'Emilia Perez': Will Selena Gomez be a front runner for the Best Actress Oscar?

Although Selena Gomez is always in the spotlight, these past few days she has been at the center of attention due to her latest film, “Emilia Perez,” premiering at Cannes. The musical crime comedy received nothing less than a 9-minute standing ovation, making it one of the most applauded movies of the festival.

And just a few hours ago, at the closing ceremony, another great surprise came: Along with her co-stars Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Adriana Paz, she won the Best Actress award.

As is well known, Cannes serves as the first stop for movies that often end up sweeping the Oscars. So, what are the odds of Selena Gomez taking home her first Academy recognition?

Will Selena Gomez win an Oscar for her performance in ‘Emilia Perez’?

Truth is, nothing is impossible, but Selena has quite tough competition this year. And the first and most important contenders are her three castmates. As explained by Greta Gerwig, who detailed the jury’s decision to award them all:

“To separate them would be to undermine the magic of what they did together. Each of them is a standout. They are transcendent.” Given that the Academy would likely only nominate one or two of the stars, it’s a matter of probability whether Selena would make the shortlist.

Nevertheless, it must be noted that Zoe Saldaña is the lead in “Emilia Perez,” not Selena. So, if she were to compete, it would be in the supporting actress category. That is safer than having to clash, for example, against Emma Stone, who will likely be nominated again this year for her performance in “Kinds of Kindness.”

Now, considering the biggest contenders Selena would have to go up against, we have Zendaya for her role as Chani in “Dune 2,” and Anya Taylor-Joy for her interpretation of Furiosa. Due to the magnitude of the movies they star in, it’s quite probable not only that they will take home all the awards, but also that the productions they star in will do the same as well.

But, there is a bigger icon absolutely poised to snatch this trophy. That is Lady Gaga, who will surely generate infinite buzz for her portrayal of Harley Quinn in “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Musicals are all-time favorites of the Academy, and it’s quite predictable that they will fall in love with Gaga as they did with her character “A Star is Born.”