Robbie Williams biopic Better Man has taken center stage in the nominations for the 2025 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards.
“Better Man” received a record-breaking 16 nominations, the most for a single film in the award’s 66-year history. The musical, directed by Michael Gracey, received nominations in major categories including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, as well as multiple acting, technical, and creative awards. .
“Better Man” joins George Miller’s “Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga” and “How to Make Gravy” in the Best Picture category, both with 15 nominations, making it the standout horror movie. The film “Late Night with the Devil” received 14 nominations, and the animated film “Late Night with the Devil” received 14 nominations. There are 11 special features on “Memoir of a Snail” and 4 on “Runt”.
For the first time, the AACTA Awards recognized motion capture and voice performance in the acting category. Jonno Davies was nominated for his motion-capture performance as Robbie Williams in “Better Man,” and Sarah Snook’s voice work in “Snail Memoirs” was similarly praised.
In the TV category, Netflix’s “Boy Swallows Universe” led the way, making history with 22 nominations, including eight acting nominations. Other notable nominees include “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” which received nine nominations, and comedies “Colin From Accounts” and “The Artful Dodger,” which received eight nominations each.
The AACTA Awards, presented by Foxtel Group, will return to the Gold Coast in February to celebrate excellence in Australian film, television, documentaries and online storytelling. This year’s nominees highlight both well-known names and groundbreaking new talent from across the industry.
Winners will be announced at two ceremonies to be held at Gold Coast arts hub HOTA on February 5th and 7th. These events are part of the AACTA Festival, a five-day celebration of Australian screen culture featuring panels, workshops and an expanded Screen Careers Expo.
AACTA CEO Damien Trehera said: “Better Man’s record-breaking 16 nominations is an incredible achievement and testament to the excellence of our team. It reflects the extraordinary range of Australian storytelling.”
2025 AACTA Award Nominees
movie categories
Best movie award
“A better man”
“Furiosa: Mad Max Saga”
“How to make gravy sauce”
“Late night with the devil”
“Snail Memoirs”
“Rant”
Best Film Director Award
Michael Gracey “Better Man”
George Miller – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Nick Waterman – “How to Make Gravy”
Colin Cairns, Cameron Cairns – “Late Night with the Devil”
Adam Elliot – “Snail Memoirs”
Film Screenplay Award
Michael Gracey, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole – “Better Man”
George Miller, Nico Latrice – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Nick Waterman, Meg Washington – “How to Make Gravy”
Colin Cairns, Cameron Cairns – “Late Night with the Devil”
Adam Elliot – “Snail Memoirs”
Best Actress in a Movie
Laura Gordon – “Late Night with the Devil”
Sarah Snook – “Snail Memoirs”
Jackie Van Beek – “Audrey”
Anya Taylor-Joy – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Anna Torv – “Force of Nature: The Dry 2”
Phoebe Tonkin – “Kid Snow”
Best Actor in a Movie
Eric Bana – “Force of Nature: The Dry 2”
David Dastmalchian – “Midnight with the Devil”
Jonno Davies – “Better Man”
Daniel Henshall – “How to make gravy”
Guy Pearce – “The Convert”
Kodi Smit-McPhee – “Snail Memoirs”
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie
Alila Brown – “Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga”
Hannah Devigny – “Audrey”
Kate Mulvaney – “Better Man”
Kate Mulvaney – “How to make gravy”
Ingrid Torelli – “Late Night with the Devil”
Jackie Weaver – “Snail Memoirs”
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie
Faisal Bazzi “Midnight with the Devil”
Chris Hemsworth – “Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga”
Damon Herriman – “Better Man”
Damon Herriman – “How to Make Gravy”
Richard Roxburgh – “Force of Nature: The Dry 2”
Hugo Weaving – “How to Make Gravy”
Best Cinematography Award in Movie Category
Eric A. Wilson, Matt Tolle, Ashley Warren – “Better Man”
Andrew Commis – “Force of Nature: The Dry 2”
Simon Duggan – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Matthew Temple – “Midnight with the Devil”
Gerald Thompson – “Snail Memoirs”
Film editing award
Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Sasser, Jeff Gross, Patrick Correll – “Better Man”
Alexandre de Franceschi, Maria Papoussis – “Force of Nature: Dry 2”
Elliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Colin Cairns, Cameron Cairns – “Late Night with the Devil”
Bill Murphy “Snail Memoirs”
Best Original Score for a Movie
Batu Sener – “Better Man”
Tom Holkenborg – “Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga”
Sam Dixon – “How to Make Gravy”
Roscoe Irwin, Glenn Richards – “Late Night with the Devil”
Elena Katz-Chernin – “Snail Memoirs”
Best Production Design Award for Movies
Joel Chan – “Better Man”
Colin Gibson, Katie Sherlock – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Benjamin Fountain, Peter Kodicek – “How to Make Gravy”
Otello Stolfo “Late Night with the Devil”
Adam Elliot – “Snail Memoirs”
Movie Costume Design Award
Kappi Ireland – “Better Man”
Jenny Bevan – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Christina Validakis – “How to make gravy”
Steph Hook – “Late Night with the Devil”
Terry Lamela – “Rant”
Film sound award
Paul Pirola, Gantis Six, Greg P. Russell, Tom Marks, Andy Nelson – “Better Man”
Tom Holkenborg, Rob McKenzie, Ben Osmo, James Ashton, Julia Akerholt, Jessica Meyer – Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga
Craig Walmsley, Stuart Morton, Diego Ruiz, Sam Hayward – “How to Make Gravy”
Emma Bortignon, Manel Lopez, Pete Smith, Cameron Grant – “Late Night with the Devil”
David Williams, Andy Wright, Li Yi, Dylan Burgess – “Memoir of a Snail”
TV category
Best drama series
“fake”
“Heartbreak High”
“Artistic Dodger”
“Twelve”
“Don’t steal”
“Total control”
Best miniseries
“Shonen Swallows Universe”
“exposure”
“Four years later”
“House of the Gods”
“Human error”
“The last day of the space age”
Best Narrative Comedy Series
“Austin”
“bump”
“Account Colin”
“Fisk”
“Fight”
“Office”
Best Actress in a Drama Award presented by BIGE
Asher Keddie – “Fake”
Deborah Mailman – “Total Control”
Leah Purcell – “High Country”
Anna Torv – “Territory”
Phoebe Tonkin – “Boy Swallows Universe”
Shelley-Lee Watson – “Thou shalt not steal”
Best Leading Actor in a Drama Award presented by Binji
Zach Burgess – “Boy Swallows Universe”
Felix Cameron – “Boy Swallows Universe”
Rob Collins – “Total Control”
Brendan Cowell – “Plum”
Sam Neill – “The Twelve”
Noah Taylor – “Don’t steal.”
Best Performance in a Comedy Category
Patrick Bramall – “Colin from Account”
Aaron Chen – “Fisk”
Harriet Dyer – “The Colin From Account”
Kitty Flanagan – “Fisk”
Genevieve Hegney – “Colin From Accounts”
Asher Keddie – “Strife”
Michael Teo – “Austin”
Felicity Ward “The Office”
Facts, documentaries and entertainment categories
Best Documentary Award
“A Horse Named Winx”
“Every little thing”
“Midnight Oil: The Hardline”
“Otto by Otto”
“Porcelain War”
“Musical Mind: A Portrait in Progress”
Best Factual Entertainment Program
“Lonely Australia”
“Gogglebox Australia”
“Master Dogs”
“Britain packs what she stole”
“Take 5 with Zan Law”
“Meeting”
Best Entertainment Program Award Presented by EMG/Gravity Media
“Dancing with the Stars”
“LEGO Masters Australia vs. the World”
“Mastermind”
“Spic and Specs”
“1% Club”
“Tipping Point Australia”
Best reality show award presented by Network Ten
“Australian Idol”
“Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels”
“Master Chef Australia”
“Shark Tank Australia”
“Great race”
“The Great Australian Bake Off”
best lifestyle program
“(Very) terrible behavior of Australian dogs”
“Australian Gardening”
“Grand Designs Australia”
“Grand Design Transformation”
“Restoration Australia”
“Australian home sales”
best stand up special
“Ann Edmonds: Why is my bag wet?”
“Lloyd Langford: Current Mood”
“Mel Battle: Can you tell me anyway?”
“Melbourne International Comedy Festival – All Stars Super Show”
“Melbourne International Comedy Festival – The Gala”
“Robe McManus: Loosie Goosey”
Online, children’s, short film categories
Best Online Drama or Comedy Award
“Bad Ancestors”
“Buried”
“Descent”
“Girl Crush”
“Uruvi went to an all-girls school.”
“Videoland”
Best children’s program
“Bluey”
“Eddie’s Lil Homies”
“Difficult Quiz Kids”
“Little J & Big Kaz”
“Play School: Big Ted’s Time Machine”
“Creepy File”
Best short film award
“And the ocean agreed.”
“Before bed”
“Bully die.”
“favorite”
“Golgo”
“Why are we fighting?”
Technical and craft departments
Best Cinematography Award in Television Category
Shelley Farthing-Daw – “The Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Mark Wareham – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 6”
Aaron McCliskey – “Exposure: Episode 5”
Simon Duggan – “Territory: Episode 1”
Tyson Perkins – “Don’t Steal: Episode 2”
Best TV Editing Award
Mark Perry – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Daniel Bosenberg – “Colin from Account: Episode 3”
Leila Ghabi – “Exposure: Episode 5”
Katie Flaxman – “Fisk: Episode 3”
Rodrigo Barato – “The Artistic Dodger: Episode 6”
Best Original Score for Television
Geoff Bush, Daniel O’Brien, Jazz Darcy – “Bluey: Episode 2”
Johnny Klimek, Gabriel Isaac Mounsey – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Mikey Young – “Exposure: Episode 5”
Anthony Partos – “The Artistic Dodger: Episode 8”
Vincent Goodyear – “Thou shalt not steal: Episode 2”
Best Production Design Award for Television
Michelle McGahey – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Marni Kornhauser – “Exposure: Episode 5”
Roslyn Durnford – “House of Gods: Episode 6”
Michael Rumpf – “Ladies in Black: Episode 2”
Matt Putland – “The Artistic Dodger: Episode 6”
Television Costume Design Award
Kelly Thompson – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Rita Carmody – “Heartbreak High: Episode 1”
Marion Boyce – “Ladies in Black: Episode 2”
Ntombi Moyo – “Swift Street: Episode 1”
Zante Huebel – “The Artistic Dodger: Episode 6”
best sound on tv
Dan Blum – “Bluey: Episode 2”
Sam Heyward – “Boy Swallows Universe: Episode 4”
Paul Finlay, Andrew Miller, Joe Mount, Jared Dwyer – “Exposure: Episode 5”
Josh Williams, Pete Smith, Duncan Campbell, Tom Heusenroder – “Territory: Episode 1”
Luke Minott – “Don’t Steal: Episode 2”