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Surprises, snubs and fan favorites: Breaking down the 2025 Oscar nominations
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AirTalk Tile 2024
Jan 23, 2025
Listen 1:42:16
Surprises, snubs and fan favorites: Breaking down the 2025 Oscar nominations

Today on AirTalk, we're going over the surprises and snubs from the Oscar nominations announced this morning. What is 'Stargate' AI, why did Trump invest $5 billion into it, and why is Elon Musk against the decision? We'll check back in with those who lost their homes in the L.A. wildfires to see what the challenges they're facing in the wake of the disaster. We'll look into Trump's new immigration policies as well as how they will affect the overall state of relations between the U.S. and Mexico. On TV Talk, we 'll cover ‘Harley Quinn,’ ‘Section 31, ’The Joe Schmo Show,’ and more.

A woman in a black dress with a sweetheart neckline stands smiling next to a man wearing glasses and a suit as they announce the 2025 Oscar nominees.
In this handout photo provided by The Academy, (L-R) Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott speak onstage during the 97th Oscars Nominations Announcement at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on January 23, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.
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Handout/The Academy via Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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Surprises, snubs and fan favorites: Breaking down the 2025 Oscar nominations

Listen 19:36
Surprises, snubs and fan favorites: Breaking down the 2025 Oscar nominations

Comedians Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott announced nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards on Thursday morning in a live broadcast from Beverly Hills. Emilia Pérez, Netflix's musical about a trans drug lord in Mexico, leads with 13 nominations – including nods for star Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña for their acting, Jacques Audiard for directing, and a nomination for Best Picture. Wicked and The Brutalist follow with 10 nominations each, including Best Picture. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were both nominated for their acting in Wicked, for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively. Adrien Brody, who plays a Jewish architect who immigrates to the U.S. after World War II in The Brutalist, also got an acting nod. Nominations have been delayed twice due to the raging fires in Southern California, which upended the entertainment industry just as Hollywood's annual awards season kicked off. The annual Academy luncheon honoring nominees was cancelled altogether. The 2025 Academy Awards ceremony is still slated to take place on Sunday, March 2, hosted by comedian Conan O'Brien at the Dolby Theater. We break down the nominations today with Marcus Jones, awards editor for TV & Film at IndieWire, and Angelique Jackson, senior entertainment writer at Variety.

With files from LAist. Read more here 

Join Larry Mantle and the FilmWeek critics for the 2025 Oscar Preview Show on Saturday, February 22 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Get tickets here

Trump announces new AI joint venture ‘Stargate’ — what that means for the U.S.

Listen 13:46
Trump announces new AI joint venture ‘Stargate’ — what that means for the U.S.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced a new private-sector investment of up to $500 billion for infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence. The new joint-venture, called Stargate, unites the ChatGPT company OpenAI with Oracle, a cloud database company, and the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank toward the development of 20 new data centers throughout the U.S. — with initial development starting in Texas. According to experts, the new plan looks to secure the U.S. as the global leader in AI development. Though many in the tech world have praised the announcement, some, like early investor of OpenAI, tech billionaire Elon Musk, have come out criticising the venture for its large scale budget. The announcement comes on the heels of President Trump’s recent executive order that rescinded Biden’s 2023 executive order that implemented safety standards on AI systems, leading some to wonder how this will tie into the success of Stargate. Joining us on AirTalk to discuss the new joint-venture and what it means for AI development is Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Checking in with those who lost homes: what is the biggest challenge for you right now?

Listen 18:44
Checking in with those who lost homes: what is the biggest challenge for you right now?

Thousands have lost their homes between the Palisades and Eaton fires. And while most of the flames have been contained, LA residents remain displaced or are unable to return to their neighborhoods. For those who are able to go back, it's to empty lots or severely damaged homes. The fight against the fires may be over, but the road to recovery has just begun. From filing insurance claims, to applying for FEMA, to researching debris clean-up, those who have lost their homes are now dealing with new challenges. Today, we’re talking to Altadena and Pacific Palisades residents about what is the most challenging thing for them right now as the smoke settles. Is it finding a temporary place to live? Is it finding lodging for your pets? Is it parsing through all the paperwork to begin rebuilding? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.

What are Trump’s new immigration policies and what do they mean for California?

Listen 17:32
What are Trump’s new immigration policies and what do they mean for California?

Only a few days into his second term, President Trump has signed several executive orders that aim to crack down on immigration, a promise he made during his campaign. Among some of his first policy initiatives are the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admission Program, the effort to redefine birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, and the requirement to collect DNA and fingerprints from detained immigrants, just to name a few. These policy reforms are all in an effort to assist President Trump’s mass deportation program. But what exactly do all these executive orders mean? How quickly will immigrants begin to feel the effects of such policies? And how are progressive states, such as California, planning to push back on these immigration initiatives?

Today on AirTalk, we lay out all the policy changes and promises President Trump has made regarding immigration and mass deportation. Joining us is Hamed Aleaziz, reporter covering Department of Homeland Security and immigration for the NY Times, and Wendy Fry, CalMatters reporter covering the California border region and immigration.

Now that Trump is president, what’s next for US-Mexico relations?

Listen 14:23
Now that Trump is president, what’s next for US-Mexico relations?

When Donald Trump became president in 2017, U.S.-Mexico relations shifted dramatically. Trump’s administration focused on issues like immigration, trade, and security, often in a confrontational manner. One of his most famous campaign promises was to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration, which caused significant tension between the two countries. In his second term as president, what will US-Mexico relations look like and how might Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum push back? Joining us this morning AirTalk is international correspondent for NPR, based in Mexico City, Eyder Peralta and director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies at UC San Diego, Rafael Fernández de Castro.

TV Talk: ‘Harley Quinn,’ ‘Section 31,’ ‘The Joe Schmo Show,’ and more!

Listen 19:17
TV Talk: ‘Harley Quinn,’ ‘Section 31,’ ‘The Joe Schmo Show,’ and more!

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we will try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. Joining us today on TV Talk is Melanie McFarland, tv critic for Salon and Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence.

Credits
Host, AirTalk
Host, Morning Edition, AirTalk Friday, The L.A. Report Morning Edition
Senior Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Associate Producer, AirTalk & FilmWeek
Associate Producer, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, FilmWeek