Ahead of the 95th Oscar nominations announcement on Tuesday, Bill Kramer, the Academy CEO, shared in a letter to AMPAS members that the organization saw “record-breaking participation” for this year’s nominations, producing the largest voter turnout in the Academy Awards’ 95-year history.

Following the close of Oscar nomination voting, which concluded on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 5:00 p.m. PT, Kramer sent an email praising the participation from AMPAS members, representing more than 80 countries, surpassing 2022’s record number of participants. While exact figures on turnout aren’t shared by the Academy, we know there are 9,579 eligible voting members across the 18 branches.

More participation could yield unexpected results. This marks the second year of the return of the best picture category guaranteeing 10 films recognized. Last year’s field of nominees saw inspired choices — like the Japanese drama “Drive My Car” landing major attention, including best picture — along with a barrage of surprising inclusions like Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”), Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”) and Judi Dench (“Belfast”) in the acting categories. We also saw shocking exclusions like Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) from the best actress category.

With many blockbusters and consumer-friendly titles in the awards discussion, such as “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Glass Onion” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” we could see a field of nominated movies that the general public is more familiar with. As a result, the telecast might see higher ratings. The Producers Guild of America Awards, a key bellwether for Oscars’ best picture category, recognized four sequels, including the three aforementioned and Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Only eight sequels have been nominated in Oscars history, and none have been in the same year.

Several A-list names in film, along with feel-good comeback stories and legacy recognitions, are in contention for nominations. Some of those include Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) and Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”). Some of the biggest names in music are also vying for attention: Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Drake and the Weeknd.

Returning to an in-person live event, the Oscar noms will be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 24 from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

See the latest film predictions, for all 23 categories, in one place on Variety’s Oscars Collective. Final Oscar predictions will be revealed on Thursday.

Read a copy of the letter from Kramer below:

Dear Academy members,

Thank you for voting for this year’s Oscar nominations! We saw record-breaking participation, and ballots were submitted from 80 countries. This year’s nominations reflect the tireless work and incredible dedication of so many within our film community.

Through the Oscars, the Academy recognizes and celebrates the collaborative arts and sciences of filmmaking and the diverse, talented people who make movies. We connect our global audiences—Academy members, the industry, and film fans—through their shared passions for making and watching movies.

The nominees in all 23 award categories will be announced this year by Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams on Tuesday, January 24 at 5:30 am PT. You can watch the announcement live on Good Morning America, Oscars.org, Oscar.com, and the Academy’s digital platforms ( YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter). We so hope you can join us.

Finals voting begins on Thursday, March 2, and we hope you will continue to visit your local movie theaters to watch this year’s nominated films. You also may access these films and bonus content on our fantastic Academy Screening Room.

Thank you, again, for your devotion and commitment to the Academy. I look forward to celebrating our nominees with all of you on March 12!

All my best,

Bill Kramer
Chief Executive Officer

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