The Politics of the Oscars: Anti-Trump Themes Dominate 2025 Nominations

British star David Tennant made his stance clear when he took on US President Donald Trump while hosting the BAFTA Awards this year. While introducing the animated film Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Tennant spoke about Feathers McGraw, the sinister penguin from the Wallace & Gromit series, calling him a villain. In the same breath, he took a jab at Trump.

Tennant's remarks reflect the sentiment of much of Hollywood, where Trump has often been labelled everything from a "bigot" to a "nightmare," "fascist," and "bully" by high-profile celebrities like Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Madonna, and Don Cheadle. This anti-Trump sentiment was particularly evident during this year’s Golden Globe Awards, where host and stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser quipped to the audience, "You are all so famous, so talented, so powerful, you could really do anything. Well, except tell the country who to vote for."

The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards, announced on January 23, seem to reflect this collective Hollywood disdain for Trump. Several nominated films, either directly or indirectly, critique his policies and ideology. These include The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Wicked, The Substance, A Complete Unknown, and The Apprentice.

Perhaps the most overtly political among them is The Apprentice, a biopic chronicling a young Donald Trump’s rise to power in the 1970s. The film delves into his business dealings, his troubling treatment of his first wife, Ivana Trump, and the influence of his mentor and lawyer, Roy Cohn. The film has secured two Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Sebastian Stan, who portrays Trump. The film's portrayal of Trump is deeply critical, highlighting themes of corruption, manipulation, and moral decay that shaped his early career. The film's director Ali Abbasi has openly stated that The Apprentice aims to expose the dangers of unchecked ambition, using Trump’s story as a cautionary tale for modern politics.

Another notable film is A Complete Unknown, which has garnered eight nominations. This biopic explores the early years of Bob Dylan while also portraying folk music legend Pete Seeger as a communist sympathizer. Trump has long positioned communism—particularly the Chinese Communist Party—as one of America’s greatest economic threats. He frequently refers to his ideological opponents as "communists," making this film’s themes particularly relevant. Edward Norton’s portrayal of Pete Seeger has earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film explores the cultural and political turbulence of the 1960s, drawing parallels between McCarthy-era anti-communism and modern political scapegoating.

Dune: Part Two has received five nominations, and while it is primarily an action-adventure drama set 20,000 years in the future on the desert planet of Arrakis, its themes of colonialism and resistance resonate with contemporary politics. The film takes a firm anti-colonization stance, which contrasts starkly with Trump’s expansionist rhetoric, including his controversial proposal during his first term to purchase Greenland from Denmark. His administration’s discussions about such a move drew significant backlash, reinforcing the perception of America’s imperialist ambitions. The film’s protagonist, Paul Atreides, leads an indigenous uprising against imperial forces, drawing obvious parallels to resistance movements against oppressive regimes in the real world.

The Brutalist, nominated in ten categories, also presents a strong critique of Trump-era policies. The film addresses the treatment of immigrants in America, telling the story of a Holocaust survivor (played by Adrien Brody) who arrives in the US after World War II in search of a better life but faces rampant antisemitism. The film indirectly criticizes Trump's hard-line stance on immigration, particularly his policies targeting refugees. The opening scene, which depicts the protagonist’s arrival at Ellis Island, serves as a pointed reminder of America’s historical role as a refuge for immigrants—an ideal that critics argue Trump’s policies have undermined. Joe Alwyn, who plays a pompous character in the film, revealed in an interview with Variety that his role was modelled on Trump, further cementing the film’s underlying political commentary. The film is not just an attack on Trump’s immigration policies but also a reflection on the broader history of xenophobia in America.

Another film making waves is Emilia Pérez, which has received 13 nominations, including Best Picture. A French musical crime drama, the film follows a Mexican cartel leader who undergoes gender transition while escaping his violent past. The film has been widely praised for its ground-breaking representation of transgender identity while also being critiqued for its bold political themes. The film’s depiction of crime, power, and gender transformation has been seen by some as an implicit critique of conservative values, aligning with broader Hollywood resistance to Trump-era policies on gender and LGBTQ+ rights.

Similarly, Wicked, an adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, takes a subtler but no less impactful approach to political themes. The film explores issues of systemic oppression, propaganda, and the demonization of outsiders—parallels that many have drawn to Trump’s rhetoric on immigration and minority communities. While Wicked does not directly reference Trump, its themes of misinformation and power struggles resonate with critiques of his presidency and political tactics.

The nominations this year highlight Hollywood's increasing willingness to engage with political discourse through film. These movies do not merely entertain; they challenge viewers to think critically about social issues, past and present. While Trump remains a divisive figure, the response from the film industry suggests a firm stance against his policies and leadership style. Whether or not these films secure Oscar wins, their presence in the nominations list ensures that political conversation remains at the forefront of cultural discourse.