Every year the Academy Awards brings on a slew of emotional speeches, big surprises, and debates on award winners. This year should be no different with a lot of up and coming stars, veteran actors, and well-respected directors making a run for their money on March 15. 

As a lifetime cinephile who closely follows award seasons and major candidates every year, I’ve spent the past few months watching and analyzing over 40 films from 2025. Because of this I can confidently predict who I think will win in the main categories at this year’s awards. 

• Best Picture: Train Dreams 

I believe Train Dreams will win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It’s a beautifully filmed, quiet movie that eventually punches you in the gut. Its main themes of masculinity, isolation, and the changing American landscape gives it emotional weight while also not feeling too overly dramatic. Over the past few years, the Academy has been leaning towards more thoughtful, character-driven films recently, and this film does that. It’s an absolutely gorgeous movie that highlights humanity without forcing it too hard. 

• Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another) 

I believe Paul Thomas Anderson will win the Academy Award for Best Director for his film One Battle After Another. His direction in the film is inspiring and controlled simultaneously. The combination of bold character moments and large set pieces display his absolute mastery behind the camera which makes him the most deserving of this award. The Academy loves technical achievements that are bold, so Anderson’s style is exactly what they are looking for in a potential winner. While being one of the most highly-regarded directors today, he has not yet won an Oscar so he is undoubtedly the favorite for this category.

• Best Actor: Timothee Chalamet (Marty Supreme) 

I believe Timothee Chalamet will win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film Marty Supreme. His performance in this film has felt like a stepping stone for his career. His role as Marty Mauser is more magnetic and physically present than a lot of his earlier works in previous films. He carries the whole film with vigor, and a confidence that is unmatched, which just proves how well he can handle both humor and intensity. The Academy usually likes to reward actors who have officially stepped into the status of a full-fledged movie-star, so this could be the moment where Chalamet is cemented as one of the greatest actors of his generation.

• Best Actress: Emma Stone (Bugonia)

I believe Emma Stone will win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film Bugonia. In my opinion, this has been one of the most daring performances of the entire year. What was demanded of Stone during this film was a sort of emotional unpredictability as well as a commitment to a very unusual tone which she fully engrossed herself in. The Academy loves actresses who take creative risks, which is exactly how Stone won Best Actress for Poor Things (2019). If voters respond to this bold performance, she could easily win her second Best Actress award in only 7 years.

• Best Supporting Actor: Stellan Skarsgard (Sentimental Value)

I believe Stellan Skarsgard will win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film Sentimental Value. Bringing a quiet strength to the film, his performance brings a restrained but powerful anchor to the entire movie. Although he’s not absolutely dominating the screen, the Academy gives out this award to actors who enhance any scene that they are a part of. A veteran in the film industry, a win for Skarsgard would be an overarching acknowledgement of his years of dedication to the art of movie-making.

• Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value)

I believe Elle Fanning will win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film Sentimental Value. She brings a lot of emotional depth to the movie, delivering her performance with a vulnerability and delicacy that elevates the film. The award for Best Supporting Actress is often given to actresses that are willing to be vulnerable with the audience with raw and personal performance, which perfectly falls under what is seen from Elle Fanning in this film. Similar to Chalamet, if she wins, this could be a life-changing step in her acting career.