Pop Culture Happy Hour Episode Summary: "2025 Oscars Guide And What's Making Us Happy"

Release Date: February 28, 2025
Host: NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour Team – Aisha Harris, Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, Stephen Thompson

Introduction to the Oscars Guide

As the excitement builds for the 2025 Oscars, NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts Aisha Harris, Linda Holmes, Glenn Weldon, and Stephen Thompson delve into the year's most buzzworthy films, discussing nominations, predictions, and the controversies shaping the awards season.

Best Picture Nominees and Big Blockbusters

The panel begins by spotlighting the major contenders for Best Picture, focusing on two significant blockbusters:

1. "Wicked"

   • Synopsis: A prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," exploring the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West.
   • Stars: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
   • Stephen Thompson [01:55]: "Never let it be said that that movie does not end on a strong note."

2. "Dune Part 2"

   • Synopsis: Continues the saga of Paul Atreides as he faces the Harkonnens' control over the desert planet.
   • Star: Timothée Chalamet.
   • Aisha Harris [02:33]: "I was definitely thankful for those recaps for Dune Part one before I watched this one."

Smaller, Ambitious Nominees

Linda Holmes provides an overview of the more nuanced Best Picture nominations:

1. "Conclave"

   • Plot: A twisty exploration of the papal conclave process.
   • Star: Ralph Fiennes.
   • Linda Holmes [03:05]: "It's a convent, Aldo."

2. "Nickel Boys"

   • Plot: Follows two black boys bonding at a segregated reform school in the Jim Crow South.
   • Linda Holmes [03:53]: "Nickel Boys is the story of two black boys who form an unshakable bond."

3. "Honora"

   • Plot: Centers on a New York sex worker who marries the son of Russian oligarchs.
   • Star: Mikey Madison.
   • Aisha Harris [05:56]: "It normalizes this depiction of sex work."

4. "Anora" and "Emilia Perez"

   • Plot: "Anora" follows a sex worker marrying into Russian oligarchy; "Emilia Perez" tells the story of a trans cartel boss reinventing her life.
   • Stephen Thompson [05:41]: "Emilia Perez is about a trans Mexican cartel boss who disappears from the criminal underworld."

Controversies Impacting Best Picture

A significant discussion arises around "Emilia Perez", led by Aisha Harris:

• Controversy: Carla Sofia Gascon, the film's lead, resurfaced old racist and Islamophobic tweets.
• Impact: Apologies were issued, but opinions are divided on whether this affects the film's Oscar chances.
• Linda Holmes [07:32]: "I do think that these controversies are going to affect Emilia Perez."

Best Picture Predictions

The hosts weigh in on potential Best Picture winners:

• Linda Holmes [07:47]: Predicts "The Brutalist" might win Best Picture due to its traditional Oscar appeal.
• Stephen Thompson [09:02]: Agrees with Linda, highlighting "The Brutalist" as a quintessential Oscar film.
• Glenn Weldon [10:06]: Sees potential for "Anora" to triumph, noting its success at the Producers Guild of America Awards.
• Aisha Harris [10:06]: Advocates for "Anora," emphasizing its genre subversion and relevance.
• Final Standings:
  • Linda Holmes and Glenn Weldon: Support "Nickel Boys."
  • Aisha Harris and Stephen Thompson: Champion "Anora."

Lead Actress Category

The discussion shifts to the Best Actress nominees:

• Nominees:

  • Cynthia Erivo for "Wicked"
  • Fernanda Torres for "I'm Still Here"
  • Mikey Madison for "Honora"
  • Carla Sophia Gascon for "Emilia Perez"
  • Demi Moore for "Conclave" (Presumed frontrunner)

• Predictions and Preferences:

  • Aisha Harris [16:15]: "I think Demi Moore is going to walk away with this award."
  • Stephen Thompson [15:03]: Favors Mikey Madison for her charisma in "Honora".
  • Linda Holmes [19:06]: Supports Cynthia Erivo, highlighting her performance in "Wicked".

• Notable Quotes:

  • Linda Holmes [19:36]: "If not this, what am I rewarding?"
  • Aisha Harris [16:22]: "She doesn't seem to be somebody who has, for some reason, made enemies in her long time in Hollywood."

Lead Actor Category

The panel examines the Best Actor nominees:

• Nominees:

  • Colman Domingo for "Sing Sing"
  • Ralph Fiennes for "Conclave"
  • Sebastian Stan for "The Apprentice"
  • Adrien Brody for "The Brutalist"
  • Timothée Chalamet for a biopic of Bob Dylan

• Predictions and Preferences:

  • Aisha Harris [22:06]: Advocates for Timothée Chalamet, drawing parallels to transformative performances.
  • Linda Holmes & Glenn Weldon [24:50]: Favor Adrien Brody for his traditional Oscar appeal.
  • Stephen Thompson [25:29]: Initially favors Chalamet but later supports Colman Domingo.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Stephen Thompson [25:21]: "I think Brody will and should."
  • Linda Holmes [24:38]: "You're gonna win the Brutalist."

Supporting Actress Category

The conversation moves to the Best Supporting Actress nominations:

• Nominees:

  • Ariana Grande for "Wicked"
  • Felicity Jones for "The Brutalist"
  • Isabella Rossellini for "Conclave"
  • Monica Barbaro for "A Complete Unknown"
  • Zoe Saldana for "Emilia Perez"

• Predictions and Preferences:

  • Linda Holmes [31:40]: Bets on Zoe Saldana, despite reservations about her film.
  • Aisha Harris [33:10]: Leans towards Ariana Grande, citing her musical performance edge.
  • Glenn Weldon [34:24]: Shares hopes for both Saldana and Grande.
  • Stephen Thompson [35:02]: Supports Monica Barbaro for her critical role in "A Complete Unknown".

• Notable Quotes:

  • Linda Holmes [31:40]: "I suspect it's gonna be Zoe Saldano."
  • Aisha Harris [33:10]: "I think Ariana Grande has a lot of goodwill."

Supporting Actor Category

The panel discusses the Best Supporting Actor nominees:

• Nominees:

  • Edward Norton for "A Complete Unknown"
  • Guy Pierce for "The Brutalist"
  • Jeremy Strong for "The Apprentice"
  • Yuri Borisov for "Anora"
  • Kieran Culkin for "Real Pain"

• Predictions and Preferences:

  • Stephen Thompson [37:06]: Strongly supports Kieran Culkin for his magnetic performance.
  • Glenn Weldon [38:16]: Acknowledges category fraud but aligns with Stephen.
  • Linda Holmes [39:28]: Ultimately supports Edward Norton for his portrayal of Pete Seeger.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Stephen Thompson [37:06]: "Kieran Culkin is a genius."
  • Glenn Weldon [38:50]: "Colman Domingo rules and is king forever."

Best Director Category

Finally, the hosts analyze the Best Director nominations:

• Nominees:

  • Coralie Farja for "The Substance"
  • Jacques Odillard for "Emilia Perez"
  • James Mangold for "A Complete Unknown"
  • Brady Courbet for "The Brutalist"
  • Sean Baker for "Honora"

• Predictions and Preferences:

  • Stephen Thompson [41:33]: Favors Brady Courbet for "The Brutalist".
  • Linda Holmes [42:56]: Agrees with Stephen, citing Hollywood's preference for sweeping epics.
  • Glenn Weldon [43:05]: Advocates for Sean Baker, praising his unique filmmaking style.
  • Aisha Harris [43:05]: Also supports Sean Baker, noting his recent Directors Guild of America award.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Linda Holmes [42:02]: "The way that this film plays with color... really makes it magical."
  • Glenn Weldon [43:05]: "Sean Baker makes exactly the kind of movies that people have been telling us for years don't get made anymore."

Oscar Predictions and Debates

Throughout the episode, the hosts engage in lively debates, often agreeing on certain categories while diverging on others. Notably:

• Best Picture: Split between "The Brutalist," "Anora," and "Nickel Boys."
• Best Actress: Differing opinions with support for Demi Moore, Mikey Madison, and Cynthia Erivo.
• Best Actor: Tension between supporting Timothée Chalamet and Adrien Brody.
• Best Supporting Actress: Divided support between Zoe Saldana and Ariana Grande.
• Best Supporting Actor: Leaning towards Edward Norton and Kieran Culkin despite category discrepancies.
• Best Director: Consensus leans towards traditional choices like Brady Courbet and Sean Baker over more audacious directors.

"What's Making Us Happy" Segment

In their favorite weekly segment, the hosts share what brings them joy amidst the Oscars frenzy:

• Glenn Weldon [47:18]: Recommends "Flo," a Latvian animated film about a cat surviving a global flood.
  Glenn [47:27]: "It's about a cat who survives a flood... you can root along with me for it on Oscar night."

• Linda Holmes [48:49]: Finds happiness in listening to Pete Seeger’s music, specifically recommending "We Shall Overcome."
  Linda [48:52]: "Anything you can find of Pete Seeger... is really stirring."

• Stephen Thompson [49:44]: Enthusiastically promotes "Deal or No Deal Island," a competitive game show hosted by Joe Manganiello on NBC and Peacock.
  Stephen [50:19]: "It's a lot of fun to watch. It may just be the palate cleanser that you need this Oscars weekend."

• Aisha Harris [50:52]: Loves "Sly Lives, AKA the Burden of Black Genius," a documentary about Sly Stone directed by Questlove, available on Hulu.
  Aisha [51:03]: "It's a real fun delight. I highly recommend, especially if you like Summer of Soul."

Conclusion and Announcements

As the episode wraps up, Aisha announces upcoming content for Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus, including monthly bonus episodes featuring additional discussions and listener questions.

• Aisha Harris [53:14]: "If you want to get these monthly bonuses mailback episodes, subscribe now to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus@plus.NPR.org/happy."

The hosts express camaraderie and tease further discussions on Oscar nominees in future episodes, promising an engaging recap of the Oscars telecast.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Aisha Harris [00:53]: "A misunderstood witch, an unknowable singer, songwriter, a dejected TV personality and the dean of car cardinals will all walk into the Dolby Theater on Sunday night because it's that time of year again. Yes, it's the Oscars."

• Linda Holmes [07:32]: "I do think that these controversies are going to affect Emilia Perez."

• Stephen Thompson [09:02]: "I feel that the Brutalist is going to wind up reaping a lot of the benefit of some of the blowback against Amelia Perez."

• Aisha Harris [16:22]: "I think she's just one of those people who's worked with a gazillion people over the course of her career who all seem to have a reasonable amount of affection for her."

• Stephen Thompson [25:29]: "I think this is a role that I really, really dug."

• Linda Holmes [31:40]: "I suspect it's gonna be Zoe Saldano."

• Stephen Thompson [35:02]: "If it didn't have that performance, it would fall apart."

• Aisha Harris [43:05]: "I think that if Honora should win Best Picture, I also think I feel like that should align here."

This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour offers an in-depth exploration of the 2025 Oscars contenders, blending sharp analysis with lively debates. Whether you're a film enthusiast or just curious about the awards season buzz, this summary captures the essence of the hosts' discussions and predictions.