Why the 2025 Oscars will be the most controversial ceremony of all time.

The 97th Academy Awards are on today, and let's just say… the drama is drama-ing.

From the groundbreaking (and eyebrow-raising) nomination of Jacques Audiard's Emilia Perez to the industry-shaking controversy around AI-generated performances, the 2025 Oscars are shaping up to be the most talked-about ceremony in years.

And just when we thought we'd seen it all, the Academy's new intimacy coordinator requirements have split Hollywood right down the middle, with A-listers taking very public stances on both sides of the debate.

Let's unpack all the drama, shall we?

Emilia Perez.

Perhaps the most controversial film of the entire year, Emilia Perez has had scandal after scandal, despite its award-season success. Let's break it down.

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Trans representation.

Emilia Perez has been at the centre of the Oscars controversy. Image: Pathé.

The controversy around Emilia Perez began as a celebration — with Karla Sofía Gascón making history as the first openly trans woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. But what should have been a watershed moment for trans representation quickly became mired in debate. While Gascón spoke powerfully about how personal the story was to her own experience, the film itself faced criticism over its handling of trans themes.

The situation reached a boiling point in November 2024 when GLAAD released a scathing statement, calling the film "profoundly retrograde" in its portrayal of trans experiences.

Cultural representation.

The film's portrayal of Mexico has drawn fierce criticism. Image: Pathé.

The film's portrayal of Mexico has drawn fierce criticism, particularly after a damning clip surfaced in November 2024 showing Audiard casually admitting he "didn't study much" about Mexico because he "kinda already knew what I had to understand".

The comments, which quickly went viral, seemed to confirm what many Mexican critics had been saying — that the film relies heavily on tired stereotypes and outdated tropes about Mexican culture.

Gascón's past social media posts.

Just when it seemed like Emilia Perez couldn't get more controversial, the film's star Karla Sofía Gascón found herself at the centre of a social media storm that has thrown her historic Oscar campaign into chaos.

Things quickly descended into controversy when writer Sarah Hagi uncovered a trove of deeply problematic tweets posted by the actress between 2020 and 2021. And honestly… it's bad.

The posts, which have since been deleted, included inflammatory comments about Islam (calling it "a hotbed for infection for humanity"), racist remarks about Chinese people during the COVID pandemic, and body-shaming comments about Adele. She even took shots at her co-star Selena Gomez.

"She's a rich rat who plays the poor bastard whenever she can and will never stop bothering her ex-boyfriend and his wife," she wrote about Gomez.

After the inevitable backlash, Gascón issued an apology stating, "As someone in a marginalised community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain."

Hours later, she deleted her X account entirely.

AI scandal in The Brutalist.

The movie that opened up the AI debate in Hollywood. Image: A24.

Well, well, well... remember when the biggest Oscar scandal was announcing the wrong Best Picture? Those were simpler times. Now we've got Adrien Brody's AI-enhanced accent in The Brutalist. And it's one of the most relevant conversations happening in Hollywood now.

The drama kicked off when it was revealed that Brody's Oscar-nominated performance relied on AI to enhance his Hungarian accent. Yes, you read that correctly — the production used artificial intelligence to perfect the pronunciation in post-production.

The revelation has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, with industry insiders questioning whether we're opening Pandora's box. After all, if we're using AI to fix accents now, where exactly do we draw the line? It's worth noting that The Brutalist isn't alone in this controversy — fellow Oscar contender Emilia Perez has also come under scrutiny for its use of AI in sound design and vocal performances.

The awkwardness reached new heights during this year's actor's roundtable, where Sebastian Stan appeared visibly unimpressed by Brody's defence of the technology. And honestly? We get it. In an industry already grappling with AI's role in everything from script writing to visual effects, this latest development feels like it's pushing boundaries that many aren't comfortable with.

Sebastian Stan in The Apprentice.

Sebastian Stan was excluded from Variety's Actors on Actors. Image: Nordisk Film

Well, this is awkward. Sebastian Stan might have a shiny new Golden Globe for playing Donald Trump in The Apprentice, but it seems Hollywood isn't exactly rushing to sit down and chat with him about it.

In fact, the situation had become so tense that no actors would agree to participate in Variety's prestigious Actors on Actors interview series with Stan. And honestly? The timing couldn't be more uncomfortable, with Trump's re-election making the whole situation even more complicated.

It's worth noting that this isn't just your standard Hollywood cold shoulder — it's a pretty significant snub considering Actors on Actors is one of the industry's most respected promotional venues during awards season.

The message seems clear: while Stan's performance might be award-worthy, his colleagues aren't exactly thrilled about associating themselves with anything Trump-adjacent right now.

Anora's lack of an intimacy coordinator.

This year's nominees have started a discussion about intimacy coordinators. Image: Neon.

One of the hottest topics in Hollywood right now and certainly one that is stirring up the Oscars this year: intimacy coordinators.

Rising star Mikey Madison, star of Anora, made headlines when she revealed she chose not to work with an intimacy coordinator during the film's intimate scenes.

"I felt like for this specific project, it would've taken away from the spontaneity and the naturalness that we were trying to capture," Madison explained, adding that she felt "completely safe" throughout the process.

The decision has opened up a fascinating dialogue in Hollywood, with many calling out Madison's decision, including Babygirl director Halina Reijn.

"I'm also against people who are saying, 'No, my actors didn't want an intimacy coordinator.' That makes no sense. It is also for your safety as a director and for everyone," she said.

"What if there is a misunderstanding? It's just amazing to have a person like that on set. And if you are creative and talented enough of a director, you can pull it off. Trust me. You just have to go a little bit through your own discomfort and then you will discover a whole new world of creativity and possibilities."

Oscars 2025 snubs.

Pamela Anderson was sadly snubbed. Image: Roadside Attractions.

The 2025 Oscar nominations have dropped, and, as always, there are some spicy snubs.

Leading the controversy is Nicole Kidman's performance in Baby Girl being completely overlooked, while Paul Mescal's turn in Gladiator 2 wasn't even considered notable enough to make the "shocking snubs" lists.

But perhaps the most talked-about exclusion is Pamela Anderson's performance in The Last Showgirl which many industry insiders had pegged as a sure thing. Not to mention, The Academy's decision to overlook Challengers for, well… everything, has also raised more than a few eyebrows.

Feature Image: A24 / Pathé / Nordisk.