Zoe Saldaña Has Arrived for Her Oscar Moment in the Best Picture Contender ‘Emilia Pérez’ (2024)

For nearly 20 years, Zoe Saldaña has starred in some of the most financially successful films in history, including “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame.” You’d think an actress with such an impressive résumé would have scripts and prominent roles constantly coming her way. Yet, in Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” where Saldaña plays Rita Moro Castro, she sings and dances, and in one high-energy number, “El Mal,” she shows the ferocity that shows the depth of her talent. It was a moment that left me incredibly frustrated with Hollywood. Despite her box office success, Saldaña has rarely been allowed to showcase the full range of her abilities. Why are we only learning about this now?

I expressed these sentiments to Telluride executive director Julie Huntsinger during an interview with Variety, and she confidently replied, “That all stops now.”

Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on theVarietyAwards Circuit:Oscars.

The Latina star is likely to be at the forefront of the Oscar race, depending on where she ultimately decides to campaign as either lead or supporting actress. Saldaña’s performance in “Emilia” harks back to the moment we watched Catherine Zeta-Jones’s portrayal of Velma Kelly in “Chicago” (2002), which led to an Oscar win. There’s a sense that Saldaña could follow a similar path this awards season.

But the compelling musical crime film isn’t just about Saldaña.

Writer, director, and producer Audiard received the Silver Medallion Tribute at Telluride on Friday evening, launching Netflix’s quest to nab the auteur his long overdue Oscar nom. Sometimes described as the “French Martin Scorsese,” the 72-year-old has won the Palme d’Or twice but has never been nominated for an Academy Award. This year, that could also change, as Audiard may find himself in the running for best picture, director or screenplay. He would become the latest triple crown recipient which has netted wins for The Daniels (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and nominations for Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), who won two out of three.

The ensemble cast includes Karla Sofía Gascón in the titular role, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz. Along with Saldaña, the four shared the best actress prize at Cannes, making them strong contenders for Academy recognition.

Gascón aims to make history as the first trans woman nominated for best actress. Her presence on the circuit will help propel her in the lead actress race, which is sure to be overflowing with well-known artists and former nominees and winners, including Saoirse Ronan, who will also be honored at Telluride for her performance in “The Outrun.”

Gomez’s arrival in Telluride on Thursday didn’t go unnoticed by her fans. A neon orange sign stapled to a pole on Main Street, addressed to Gomez, read, “Please sing the National Anthem at one of [the] home games: Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m.)” and was signed by the Telluride High School volleyball team. Whether Gomez has seen the sign or plans to surprise the team remains unknown, but with Audiard’s tribute during the Friday slot, Saturday might be their only hope.

However, the team may have to forgive her as the Emmy-nominated actress from “Only Murders in the Building” is likely to be busy schmoozing at the festival. As Jessi Del Monte, Emilia’s wife, Gomez has two standout moments, particularly with the song “El Camino,” that could have the Academy responding to her work. She’ll need to continue putting herself out there, shaking hands and mingling with voters, as campaigning can make a difference. Notable, the supporting actress category has had two Oscar nominees from the same movie approximately 33% of the time. That could push Gomez into the lineup alongside her co-star.

In a year filled with musicals, including “Better Man,” “Piece by Piece,” “The End” and the upcoming “Wicked,” Audiard’s film stands out. Netflix acquired the film at Cannes and is going full throttle, hoping to snag its first best picture Oscar with this unique drama.

Expect “Emilia Pérez” to be an across-the-board contender at the Oscars, with potential nominations for cinematography (Paul Guillaume), editing (Juliette Welfing), and music by the composing duo Clément Ducol and Camille.

The Spanish-language film is also vying to be France’s official selection in this year’s international feature race. It’s been over 30 years since France, once a source of Oscar winners, last won the category. After two consecutive years of controversial selections — “Titane” over “Happening” and “The Taste of Things” over “Anatomy of a Fall”— Netflix remains hopeful that the selection committee will recognize the potential of “Emilia Pérez” to bring the victory back to France.

As the weekend continues, we’ll see how attendees respond to the film as it begins its long trek on the awards circuit and, possibly, to the 97th Academy Awards.