Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Shine in Oscar Nominations, While Drama Swirls Around Emilia Pérez

Images via Tinseltown / Shutterstock; Michael Mattes / Shutterstock; Oscar Gonzalo Fuentes / Shutterstock

The Oscar nominations are here, and musical fans have plenty to celebrate! Ariana Grande scored her first-ever Oscar nod for her performance as Glinda in Wicked. The pop icon turned theatre darling shared an emotional Instagram post, dedicating the honour to her younger self, “tiny Ari,” who once dreamed of making it to Oz. Grande posted a childhood photo of herself dressed as Dorothy and thanked her Wicked family and co-star Cynthia Erivo, gushing that Erivo deserves “every flower (tulip) in every garden.”

Cynthia Erivo, who played Elphaba alongside Grande, also earned a nomination for Best Actress, further cementing her reputation as a powerhouse performer. However, not everyone was thrilled about the announcement. French director Jacques Audiard, whose film Emilia Pérez leads this year with 13 nominations, was caught on camera shaking his head when Erivo’s name was announced. The moment quickly went viral, with many interpreting his gesture as disrespectful—or worse, xenophobic.

fotogramas_es

View more on Instagram

Audiard’s reaction drew sharp criticism online, with some calling for revoking Emilia Pérez’s nominations. Despite the controversy, Emilia Pérez made history as the first transgender-centered film to receive such recognition, with lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón becoming the first transgender woman nominated for an acting Oscar.

While the drama rages on, the spotlight remains on Grande and Erivo, who represent exceptional talent and the enduring magic of musical theatre on the silver screen.