Netflix at the 2025 Academy Awards: A Remarkable Showing

Introduction

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, marked another significant milestone for streaming giant Netflix in its ongoing quest for Oscar recognition. The company received an impressive 18 nominations across six titles, ultimately securing three wins. This article explores Netflix’s notable presence at the 2025 Academy Awards, analyzing its nominations, wins, and the significance of its achievements in the ever-evolving landscape of film distribution and production.

Netflix’s Overall Performance

Netflix led all studios with 16 Oscar nominations according to initial reports from Variety, though the final count was 18 nominations as confirmed by multiple sources. This impressive showing demonstrates Netflix’s continued commitment to producing and distributing award-worthy content that resonates with both audiences and the Academy.

Table 1: Netflix’s Academy Award Performance (2025)

“Emilia Pérez”: Netflix’s Crown Jewel

The standout performer for Netflix was undoubtedly “Emilia Pérez,” the daring musical crime drama that received 13 nominations, making it the most nominated film of the year and the most nominated non-English language film in Academy history.

Directed by Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez” is a genre-spanning musical drama about a drug kingpin who undergoes gender affirming surgery. Its nominations included best picture, best actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, best supporting actress for Zoe Saldaña, and best director for Jacques Audiard.

On Hollywood’s biggest night, “Emilia Pérez” walked away with two exciting trophies: Best Original Song for “El Mal” and Best Supporting Actress for Zoe Saldaña. In her emotional acceptance speech, Saldaña paid tribute to her family, noting, “The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish. My grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted.” She also made history as “the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award.”

Table 2: “Emilia Pérez” Nominations and Wins

Other Netflix Nominees

Beyond “Emilia Pérez,” Netflix received nominations for several other noteworthy films:

1. “The Only Girl in the Orchestra” – This documentary short directed by Emmy-winning director Molly O’Brien tells the story of her aunt, Orin O’Brien, who was the only female musician in the New York Philharmonic when she joined in 1966. The film went on to win in its category, giving Netflix its third Oscar of the night.
2. “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” – The beloved stop-motion duo returned to the Oscar spotlight, with their latest adventure earning a nomination in the Best Animated Feature category.
3. “Maria” – Pablo Larraín’s feature film about Maria Callas (played by Angelina Jolie) received a nomination for Best Cinematography. The film uses striking visuals to immerse the audience in Callas’ world and mind.
4. “The Six Triple Eight” – Tyler Perry’s World War II drama received a nomination for Best Original Song for Diane Warren’s rousing ballad, marking Warren’s 16th Oscar nomination.

Table 3: Other Netflix Films with Oscar Nominations (2025)

Streaming Availability

As with previous years, many of the Oscar-nominated films, including several from Netflix, were available for streaming before and after the ceremony. This continues the trend of increased accessibility to award-worthy content through digital platforms.

Among Netflix’s nominated films, viewers could access:

• “Emilia Pérez”
• “The Only Girl in the Orchestra”
• “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
• “Maria”
• “The Six Triple Eight”

Historical Context

Netflix’s 2025 Oscar performance continues its upward trajectory in the awards space. The company has steadily increased its presence at the Academy Awards over the years, with strong performances in other major award ceremonies as well, including 107 Emmy nominations (winning 24 awards), 36 Golden Globe nominations (winning 7), and 15 BAFTA film nominations in the 2024-2025 awards season.

Conclusion

The 2025 Academy Awards represented another significant step forward for Netflix in its quest for Oscar recognition. With 18 nominations and 3 wins across diverse categories, the streaming giant demonstrated its ability to produce and distribute content that meets the Academy’s high standards for artistic excellence. “Emilia Pérez” led the charge with its historic 13 nominations and 2 wins, while “The Only Girl in the Orchestra” provided Netflix with its third statue of the night.

As streaming platforms continue to reshape the film industry landscape, Netflix’s performance at the 97th Academy Awards underscores the growing acceptance of digitally distributed content within traditional cinema’s most prestigious award ceremony.

References

1. Netflix Tudum. (2025, March 3). Oscar-Nominated Movies on Netflix 2025: Winners ‘Emilia Perez,’ ‘The Only Girl in the Orchestra,’ and More. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/oscar-nominations-2025
2. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (2025, March 5). The 97th Academy Awards | 2025. Retrieved from https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2025
3. Variety. (2025, January 23). Oscar Nomination Scorecard: Netflix Leads Among Studios With 16, A24 Close Behind With 14. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/oscar-nomination-scorecard-netflix-leads-emilia-perez-1236283054/
4. What’s on Netflix. (2025, January 23). Full List of Netflix Oscar Nominations for 2025. Retrieved from https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-oscar-nominations-2025/
5. The Hollywood Reporter. (2025, March 3). Oscars 2025: Where to Stream the Award-Winning Films Online. Retrieved from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/where-to-watch-stream-2025-oscar-movies-nominees-winners-1236116379/