Fernanda Torres nominated for Oscar in 2025

Fernanda Torres’ mother must be so proud.

On Thursday, the star of Walter Salles’ period drama I’m still hererepeated his mother Fernanda Montenegro’s historic achievement from 1999 (for Main station) and becomes only the second Brazilian to be nominated by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in the Best Actress category. (Ms. Montenegro lost to Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in love.)

Torres is up against Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascón, Evil‘s Cynthia Erivo, Mikey Madison for Anoraand Demi Moore for The fabric in the category. Earlier this month, the 59-year-old was the surprise winner of the best actress Golden Globe in the drama category, beating big names including Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Tilda Swinton, Pamela Anderson and Kate Winslet.

She is also an underdog in the Oscar race, but her performance in I’m still here – as Eunice Paiva, the wife-turned-activist of a Brazilian politician “disappeared” during the country’s military dictatorship – has been universally praised. The Hollywood Reporter‘s review highlighted her turn as Paiva, noting that she played a “woman of quiet strength and resistance” with “extraordinary grace and dignity in the face of emotional suffering.”

Torres dedicated her Golden Globe to her mother, and should she also be hoisting the Academy statuette on March 2, you can bet mom Fernanda, 95, will get another shout-out. In a nice bit of cinematic symmetry, Fernanda Montenegro has a cameo I’m still herewho plays Eunice Paiva in the film’s final scenes, as she has become nonverbal and largely disabled due to Alzheimer’s.

Along with the best actress nom, I’m still here is also up for Best Picture and is nominated in the Best International Feature category.

But whatever happens at the 97th Academy Awards, Fernanda Torres has already made history.