The Academy Awards announced their nominees this morning, and it was quite a whirlwind of events. We saw MANY first-time nominations, which is something we always love to see. The Oscars is set to air on ABC and Hulu on March 15. We have some messages from the nominees about their nominations you can check out below.

THE SMASHING MACHINE – Kazu Hiro | Nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards

“I’m truly honored and grateful for this nomination. The Smashing Machine was a project that required total trust, patience, and empathy from everyone involved, and I’m thankful to be recognized alongside such incredible artists. I share this recognition with our director Benny Safdie, the talented Dwayne Johnson, and the entire filmmaking team. I’m also thankful to my makeup and prosthetics team, whose craftsmanship and dedication made this work possible. To be acknowledged by the Academy is incredibly meaningful to me, and I’m sincerely grateful.”

– Kazu Hiro (Prosthetics Designer)

The Secret Agent // Nominated for Best Casting at the 98th Academy Awards – Casting Director Gabriel Domingues

“It is an immense honor to receive this nomination for my work as casting director on The Secret Agent. It’s a privilege to be nominated alongside the casting directors I have always looked up to.

As the casting director, my work on The Secret Agent was guided by a singular theme: memory. Each character we cast, no matter how small, had to be rooted in authenticity and the specific reality of Brazil in 1977. The process required finding performers whose presence, faces, and inner lives could truthfully unlock the social, emotional, and historical layers of a precise moment and place in time.

This nomination is especially meaningful because it recognizes the ensemble as a whole, built through careful collaboration, trust, and openness to both established actors and new voices. I am deeply grateful to our maestro Kleber Mendonça Filho, our producer Emilie Lesclaux, the entire The Secret Agent team, and to NEON for championing the film. I am honored that my peers in the Academy have recognized this work.” – Casting Director Gabriel Domingues [Statement]

SIRĀT \ Nominated for Best Sound at the 98th Academy Awards – Historic First Time Nomination for Three Female Sound Team

 “We are thrilled to have received this nomination. We extend our sincere congratulations to the other nominees, it is an honour to share this alongside such talented and inspiring colleagues.

This is a milestone we never could have imagined, and it fills us with deep joy and gratitude. We are thankful to be the first women-led sound team nominated in this category — the significance of this moment is not lost on us. The film required taking risks on both a technical and creative level in order to create a raw, impactful, and atmospheric soundscape in service of the story, and we are delighted to see that these efforts and decisions are recognised by our fellow peers from the Academy.

We want to acknowledge and thank our visionary filmmaker Oliver Laxe, our wonderful producers, and the diverse communities who have championed this unique story. Thank you to the NEON team and the distributors worldwide for all of their support.” 

– Laia Casanovas, Amanda Villavieja, and Yasmina Praderas