Most of all, I am more than happy that a 2D handcrafted movie made by a young generation of French craftspeople is being highlighted by this prestigious competition. When I started creating this film, it was difficult to be optimistic about our shared future. With ARCO, I wanted to give a big hug to people in dark times. I hope audiences have felt that embrace. I want to deeply thank the Academy, this nomination feels like a big hug to share with my fellow nominees. Thank you.”
- Ugo Bienvenu, “Arco” (Best Animated Feature)
“We extend our sincere thanks to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the nomination of Avatar: Fire and Ash in the category of Visual Effects. It is a profound honour to be recognised by the Academy, and we are exceptionally proud to stand alongside such a distinguished and accomplished group of films. This nomination represents the dedication, collaboration, and craftsmanship of an extraordinary team of artists and filmmakers, and we are deeply appreciative of the Academy’s recognition of their work.”
- Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett, Wētā FX “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (Best Visual Effects)
“Playing Larry Hart was the greatest challenge of my 40 year acting career. To make this film alongside one of my best friends, the incomparable Richard Linklater, was an honor in itself. Today I’m thinking back to the first time I read Robert Kaplow’s brilliant, now Oscar-nominated script, which so vividly captures the dangers and the joy in pursuing an artistic life. Thank you to The Academy for recognizing our work, and with it the work of our cast, crew, and the entire company of artists who came together in Ireland to realize BLUE MOON.”
- Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon” (Best Actor)
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Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone and Lars Knudsen, “Bugonia” (Best Picture)
“Thank you to the Academy for these nominations and to everyone who poured their hearts into Bugonia. None of this exists without our director, Yorgos. I am forever grateful for our creative partnership and friendship. I share this recognition with the beyond brilliant Jesse Plemons and our remarkable cast, crew, and producers. To be in the company of all of these incredible nominees is a true honor, and I’m deeply thankful.”
- Emma Stone, “Bugonia“, (Best Actress)
“I’m feeling very honored right now to be nominated for this award, especially amongst such sterling company. Working on the film with my friends was a hugely happy experience, and that’s all down to the trust and support of Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, all the fine folks at Focus Features and the Academy. I raise my mug to them.”
- Will Tracy, “Bugonia” (Best Adapted Screenplay)
“I love Yorgos and I love my colleagues. Thank you to the Academy, the London Contemporary Orchestra, Air Studios, Alex Putman, Will Carkeet & Graeme Stewart.”
- Jerskin Fendrix, “Bugonia” (Best Original Score)
“I cannot believe this is happening. This is my first film that I made as a film student, and I never could’ve imagined being nominated for an Oscar this early in my career. I have prayed so much for this moment, but this film was a team effort, and it couldn’t have been created without Oron Caspi, the producer; Omar Sameer, the main actor; Rona Toledano, the main actress; Sefi Elisha Nahmani, the DOP; my parents; my lovely girlfriend; and, of course, my film school: The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University. Thank you, everyone, for being a part of my career and, more importantly, a part of my life. Thank you to the Academy for making my dreams come true!”
- Meyer Levinson-Blount, “Butcher’s Stain” (Best Live Action Short Film)
“We are deeply honored to be recognized by our peers and nominated for a film that has been profoundly meaningful for everyone involved. We’d like to thank the Academy and Apple for their support. This recognition is a tribute to love—and to Megan, and of course Andrea. In the words of Andrea Gibson, ‘My story is one about happiness being easier to find once we realize we do not have forever to find it.”
- “Come See Me in the Good Light” Team (Best Documentary Feature)
“Dear Me ; when you were sitting alone in your room feeling like the world was against you, could you ever imagine your grown up self would write a song that would be nominated for an Academy Award! ‘Dear Me’ is my most personal song, yet it is also universal as it is resonating with so many so deeply.”
- “Diane Warren: Relentless” (Best Original Song)
“Frankenstein has been a companion – a guardian angel- to me since childhood. It taught me to see tenderness in darkness and humanity in all those cast aside. To have this film recognized with nine nominations is deeply emotional and personal.”
- Guillermo Del Toro, “Frankenstein” (9 Nominations Including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay)
“I have been enamored by actors and this craft of acting for as long as I can remember, remembering. It’s a great pleasure to share a stage with all of my heroes past and present. I must thank my dear friend Guillermo del Toro and my partners, Oscar and Mia, and our whole creative team. I love this creature and I love the movies. Thank you to everyone at the academy and to everyone out there watching movies.”
- Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein” (Best Supporting Actor)
“It’s an absolute honour to be recognised by the Academy. I am so proud to be standing beside all these extraordinary artists and fellow nominees whose work has inspired me and moved me!
Chloé Zhao you cracked my heart wide open when you asked me to step into Maggie O’Farrell’s world and create our Agnes beside you. Paul, there is no Agnes without you. I’m so grateful to have been part of this story with the incredible village of artists I shared it with.
To make anything at all is an absolute triumph, and this recognition belongs to every artist who bravely pours themselves into the work and journeys towards the undiscovered landscapes of their souls. I’m delighted, deeply grateful and humbled to be part of this community. Thank you.”
- Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet” (Actress in a Leading Role)
“Producing Hamnet was an honor, and today’s recognition by the Academy is exciting, emotional, rewarding, and deeply humbling.
We are thrilled to celebrate these nominations with our visionary director, Chloé Zhao, the remarkable cast of Hamnet, including Jessie Buckley, and all of the other artists whose work has made Hamnet such a singular motion picture experience.
From the beginning, this film was guided by a belief that storytelling can help us see one another more clearly. To feel this film embraced in this way is a reminder of cinema’s rare ability to bring people together and to leave us feeling more connected than when we began. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring this story to life.”
- Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, “Hamnet” (Best Picture)
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of Hamnet and collaborated with Chloé, whose thoughtful vision guided this film at every step. I’m deeply honored by this nomination and grateful to the Academy for recognizing our work, and for the opportunity to help bring this beautiful story to life.”
- Max Richter, “Hamnet” (Best Original Score)
“This first ever Casting Oscar nomination is a total and utter thrill. Hamnet is a beautiful example of the true power of artistic collaboration and it was a privilege to make it with all my incredible colleagues. And I’m also claiming this nomination for the previous 97 years of brilliant casting directors before us, and sharing my joy with them.”
- Nina Gold, “Hamnet” (Best Casting)
“What astonishing and joyous news. I’m so grateful to the Academy for these nominations, which recognise and celebrate the work of so many talented individuals who worked on Hamnet. When I was writing the novel, it never occured to me that such a turn of events would be possible: I’m having to pinch myself at regular intervals because it all seems like a dream. I had a wonderful time on set, and being able to co-write the script with Chloé was a fascinating experience. It’s fantastic to be sharing these nominations with the extended Hamnet film family: Chloé, Jessie, Paul, Jacobi, Emily, Joe, Noah, Fiona, Alice, Malgosia, Nina, Max, our brilliant producers Liza Marshall at Hera, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes at Neal Street, Steven Spielberg and Amblin, Nic Gonda at Book of Shadows, and Focus Features / Universal.”
- Maggie O’Farrell, “Hamnet” (Best Adapted Screenplay)
“I am absolutely stunned! I honestly still cannot believe it! I was watching the announcement in Krakow with my Mom, who had a stick in one hand (in case I got too sad and needed reminding to get over myself haha!) and a bottle of champagne in the other. I am so proud to be among these incredible nominees, what an absolute honor. I also know I would be nowhere without my incredible costume team, and all of our incredible Hamnet collaborators — Chloé, Jessie, Paul, Fiona, Nicole, and especially Łukasz — to quote my Mom again — he is the person who made my costumes look the way they did, so this nomination is also his.”
- Malgosia Turzanska, “Hamnet” (Best Costume Design)
“Thank you to the Academy for the wonderful recognition of our work on Hamnet. It is a film that was made with great love and care from every person on set. To have that recognized means the world.”
- Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton, “Hamnet” (Best Production Design)
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Academy. Being nominated for the Academy Awards is truly an honor. The hair and makeup work in the other films was outstanding, so we feel incredibly grateful and amazed to have received this recognition. We are especially honored that the white makeup and Kabuki wigs used in the film’s essential Kabuki scenes were acknowledged, as well as the expression of a character’s life journey spanning over 50 years. We are deeply happy to have been part of this project. Our heartfelt thanks go to the director, the producers, the entire crew, and the cast. Thank you very much.”
- Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino, Tadashi Nishimatsu, “Kokuho” (Best Makeup and Hairstyling)
“I am speechless and beyond honored to be amongst this extraordinary group of women: Jessie, Renate, Kate, and Emma. This is a radical film and was the gift of a lifetime to play Linda. I am so humbled to be recognized by the academy for this punk rock film and to be included amongst the astounding performances this year. This recognition is beyond my wildest dreams, and I share this with Mary Bronstein.”
- Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (Best Actress)
“To receive this nomination—especially as a comedy—is a profound honor. It’s a privilege to bring joy to people in these times, and we’re so grateful to the Academy for including us in such a brilliant group of films. We would just like to say, in the words of Jane Austen: holy f*ck.”
- Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, “Jane Austen’s Period Drama” (Best Live Action Short Film)
“I still can’t believe it. Thank you so much to the Academy for nominating our Little Amélie, our little independent french animated movie. It’s such an honor that our film has been recognized for the Oscars, the ultimate Cinema prize. It’s a dream coming true!”
- Liane-Cho Han, “Little Amélie or The Character of Rain” (Best Animated Feature)
“I am so shaken, this is really a huge honor to us as a small independent animated French feature film. An enormous thank you to the Academy – thank you so much for having watched our film and for sharing it!!! It was a long road for our absolutely talented team, to bring the incredible gaze of our little Amélie on the world. I am so excited for all the nominees, and to be part of this selection is insane!!”
- Maïlys Vallade, “Little Amélie or The Character of Rain” (Best Animated Feature)
- Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme” (Best Actor & Best Picture)
- Jennifer Venditti, “Marty Supreme” (Best Casting)
“It feels truly surreal to be nominated, what an honor! None of this would have been possible without the vision and big dream Josh had for all of us. This is my dream film, my dream era and dream characters and my heart is filled with so much gratitude. Thank you to my incredibly talented team, I really couldn’t have done it without each and every person involved. Thank you to the Academy for considering me, I feel extremely grateful and blessed to be part of this exciting moment!”
- Miyako Bellizzi, “Marty Supreme” (Best Costume Design)
- David Borenstein, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (Best Documentary Feature)
“Making this film was one of the most meaningful and collaborative experiences of my life. It was made possible by the generosity, courage, and talent of an extraordinary cast—Teyana, Chase, Benny, Sean—and by the commitment of our entire crew.
None of this would have been possible without Paul’s vision, dedication, and belief in this film. He brought to life a complex story that feels deeply relevant to the world we’re living in, and I’m honored the Academy has recognized it in this moment.
Congratulations to my fellow nominees for their remarkable work this season, and thank you again to the Academy.”
- Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another” (Best Actor)
“Ajike Owens was a bright young mother of four with big dreams – one of the last things she said to her mother was, “one day the whole world will know my name.” We made The Perfect Neighbor to honor Ajike’s and mitigate our grief around her senseless murder. We are so honored to be nominated, and hope this incredible recognition will further Ajike’s legacy and create real change.”
- Geeta Gandbhir, “The Perfect Neighbor” (Best Documentary Feature Film)
“It is an immense honor to receive this nomination for my work as casting director on The Secret Agent. It’s a privilege to be nominated alongside the casting directors I have always looked up to.
As the casting director, my work on The Secret Agent was guided by a singular theme: memory. Each character we cast, no matter how small, had to be rooted in authenticity and the specific reality of Brazil in 1977. The process required finding performers whose presence, faces, and inner lives could truthfully unlock the social, emotional, and historical layers of a precise moment and place in time.
This nomination is especially meaningful because it recognizes the ensemble as a whole, built through careful collaboration, trust, and openness to both established actors and new voices. I am deeply grateful to our maestro Kleber Mendonça Filho, our producer Emilie Lesclaux, the entire The Secret Agent team, and to NEON for championing the film. I am honored that my peers in the Academy have recognized this work.”
- Gabriel Domingues, “The Secret Agent” (Best Casting)
“I am truly honored by the amazing news this morning. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing, seeing, and responding to The Secret Agent. Congratulations to Gabriel Domingues and the extraordinarily talented and diverse cast of our film. Congratulations to my dear friends Kleber Mendonça Filho and Emilie Lesclaux. I share this nomination with the beautiful country of Brazil and the unwavering support, pride and love Brazilians have for their culture.”
- Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent” (Best Actor)
“I am so honored to receive this nomination and to be home in Norway, celebrating alongside my cast and crew our 9 history-making nominations which makes it even more surreal. This film was created collectively with the most incredible group, led by our maestro Joachim Trier. What an amazing day for us, for my fellow actors Stellan, Inga and Elle, our brilliant co-writer Eskil and Olivier, the editor who makes all our work better. I’m so grateful our story is being met with such generosity by the Academy.”
Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value“(Best Actress)
“I’m deeply grateful and happy for this nomination, and for the extraordinary recognition the film has received. That no Norwegian film has ever been honored with so many nominations is both humbling and moving. This was a small film made with great care, and to see it connect with a broader audience in this way means a great deal to all of us as we don’t have the same budgets for marketing on a big scale. The traveling circus continues! I look forward to seeing everyone and celebrating together soon.”
- Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value” (Best Supporting Actor)
“I am overwhelmed and extremely grateful to the Academy for 9 nominations. I come from a film family and used to stay up late at night in Oslo watching the Academy Awards on my TV with great enthusiasm. And now, our entire film family is going to the Oscars! I am grateful to be recognized alongside colleagues that I have long admired and overjoyed to share a second screenplay nomination with my old friend and collaborator Eskil Vogt. I celebrate Elle, Inga, Renate, and Stellan for their well-deserved recognition – they carried this film on their shoulders. The film wouldn’t be what it is without the now Academy-nominated work of editor Olivier Bugge Coutté who I’ve had the honor of working with on all my films, my fearless producers Maria Ekerhovd and Andrea Ottmar, my cinematographer Kasper Tuxen, casting directors Yngvill Kolset Haga and Avy Kaufman and the entire cast and crew that brought our film to life. And to everyone who has watched our film and found something of themselves in it, thank you for going to the cinema to watch it on the big screen.”
- Joachim Trier, “Sentimental Value” (Best Director & Original Screenplay)
“I can’t believe this has happened. I am so happy and proud of Elle, Stellan and Renate for this recognition of their amazing performances in our film, as well as for our wonderful editor Olivier. None of this would be possible without Joachim’s vision and leadership as our director, and the script he wrote with Eskil – this beautiful story and these characters have enriched my life so much. I am so grateful to The Academy, and to everyone who has supported us during the last few months, especially Neon, MUBI, and our wonderful producers Maria, Andrea and Lars Thomas. This is a historic day for Norwegian cinema. This nomination means the world to me, and I have to thank my family for being so supportive and loving and patient, especially my husband and son, who I love more than life itself – thank you thank you thank you!”
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value” (Best Supporting Actress)
“IS THIS REAL!?!?!?! IS THIS A DREAM!?!?!?! I can’t catch my breath. I am in absolute shock. What an honor to have my first Academy Award nomination be for a film that acknowledges the power of moviemaking and family! My Mom, Grandma, Sister, and Aunt were here with me this morning to scream and hug and cry. Thank you thank you thank you. To be amongst the beautiful women in this category is truly overwhelming. I was equally overjoyed to see our entire “Sentimental Value” family recognized!!!!!! The gorgeous Stellan, Inga, and Renate, I will forever be in awe of you!!!!! Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt, our editor Olivier Bugge Coutté, Maria, Andrea, Lars, our Neon team, EVERYONE INVOLVED – cheers to you all! Or as you say in Norway, Skå!!!!!!!! I am filled with so much love. The whole house got nominated!!! 🥂🏡”
- Elle Fanning, “Sentimental Value” (Best Supporting Actress)
“These nominations mean the world to us. We are incredibly proud of Joachim, our cast and crew, and everyone who helped bring this film to life. We are deeply grateful to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for this recognition, and especially thankful to our U.S. distributor, NEON, Tom Quinn and Christina Zisa for their incredible dedication to the film and their tremendous support. Film has the power to unite across borders, and sharing Sentimental Value with audiences around the world has shown us just how true that is.”
- Maria Ekerhovd, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, “Sentimental Value” (Best Picture)
“A year and a half after filming we reconvened where it all began—at the La Habra Moose Lodge, which graciously opened its doors at 4:30 this morning…I want to dedicate this moment to the hundreds of friends who trusted and poured into a vision that was frankly very unlikely to succeed. We challenged ourselves to pack 18 minutes with humor, heart, and humanity; to give an oddball cast of brilliant first-timers the sort of spotlight they deserved but never had before. And to make something risky, unconventional, and handmade in the age of automation. The Singers is about a lot of things, but at its core it’s a testament to the power of art and vulnerability to create compassion and community. I hope that the exposure that comes with this incredible honor will help that message reverberate well beyond the walls of the Moose. Cheers to the Academy.”
- Sam Davis, “The Singers” (Best Live Action Short Film)
“We are thrilled to have received this nomination. We extend our sincere congratulations to the other nominees, it is an honour to share this alongside such talented and inspiring colleagues.
This is a milestone we never could have imagined, and it fills us with deep joy and gratitude. We are thankful to be the first women-led sound team nominated in this category — the significance of this moment is not lost on us. The film required taking risks on both a technical and creative level in order to create a raw, impactful, and atmospheric soundscape in service of the story, and we are delighted to see that these efforts and decisions are recognised by our fellow peers from the Academy.
We want to acknowledge and thank our visionary filmmaker Oliver Laxe, our wonderful producers, and the diverse communities who have championed this unique story. Thank you to the NEON team and the distributors worldwide for all of their support.”
- Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja, and Yasmina Praderas, “Sirāt” (Best Sound)
“I’m truly honored and grateful for this nomination. The Smashing Machine was a project that required total trust, patience, and empathy from everyone involved, and I’m thankful to be recognized alongside such incredible artists. I share this recognition with our director Benny Safdie, the talented Dwayne Johnson, and the entire filmmaking team. I’m also thankful to my makeup and prosthetics team, whose craftsmanship and dedication made this work possible. To be acknowledged by the Academy is incredibly meaningful to me, and I’m sincerely grateful.”
- Kazu Hiro (Prosthetic Designer), “The Smashing Machine” (Best Makeup & Hairstyling)
“What an incredible feeling and moment to have been nominated! My heart is filled with gratitude and joy. I’m so thrilled to celebrate with all the amazing women in this category. Being in ‘Song Sung Blue’ has been one of the great honors of my life.”
- Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue” (Best Actress)
“It’s a dream come true. One of those dreams that feels so distant it almost lives in utopia. I still can’t believe it. I’m incredibly happy and deeply honored. This nomination belongs to the entire crew who brought this film to life, and to my family and friends for their endless support. I’m so proud to represent Brazil in such a special moment for our cinema. Vai Brasil, vai Corinthians!”
- Adolpho Veloso, “Train Dreams” (Best Cinematography)
“We are deeply honored that the Academy has recognized Two People Exchanging Saliva, our absurdist, black-and-white, French-language film. Inspired by the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran and the rise of the far right in the United States and abroad, the film satirizes how societies police bodies and desire in order to “other” people. Through Malaise and Angine, two women whose intimacy is a form of resistance, we see that when humanity is under threat, tenderness becomes revolutionary.”
- Alexandre Singh & Natalie Musteata, “Two People Exchanging Saliva” (Best Live Action Short Film)
“Today, THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB is officially an Academy Award nominee for Best International Feature Film.
I don’t really know how to write this sentence without stopping for a moment.
This nomination belongs first to Hind.
To her voice.
To what should never have happened and yet did.
It belongs to everyone who believed that cinema can still be a space for truth, care, and responsibility.
To my incredible team, who carried this film with courage and precision.
To Tunisia, whose cinema continues to exist, resist, and speak even when it is uncomfortable.
Among these beautiful films from around the world, I’m deeply honored that Hind’s voice is there.
Not as a symbol.
As history.
Thank you to the Academy for listening.
And to all of you who have carried this film, shared it, defended it, and felt it.
We keep going.”
- Kaouther Ben Hania, “The Voice of Hind Rajab” (Best International Feature Film)
What were your favorite Oscar nominations from this morning? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our X account.
