Zoe Saldaña Emerges as an Oscar Contender Following the 2025 Golden Globe Awards

The 2025 awards season is heating up, with a particularly intense competition between two standout performances that has captured the industry’s attention. Zoe Saldaña’s role as lawyer Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez has earned her widespread acclaim. Her character assists former cartel leader Emilia Pérez, portrayed by Karla Sofía Gascón, in orchestrating a new identity and faking her death. On the other hand, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda in the musical Wicked has also struck a chord with audiences and critics alike. As both actresses continue to dominate nominations at major awards shows, they are poised as the leading contenders for the Best Supporting Actress title.

Both films, Emilia Pérez and Wicked, have sparked considerable dialogue, given their position as potential Best Picture nominees. Each features a strong female cast, yet the films explore vastly different themes and narratives. Saldaña delivers a powerful and complex performance, navigating the moral ambiguities faced by her character, while Grande infuses humor and warmth into her role as Glinda, the good witch. Despite their contrasting portrayals, both characters embody empowerment, which resonates with audiences. As the 97th Academy Awards approach, however, early indicators suggest that Saldaña may have the edge in the race for Best Supporting Actress.

Zoe Saldaña’s Golden Globes Victory Bolsters Her Oscars Prospects

Saldaña Claims Golden Globes Best Supporting Actress Award, Surpassing Grande

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8M1fR5Scw

Zoe Saldana Wins Female Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture | Golden Globes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8M1fR5Scw)

Industry insiders largely concur that either Zoe Saldaña or Ariana Grande is set to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2025. Saldaña’s recent victory at the 82nd Golden Globes for her role in Emilia Pérez has strengthened her position, as she bested Grande in the competitive category of Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. This win follows a remarkable success at the Cannes Film Festival where Emilia Pérez received significant accolades, including a collective Best Ensemble Cast Award for the entire cast.

Saldaña has also triumphed at numerous other prestigious critics’ awards, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards and the Florida Film Critics Circle Awards. As the Critics’ Choice Awards loom, both actresses remain contenders in the same category, but signs indicate a growing preference for Saldaña among major awarding bodies.

The Golden Globes’ Predictive Power for the Oscars

Historical Trends: Golden Globes and Oscars Share Best Supporting Actress Winners

Although the Golden Globes and the Oscars do not always align, a significant correlation exists between the two in recent years. Statistically, they have selected the same Best Supporting Actress 37 out of 81 times, with 15 out of 24 winners sharing accolades this century and a staggering 7 out of the last 10 in the past decade. This pattern highlights a trend of stronger alignment between the two awarding bodies for major categories.

Best Supporting Actress Winners Of The Past 10 Years
Year Of Movie’s Release	Golden Globes	Academy Awards
2023	Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers	—
2022	Angela Bassett for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever	Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All at Once
2021	Ariana DeBose for West Side Story	—
2020	Jodie Foster for The Mauritanian	Yuh-jung Youn for Minari
2019	Laura Dern for Marriage Story	—
2018	Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk	—
2017	Allison Janney for I, Tonya	—
2016	Viola Davis for Fences	—
2015	Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs	Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl
2014	Patricia Arquette for Boyhood	—

In years where the competition is fierce, such as the recent tight race between Angela Bassett and Jamie Lee Curtis, critics often look to the Golden Globe winners for guidance. This mutual recognition helps shape the Academy’s voting patterns, as members may feel influenced by the prevailing opinions of their peers.

Zoe Saldaña’s Golden Globes Win Provides Traction for the Oscars

Saldaña’s Momentum as Awards Season Progresses

As the Oscars draw near, Academy voters are likely to be influenced by the Golden Globes results. Historically regarded as a precursor to the Oscars, the Golden Globes’ outcome may galvanize support for Saldaña’s achievements this season. Had Grande secured a win at the Globes, the narrative might have shifted towards her, given the appeal of her comedic performance in a widely celebrated musical.

At this point, Saldaña is enjoying a formidable awards season, with numerous victories propelling her forward, positioning her favorably for greater accolades. Nevertheless, as we know, surprises can happen in the film industry, and Grande’s talent remains undeniable. She has also received recognition from critics’ groups, including wins at several prestigious awards, such as the San Diego Film Critics Society and the Southeastern Film Critics Association. Nonetheless, the current landscape suggests that Saldaña, in Emilia Pérez, holds the upper hand, making this awards season an especially exhilarating one.

Source & Images