Barack Obama’s Movie Picks Could Tip the Oscar Race for DiCaprio
Barack Obama’s annual list of favorite films is out, and one standout pick is already shaking up the Oscar conversation. With Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet both in the spotlight, the awards season just got a lot more interesting.
Every year, Barack Obama shares his top choices in books, music, and movies, and his latest film selection is already making waves in Hollywood. Among his favorites for 2025 is Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest project, One Battle After Another, a film that’s been at the center of Oscar speculation since its announcement. Obama’s endorsement has only fueled the buzz, especially as awards season heats up.
Obama’s Endorsement Shakes Up the Awards Season
On his annual list, the former president highlighted eleven films that caught his attention this year, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s darkly comedic action thriller leading the pack. Other notable mentions included Sinners , It Was Just an Accident, and The Secret Agent. As the year draws to a close, the competition for Best Actor is intensifying, with Timothée Chalamet emerging as a strong contender for his role in Marty Supreme. However, Obama’s praise for DiCaprio’s performance in One Battle After Another could shift the momentum.
Chalamet, not yet 30, has already earned two Oscar nominations for Best Actor—first for Call Me by Your Name in 2018, and again for A Complete Unknown in 2025. Despite his impressive track record, he lost out to Gary Oldman and Adrien Brody. DiCaprio, who took home the Best Actor Oscar in 2016 for The Revenant, is now in the running for a second win. The question is, will this new film be the one to secure it?
One Battle After Another: A Major Awards Contender
The comedy thriller has quickly become a frontrunner for Best Picture as the awards circuit gets underway. Released in late September, One Battle After Another has already racked up several accolades. Directed and written by Paul Thomas Anderson and based on Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, the film features a star-studded cast including DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. With a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a box office haul of $205 million, it’s no surprise the film is making headlines.
The movie has earned nine Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Director for Anderson, Best Actor for DiCaprio, and several supporting nods. It’s also up for multiple Critics’ Choice Awards. With this level of recognition, DiCaprio’s chances at another Oscar look promising, but Chalamet remains a formidable rival. Current prediction markets give Chalamet a 55% shot at winning Best Actor, compared to DiCaprio’s 20%.
What the Film Means to Its Stars
For DiCaprio, One Battle After Another is more than just another role. In a recent interview, he described the film as a reflection of today’s divided culture, saying,
It holds a mirror up to society and talks about the divisiveness in our culture and the fact that there’s so much polarity…It’s political without making it feel like medicine.
He went on to say the movie finds the humanity in each of its central characters, making their struggles relatable to audiences.
Benicio del Toro, who plays Sergio St. Carlos, echoed these sentiments, noting that the film captures the spirit of its era while remaining entertaining and heartfelt. As the awards season unfolds, all eyes are on whether this standout film will take home the top honors.