Entertainment
Check out full list of Oscars 2025 nominations

The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced Thursday and it was a big morning for “Emilia Pérez,” “The Brutalist” and “Wicked.”
After acknowledgement of the impact of ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles by Academy leadership, Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott revealed the nominees for the film industry’s top prize, previewing the race that will play out in the weeks to come, culminating at the March ceremony.
“Emilia Pérez” led with 13 nominations, followed by “The Brutalist” and “Wicked” with 10 each.
The musical “Emilia Pérez” has seen success in spite of some controversy. The movie’s four Golden Globe wins did some to calm the criticism over many aspects of the film, including Selena Gomez’s perceived struggles with her character’s Spanish dialogue and various issues with the movie’s representation of the transgender community.
“The Brutalist,” by director Brady Corbet, stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones as Hungarian refugees who come to the US after WWII. The film, which won big at the Golden Globes, was recently embroiled in controversy over its use of artificial intelligence in dialect, with Corbet giving an assertive defence of his performers amid the debate.
“Wicked,” meanwhile, certainly had the blockbuster audience vote and this time that also translated into awards recognition. The musical from director Jon M. Chu scored a nomination for best picture as well as individual honours for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the latter of whom was a first-time nominee. Erivo was previously nominated for best actress for her role in “Harriet.” (If she adds an Oscar to her awards collection, she will achieve EGOT status, joining fewer than 30 artists who have each won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards.)
With “Wicked” and “Emilia Pérez,” this year marks the first time two musicals have been nominated in the best picture category since 1968 when “Oliver!” and “Funny Girl” both scored nominations, according to the Academy.
The acting categories were largely dominated by first-time nominees, with 13 individuals scoring their first Oscar nods, including Kieran Culkin, Demi Moore, Isabella Rossellini and Zoe Saldaña.
Conan O’Brien is set to host the ceremony, taking place on March 2 and airing on ABC.
A list of nominees follows below.
Best picture
“Anora”
“The Brutalist”
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“I’m Still Here”
“Nickel Boys”
“The Substance”
“Wicked”
Best actor in a leading role
Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
Best actress in a leading role
Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
Mikey Madison, “Anora”
Demi Moore, “The Substance”
Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Best actor in a supporting role
Yura Borisov, “Anora”
Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”
Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”
Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”
Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”
Best actress in a supporting role
Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”
Best director
Sean Baker, “Anora”
Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”
Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
Best Cinematography
“The Brutalist”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Maria”
“Nosferatu”
Best international feature film
“I’m Still Here”
“The Girl with the Needle”
“Emilia Pérez”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
“Flow”
Best adapted screenplay
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nickel Boys”
“Sing Sing”
Best original screenplay
“Anora”
“The Brutalist”
“A Real Pain”
“September 5”
“The Substance”
Best live-action short film
“A Lien”
“Anuja”
“I’m Not a Robot”
“The Last Ranger”
“A Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
Best animated short film
“Beautiful Men”
“In the Shadow of the Cypress”
“Magic Candies”
“Wander to Wonder”
“Yuck!”
Best animated feature film
“Flow”
“Inside Out 2”
“Memoir of a Snail”
“Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
“The Wild Robot”
Best documentary short
“Death By Numbers”
“I Am Ready, Warden”
“Incident”
“Instruments of a Beating Heart”
“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
Best documentary feature film
“Black Box Diaries”
“No Other Land”
“Porcelain War”
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat”
“Sugarcane”
Best original song
“El Mal,” from “Emilia Pérez”
“The Journey,” from “The Six Triple Eight”
“Like a Bird,” from “Sing Sing”
“Mi Camino,” from “Emilia Pérez”
“Never Too Late,” from “Elton John: Never Too Late”
Best original score
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
Best makeup and hairstyling
“A Different Man”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Nosferatu”
“The Substance”
“Wicked”
Best costume design
“A Complete Unknown”
“Conclave”
“Gladiator II”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked”
Best editing
“Anora”
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
Best sound
“A Complete Unknown”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Wicked”
“The Wild Robot”
Best production design
“The Brutalist”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Nosferatu”
“Wicked”
Best visual effects
“Alien: Romulus”
“Better Man”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
“Wicked”
Entertainment
Why I can’t date or marry Saga -Liquorose

By Francesca Hangeior
Nollywood actress and BBNaija star, Liquorose recently shared insights into her relationship with Saga, calling him her “gossip partner” and close friend.
The influencer explained that she can’t date him because their bond has gone beyond romance, with Saga being a trusted confidant and partner in various activities.
She said: “People ask me why I don’t date Saga, and I’m like, have you seen us? That’s my gossip partner! Once I leave here, I’m texting Saga and we’re going to laugh about this. I can’t date Saga. I can’t marry Saga. Not because he’s not attractive, but because we’ve gone beyond that. Saga is a very special person to me—he’s a friend, a brother, my partner in cr!me, 100%.”
Entertainment
2025 Face Of Tourism Beauty Pageant Organizers Call For More Funding In Tourism Sector+Photos

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of “Free Image Humanitarian Foundation, (FIHF), Janet Ochanya has called for more funding for the tourism sector in the country.
NaijaBlitzNews reports the event which was held yesterday at the Armed Forces Officers Mess Luingi Barracks Abuja
The Founder/CEO of the foundation Janet Ochanya made this comment after Miss FCT, Queen Sarah Oyibinga Okli was crowned the winner of the pageant after a hard fought victory defeating other ten contestants.
She said the event is aimed at drawing the attention of the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the importance of tourism and the need to pay more attention to the tourism industry by budgeting more funds to the sector in line with the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
While applauding the success of the pageant, Ochanya further stated that, the pageant amongst others is also aimed at creating more awareness on the economic potentials of the tourism industry in terms job creation for the teeming idle Nigerian youths and as a catalyst for economic growth and development of the country.
She also commended the current Nigerian minister of tourism Lola Ade-John for the wonderful work she is doing in repositioning the tourism sector since assuming office stating that more investment in the industry by the president, has the potential of transforming the economy of the country.
Ochanya who was also a winner of a beauty pageant her self said her interest in organizing the pageants is to give positive direction and exposure to the up and coming youths particularly girls by reassuring them that they can be successful in a positive way rather than venturing into prostitution, drugs and other societal ills.
She said her organisation, Free Image Humanitarian Foundation has been involved in organizing beauty pageant for over 15 years with the Miss Idoma pageant which has produced many crowned queens who are now impacting positively on the society.
The winner of the 2025 event which happens to be the 2nd Edition of the Face of Tourism Beauty Pageant Miss FCT, Queen Sarah Oyibinga Okli, defeated 10 other contestants to clinch the covated crown at a colourful event which was widely attended by business and entertainment moguls as well as some major influential dignitaries in the tourism sector across the country.
The visibly elated and happy winner queen who faced a stiff challenge from other contestants from Kaduna, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Enugu respectively thanked the organizers of the event and for giving her the platform to showcase her talent.
She said she will use her reign to propagate the importance and benefits of Tourism in Nigeria and it’s potentials and benefits in engaging and addressing youths festiveness and its contribution to the GDP of the country.
She also assured that her reign will witness economic growth in the country and will put Nigeria in the world map as the number one tourist destination in Africa and world in general.
NaijaBlitzNews crew also spoke with the Catwalk Instructor, Ms Oluwakemi Abosede Osindele who acknowledged the hard work put in by the contestants before the main event.
Oluwakemi said she was not surprised by the outcome of the pageant as the various winners deserved their victories.
She also showered praises on the judges for the honestly and unbias in painstakingly picking out the winners which is not an easy task but at the end of the day, the audience accepted the outcome with laud applause.
At the end of the day and after a hard fought contest, Miss FCT, emerged the overall winner and crowned, the face of Tourism in Nigeria and closely followed by Miss Kaduna, Queen Theresa Jonathan, who was crowned, Miss Tradition 2025 and Miss Enugu, Queen Laura Chioma Eze, who was crowned, Face of Tourism Ambassador 2025 and finally Miss Akwa Ibom, Queen Anita Emmanuel, who was crowned, the Face of Tourism North 2025.
The organizer are already looking ahead to the next pageant which they promised will be more exciting than the just concluded pageant.
Entertainment
Zinoleesky Welcomes Second Baby, Shares Beautiful Photos

Nigerian singer Zinoleesky has joyfully announced the birth of his second child, sending waves of excitement through the entertainment community and among fans across social media.
The talented artist, known for his unique sound and affiliation with Marlian Music, took to Instagram to share the news, posting touching photos of himself tenderly holding his newborn. Clad in traditional attire, Zinoleesky appeared proud and radiant as he embraced fatherhood once again.
In the caption, he wrote: “Owo baba Zafar” — a phrase that loosely translates to “the father of Zafar,” hinting that the newborn may be a baby boy named Zafar.
This marks Zinoleesky’s second child, following the birth of his first daughter in 2024 — a moment that was publicly announced by his label boss, Naira Marley.
While the announcement came as a pleasant surprise to many, fans and fellow celebrities quickly flooded the comment section with congratulatory messages, celebrating the singer’s growing family.
Zinoleesky continues to make strides in both his music career and personal life, earning admiration not just for his artistry but also for embracing his role as a father.
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