LOS ANGELES - The 98th Oscar nominations (www.oscars.org) were announced this morning, representing excellence in film in 24 categories. Each category has five nominees, with the exception of Best Picture, which has 10. Voting among Academy members begins on Thursday, February 26th and concludes on Thursday, March 5th. Here, nominees react to the recognition.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Visual Effects
Statement from Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett, Wētā FX:
“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.”
Editor's Note: This is Joe Letteri’s 12th nomination (winning 5), Eric Saindon’s 4th (winning 1) and Dan Barrett’s 5th (winning 1).
F1
Visual Effects
Statement from Fiona Walkinshaw, CEO of Film & Episodic at Framestore:
“It’s a huge honor to see our work recognised by our peers and on a respected global stage. F1 is a great testament to our ability to sit at the heart of storytelling and the creative collaboration we foster with Directors and each of the departments we work with. This collaboration is crucial for delivering stories that audiences can get truly swept up in. We’re immensely proud of the London, Montreal and Mumbai teams behind the film and grateful to director Joseph Kosinski who trusted us to push the boundaries of our craft.”
Editor’s Note: Credits include production VFX supervisor Ryan Tudhope (a two time Academy Award nominee) and VFX supervisors Rob Harrington (London) and Nicolas Chevallier (Montreal).
The Smashing Machine
Makeup and Hairstyling
Statement from prosthetics designer Kazu Hiro:
“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.”
The Secret Agent
Casting
Statements from casting director Gabriel Domingues:
“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.”
Sirat
Sound
Statement from Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja and Yasmina Praderas:
“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.”