As the 2025 Oscars air on Sunday, be on the lookout for the history that could be made by a few nominees.
The 97th Academy Awards, set for March 2, could see significantly historic wins with several nominees poised to break ground or set new records in their respective categories.
Check out these moments to watch out for at Hollywood’s biggest night.
Trans representation
Karla Sofía Gascón, who plays the title role in “Emilia Perez,” could make history as the first trans actor to win an Academy Award. In the thriller musical, the 52-year-old actress plays a Mexican drug cartel leader who fakes her death and undergoes gender-affirming surgery.
However, the likelihood of her winning Best Actress was dampened when Gascón came under fire for racist tweets that resurfaced on social media. The backlash from the offensive posts, which included Islamophobic, anti-Black and other controversial remarks on a wide range of topics, led the Spanish actress to apologize.
“Emilia Pérez” director Jacques Audiard condemned the tweets saying, telling Deadline “what Karla Sofía said is inexcusable.”
A new EGOT?
Cynthia Erivo’s Best Actress Oscar nomination for playing Elphaba in “Wicked,” gives her a shot at becoming the youngest EGOT.
Erivo’s Tony, Grammy and Emmy all came from her brilliant performance as Celie in “The Color Purple” on Broadway, winning those awards in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
This is Erivo’s third chance at EGOTing with two Oscar nominations for “Harriet” in 2020 in the Best Actress and Best Original Song categories.
First Afro- Latino to win Best Actor
Colman Domingo has another chance this year at becoming the first Afro-Latino to win the Oscar for best actor. Last year, Domingo, whose roots stem from Belize and Guatemala, was nominated for his role as Bayard Rustin in “Rustin.”
He now has another shot to make history with his Best Actor nomination for his work in “Sing Sing.”
Female director
Coralie Fargeat, who directed for Golden Globe-winning “The Substance,” is just the tenth woman in the Academy’s history to be nominated for Best Director.
If Fargeat takes home the award in the category, she would be the fourth woman to do so in Oscar history.
Musicals re-enter Best Picture race
Two musicals, “Emilia Pérez,” and “Wicked,” have entered the top prize this year for Best Picture. This is the first time two musicals have vied for the award since the 1969 Oscars. That year “Oliver!” and “Funny Girl” we’re up for the coveted title.
If either “Emilia Pérez,” or “Wicked” takes the category, it would be the first musical to win since 2003, when “Chicago” won the gold man.
Youngest Best Actor in a Leading Role
Timothee Chalamet, who has already made history this award season as the youngest actor to win Best Actor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, could also do the same at the Oscars.
Chalamet, who just turned 29 in December, secured the Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in the film “A Complete Unknown.”
If Chalamet were to win in the category, he would become the youngest winner for Best Actor in Oscars history, taking over Adrien Brody for his role in “The Pianist” in 2003. Ironically, Brody is also up for Best Actor this year and considered Chalamet’s biggest competition.
Find out who comes out on top March, 2 at 7 p.m. EST on ABC.
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