The Californians That Earned Oscars 2025 Nominations

The 2025 awards season is underway and this year's nominees are stacked with viral films and meme-worthy performances. From the social media favorites "Wicked" and "Nosferatu" to remarkable pieces of cinema like "Anora" and "A Complete Unknown," we can’t wait to see which pieces of cinema will be going home with a gong at this year's Oscar season.

California is the birthplace of some of the biggest names in cinema. This year there are noteworthy Californian Oscar nominees throughout the various categories, showcasing the depth of talent that comes from California in the film industry. So, let's take a look at the Californians who earned prestigious Oscar nominations for 2025.

MIKEY MADISON - ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE NOMINATION FOR "ANORA"

Mikaela “Mikey” Madison Rosberg was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Fernando Valley. She made her acting debut in 2013 at the age of just 14, starring in short films “Retirement” and “Pani’s Box”. She went on to star in the comedy series’ “Better Things” and “Imposters.” In 2019 she appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and in 2022 was a part of the fifth installment of the “Scream” franchise. However, it is in her Oscar-nominated title-role of “Anora” where she has received breakout success, also securing nominations for a BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG Award.

MONICA BARBARO - BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINATION FOR "A COMPLETE UNKNOWN"

Monica Barbaro was born in San Francisco and grew up in Mill Valley. She began training in ballet and went down the acting route in 2010 after graduating from college with a dance major.  She began acting in small roles and went on to gain acclaim for her supporting role in “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022. Now she is nominated for an Oscar in her supporting role of folk singer and activist Joan Baez, starring alongside Timothee Chalamet in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” Barboro took singing and guitar lessons for the role. 

JARIN BLASCHKE - CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINATION FOR "NOSFERATU"

Westminster native Jarin Blaschke is famous for his work with director Robert Eggers. He was also previously nominated for an Oscar in 2019 for the film “The Lighthouse” where the pair worked together. They reunited again to team up for “Nosferatu”, where Blaschke has received dozens of nominations for Best Binematography. The Gothic horror film is a remake of a 1922 film and is based on the novel Dracula. The 2024 release has also received nominations in the “Best Costume”, “Best Makeup and Hairstyling”, and “Best Production Design" categories. 

SMITRI MUNDHRA - DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM NOMINATION FOR "I AM READY, WARDON"

Nominated together with Maya Gnyp, Smriti Mundhra was born in Los Angeles. She was raised between LA and Mumbai, India. She runs her own production company, Malta Films, which specializes in documentaries and non-fiction content. She is even the Executive Producer and Creator of Netflix’s “Indian Matchmaking.” Her father was also a filmmaker and her parents were the first exhibitors of Bollywood films in the US. She has worked in films since she was a teenager, where she began working as a production assistant. In 2018 she directed the ad campaign for Bumble’s India launch, which starred Priyanka Chopra Jonas. She received her first Oscar nomination in 2020 for her short film “St. Louis Superman.” Her current nomination for “I Am Ready, Warden”, follows the final days of Texas death row inmate John Henry Ramirez before his execution.

MYRON KERSTEIN - FILM EDITING NOMINATION FOR "WICKED"

In addition to working on arguably the most anticipated film of 2024 - it’s “Wicked” in case you’ve been living under a rock - Myron Kerstein has also worked on “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.” Born in Oceanside, he has been working in the film industry since the 1990s and is known for his work with Director Jon M. Chu, with whom he collaborated on “Wicked.” His first Oscar nomination was in 2021 for the film “Tick, Tick… Boom!”, which he shared with Andrew Weisblum. “Wicked” has also received nominations this year in the “Actress in a Leading Role”, “Actress in a Supporting Role”, “Costume Design”, “Makeup and Hairstyling”, “Music (Original Score)”, “Best Picture”, “Production Design”, “Sound”, and “Visual Effects” categories. Clearly, “Wicked” is one to watch on Oscars night. 

KRIS BOWERS - MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) NOMINATION FOR "THE WILD ROBOT"

Kris Bowers was born in Los Angeles to parents in the film and television industry. He has been playing the piano since the age of 4 and went on to graduate from Juilliard. His first film composition was for the documentary “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” in 2013. During his career he has collaborated, performed and recorded with Jay-Z, Kanye West and Alicia Keys. In addition to his current nomination for “The Wild Robot”, he was previously nominated for an Oscar at the 93rd Academy Awards for his documentary “A Concerto is a Conversation.” Bowers is also the composer for the acclaimed show “Bridgerton” on Netflix.

Earning a nomination at the Oscars is a remarkable achievement. These awards represent some of the highest honors in film and highlight the most exemplary work done that year. The 97th annual Academy Award show takes place on March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for our Californian Oscar nominees.