2025 AACTA Awards: nominations

Nominees have been announced for the 2025 AACTA Awards.

Boy Swallows Universe dominates with a massive 22 nominations, including Best Miniseries and eight acting nominations -the most nominations for any production in AACTA history.

Colin From Accounts drew nine nods followed by Dylan River’s Thou Shalt Not Steal follows with eight, and The Artful Dodger at seven nominations. Other standout productions include Exposure, Fake, Total Control, Fisk, and Territory.

Binge’s feature film debut How to Make Gravy secured 15 nominations all in the Film categories.

AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella stated “Australian screen storytelling is hitting new heights, with an incredible range of films and series showcasing the best of our creativity and talent. Better Man smashing all-time records with 16 film nominations is a massive nod to the brilliance of everyone involved. It’s in great company too, with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, How to Make Gravy, Late Night with the Devil, and Memoir of a Snail all racking up nominations across 11 or more categories.

“Among Australian series, Boy Swallows Universe has made history with the most nominations ever – 22! It’s a huge achievement and a testament to the strength of our TV industry, with other Aussie favourites like Bluey continuing to shine on the world stage.”

Winners will be announced across two ceremonies at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast- the AACTA Awards Industry Gala on Wednesday 5 February / AACTA Awards Ceremony be broadcast on Channel 10 at 7.30pm AEDT, Friday 7 February.

A special extended AACTA Awards broadcast, including all awards from the ceremony, will be available from 7:30pm on Saturday 8 February on Binge and Foxtel (Famous and available On-Demand).

TELEVISION

AACTA Award for Best Acting in a Comedy

• Patrick Brammall – Colin From Accounts
• Aaron Chen – Fisk
• Harriet Dyer – Colin From Accounts
• Kitty Flanagan – Fisk
• Genevieve Hegney – Colin From Accounts
• Asher Keddie – Strife
• Michael Theo – Austin
• Felicity Ward – The Office

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Nikki Barrett
• Colin From Accounts – Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray
• Fake – Nathan Lloyd
• The Artful Dodger – Leigh Pickford
• The Twelve – Kirsty McGregor

AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program

• Bluey – Joe Brumm, Charlie Aspinwall, Daley Pearson, Sam Moor – Ludo Studio (ABC)
• Eddie’s Lil Homies – Sophie Byrne, Mark O Toole, Anna Scullie, Eddie Betts – Highly Spirited and Eddie Betts Promotions (Netflix, NITV)
• Hard Quiz Kids – Chris Walker, Kevin Whyte, Tom Gleeson, John Tabbagh – Thinkative Television and ABC (ABC)
• Little J & Big Cuz – Ned Lander – Ned Lander Media Pty Ltd (ABC, NITV)
• Play School: Big Ted’s Time Machine – Bryson Hall – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
• Spooky Files – Paul Watters, Andrea Denholm, Tony Ayres, Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes – Tony Ayres Productions and Megaboom Pictures (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Shelley Farthing-Dawe
• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 6 – Mark Wareham
• Exposure – Episode 5 – Aaron McLisky
• Territory – Episode 1 – Simon Duggan
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Episode 2 – Tyson Perkins

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program

• Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee – Cam Bakker, Bronwynn Bakker, Greg Sitch – Kevin & Co and ABC (ABC)
• Hard Quiz – Chris Walker, Kevin Whyte, Tom Gleeson, John Tabbagh – Thinkative Television and ABC (ABC)
• Have You Been Paying Attention? – Michael Hirsh, Rob Sitch, Deb Herman – Working Dog Productions (Network Ten)
• Thank God You’re Here – Michael Hirsh, Deb Herman, Rob Sitch – Working Dog Productions (Network Ten)
• The Cheap Seats – Michael Hirsh, Deb Herman, Rob Sitch – Working Dog Productions (Network Ten)
• The Weekly with Charlie Pickering – Chris Walker, Charlie Pickering, Kevin Whyte, Frank Bruzzese – Thinkative Television and ABC (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer

• Wil Anderson – Taskmaster Australia
• Aaron Chen – Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee
• Anne Edmonds – Taskmaster Australia
• Tom Gleeson – Hard Quiz
• Guy Montgomery – Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee
• Charlie Pickering – The Weekly with Charlie Pickering

AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Kerry Thompson
• Heartbreak High – Episode 1 – Rita Carmody
• Ladies in Black – Episode 2 – Marion Boyce
• Swift Street – Episode 1 – Ntombi Moyo
• The Artful Dodger – Episode 6 – Xanthe Heubel

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 1 – Bharat Nalluri
• Colin From Accounts – Episode 3 – Trent O’Donnell
• Colin From Accounts – Episode 6 – Madeline Dyer
• Fake – Episode 5 – Emma Freeman
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Episode 2 – Dylan River

AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television

• Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? – Simon Francis
• Better Date than Never – Episode 1 – Mariel Thomas
• Muster Dogs – Episode 3 – Sally Browning
• Stuff The British Stole – Episode 5 – Marc Fennell
• The Jury: Death on The Staircase – Episode 1 – Tosca Looby, Ben Lawrence

AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program

• Australia’s Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley – Celia Tait – Artemis Media (SBS)
• I Was Actually There – Kirk Docker, Josh Schmidt, Loni Cooper, Julie Hanna – Docker Media Pty Ltd (ABC)
• Maggie Beer’s Big Mission – Celia Tait, Laki Baker, Phillipa Hutchinson – Artemis Media (ABC)
• Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian – Jo Siddiqui – Southern Pictures Pty Ltd (ABC)
• Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye – Sky Kinninmont, Deb Spinocchia, Kylie Washington – BBC Studios Australia (SBS)
• Who Do You Think You Are? – Maxine Gray – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia Pty Ltd (SBS)

AACTA Award for Best Drama Series

• Fake – Imogen Banks, Emelyne Palmer, Asher Keddie – Kindling Pictures (Paramount+)
• Heartbreak High – Carly Heaton, Sarah Freeman, Hannah Carroll Chapman – Fremantle Australia (Netflix)
• The Artful Dodger – Jo Porter, David Maher, David Taylor – Curio Pictures (Disney+)
• The Twelve – Hamish Lewis, Michael Brooks, Ally Henville, Ian Collie, Rob Gibson – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia Pty Ltd and Easy Tiger Productions Pty Ltd (Binge, Foxtel)
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Dylan River, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Charlie Aspinwall, Daley Pearson, Sam Moor – Ludo Studio & Since1778 Productions (Stan)
• Total Control – Darren Dale, Rachel Griffiths, Stuart Page, Erin Bretherton – Blackfella Films (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Mark Perry
• Colin From Accounts – Episode 3 – Danielle Boesenberg
• Exposure – Episode 5 – Leila Gaabi
• Fisk – Episode 3 – Katie Flaxman
• The Artful Dodger – Episode 6 – Rodrigo Balart

AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program

• Dancing With The Stars – Peter Beck, Deb Spinocchia, Kylie Washington – BBC Studios Australia (Seven Network)
• LEGO® Masters Australia vs The World – David McDonald, AJ Johnson, Di Yang – Endemol Shine Australia (Nine Network)
• Mastermind – Lucy De Luca, Kylie Washington, Deb Spinocchia – BBC Studios Australia (SBS)
• Spicks and Specks – Rowdie Walden, Michiko Smith, Anthony Watt – ABC (ABC)
• The 1% Club – John Leahy, Michiko Smith, Kylie Washington, Deb Spinocchia – BBC Studios Australia (Seven Network)
• Tipping Point Australia – Amelia Fisk, Becky Taylor, Miles Reeves, Roslyn Saunders – Endemol Shine Australia (Nine Network)

AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program

• Alone Australia – Riima Daher, Beth Hart, Keely Sonntag – ITV Studios Australia (SBS)
• Gogglebox Australia – David McDonald, Will Minchin, Natasha Pizzica – Endemol Shine Australia (Binge, Foxtel, Network Ten)
• Muster Dogs – Monica O’Brien, Michael Boughen, John Unwin, Matthew Street, Jo Chichester, Rachel Robinson – Ambience Entertainment Pty Ltd (ABC)
• Stuff The British Stole – Marc Fennell, Alan Erson, Richard Finlayson, Kate Pappas – Wooden Horse & Wildbear Entertainment and Cream (Canada) (ABC)
• Take 5 with Zan Rowe – Zan Rowe, Nikita Agzarian, Josh Schmidt – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
• The Assembly – Mark Fennessy, Melissa Maclean, Therese Hegarty, Julie Hanna, Vanessa Oxlad – Helium Pictures (ABC)

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama

• Zac Burgess – Boy Swallows Universe
• Felix Cameron – Boy Swallows Universe
• Rob Collins – Total Control
• Brendan Cowell – Plum
• Sam Neill – The Twelve
• Noah Taylor – Thou Shalt Not Steal

 

AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama

• Asher Keddie – Fake
• Deborah Mailman – Total Control
• Leah Purcell – High Country
• Anna Torv – Territory
• Phoebe Tonkin – Boy Swallows Universe
• Sherry-Lee Watson – Thou Shalt Not Steal

AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program

• Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia – Naomi Elkin, Sarah Thornton, Helen Biggs, Leisa Pratt – Network Ten Pty Ltd (Network Ten)
• Gardening Australia – Gill Lomas – ABC (ABC)
• Grand Designs Australia – Brooke Bayvel, Michael Collett – Fremantle Australia (ABC)
• Grand Designs Transformations – Brooke Bayvel, Michael Collett – Fremantle Australia (ABC)
• Restoration Australia – Brooke Bayvel, Michael Collett – Fremantle Australia (ABC)
• Selling Houses Australia – Kam Vurlow, Monique Bushby – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia Pty Ltd (Foxtel)

AACTA Award for Best Miniseries

• Boy Swallows Universe – Andrew Mason, Troy Lum – Brouhaha Entertainment Australia (Netflix)
• Exposure – Nicole O’Donohue, Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant – Thirdborn (Stan)
• Four Years Later – Ian Collie, Stephen Corvini, Rob Gibson – Easy Tiger Productions (SBS)
• House of Gods – Sheila Jayadev, Deborah Lee, Bree-Anne Sykes, Blake Ayshford – Matchbox Pictures (ABC)
• Human Error – John Edwards, Dan Edwards, Samantha Winston, Greg Haddrick – Roadshow Rough Diamond (Nine Network)
• Last Days of the Space Age – Laura Waters, Emma Fitzsimons, Chris Loveall, Stephanie Swedlove – Princess Pictures (Disney+)

AACTA Award for Best Narrative Comedy Series

• Austin – Catherine Nebauer, Joe Weatherstone, Darren Ashton, Ben Miller – Northern Pictures (ABC)
• Bump – Dan Edwards, John Edwards, Claudia Karvan, Kelsey Munro – Roadshow Rough Diamond (Stan)
• Colin From Accounts – Kevin Greene, Ian Collie, Rob Gibson – Easy Tiger Productions (Binge, Foxtel)
• Fisk – Nicole Minchin, Kitty Flanagan, Vincent Sheehan, Tom Peterson – Origma 45 (ABC)
• Strife – Steve Hutensky, Jodi Matterson, Asher Keddie, Mia Freedman, Sarah Scheller, Lorelle Adamson – Made Up Stories and Fifth Season (Binge, Foxtel)
• The Office – Sophia Zachariou, Kylie Washington, Linda Micsko – BBC Studios Australia and Bunya Entertainment (Amazon Prime Video)

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television

• Bluey – Episode 2 – Joff Bush, Daniel O’Brien, Jazz Darcy
• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Johnny Klimek, Gabriel Isaac Mounsey
• Exposure – Episode 5 – Mikey Young
• The Artful Dodger – Episode 8 – Antony Partos
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Episode 2 – Vincent Goodyer

AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Michelle McGahey
• Exposure – Episode 5 – Marni Kornhauser
• House of Gods – Episode 6 – Roslyn Durnford
• Ladies in Black – Episode 2 – Michael Rumpf
• The Artful Dodger – Episode 6 – Matt Putland

AACTA Award for Best Reality Program

• Australian Idol – Joel McCormack, Wes Dening, Rikkie Proost – Eureka (Seven Network)
• Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels – Amelia Fisk, David Forster, Toby Trappel, Phoebe McMahon – Endemol Shine Australia (Network Ten)
• MasterChef Australia – Marty Benson, Simon Child, Eoin Maher, April Mackay – Endemol Shine Australia (Network Ten)
• Shark Tank Australia – Cat Bowden, Ben Ulm, Jemma Carlton – Curio Pictures (Network Ten)
• The Amazing Race – Jane Rowley, Rikkie Proost, Lucy Connors, Emma Hanna – Eureka Productions (Network Ten)
• The Great Australian Bake Off – Alenka Henry, Sophie Johnston, Kylie Washington, Deb Spinocchia – BBC Studios Australia (Foxtel)

AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television

• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – John Collee
• Colin From Accounts – Episode 6 – Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer
• Fake – Episode 1 – Anya Beyersdorf
• Fisk – Episode 3 – Penny Flanagan, Kitty Flanagan
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Episode 2 – Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Sophie Miller, Dylan River

AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television

• Bluey – Episode 2 – Dan Brumm
• Boy Swallows Universe – Episode 4 – Sam Hayward
• Exposure – Episode 5 – Paul Finlay, Andrew Miller, Joe Mount, Jared Dwyer
• Territory – Episode 1 – Josh Williams, Pete Smith, Duncan Campbell, Tom Heuzenroeder
• Thou Shalt Not Steal – Episode 2 – Luke Mynott

AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special

• Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? – Anne Edmonds, Frank Bruzzese, Kathleen McCarthy, Kevin Whyte, Georgina Ogilvie – Guesswork Television (Network Ten, Paramount+)
• Lloyd Langford: Current Mood – Lloyd Langford, Frank Bruzzese, Kathleen McCarthy, Kevin Whyte, Georgina Ogilvie – Guesswork Television (Network Ten, Paramount+)
• Mel Buttle: Let Me Know Either Way? – Mel Buttle, Frank Bruzzese, Kathleen McCarthy, Kevin Whyte, Georgina Ogilvie – Guesswork Television (Network Ten, Paramount+)
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival – The Allstars Supershow – Rowdie Walden, Claire Hammond, Susan Provan – ABC (ABC)
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival – The Gala – Rowdie Walden, Claire Hammond, Susan Provan – ABC (ABC)
• Rove McManus: Loosey Goosey – Rove McManus, Frank Bruzzese, Kathleen McCarthy, Kevin Whyte, Georgina Ogilvie – Guesswork Television (Network Ten, Paramount+)

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

• Simon Baker – Boy Swallows Universe
• Wayne Blair – Total Control
• Bryan Brown – Boy Swallows Universe
• Travis Fimmel – Boy Swallows Universe
• Lee Tiger Halley – Boy Swallows Universe
• Ewen Leslie – Prosper

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

• Essie Davis – Exposure
• Rachel Griffiths – Total Control
• Heather Mitchell – Fake
• Deborah Mailman – Boy Swallows Universe
• Sophie Wilde – Boy Swallows Universe
• Asher Yasbincek – Heartbreak High

FILM

Binge / Foxtel movie How To Make Gravy is nominated across the following categories:

AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film
AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film
AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film
AACTA Award for Best Film
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film Daniel Henshall
AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film
AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film
AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film
AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film Damon Herriman
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film Hugo Weaving
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film Kate Mulvany  

DOCUMENTARY

AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary

• Megafauna: What Killed Australia’s Giants? – Episode 1 – Jeff Siberry
• Skategoat – Dan Freene, Jordan Ritz
• The Mission – Episode 3 – Dean Brosche
• The Musical Mind: A Portrait In Process – Geoffrey Hall, Emerson Hoskin
• The Speedway Murders – Maxx Corkindale

AACTA Award for Best Documentary

• A Horse Named Winx – Janine Hosking (Dir.) – iKandy Films
• Every Little Thing – Sally Aitken (Dir.), Bettina Dalton – WildBear Entertainment and Dogwoof & HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
• Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Paul Clarke (Dir.), Carolina Sorensen, Mikael Borglund, Martin Fabinyi – Beyond Entertainment Pty Limited and Blink TV Production Pty Limited
• Otto by Otto – Gracie Otto (Dir.), Cody Greenwood, Nicole O’Donohue, – Rush Films & Wildflower Films
• Porcelain War – Brendan Bellomo (Dir.), Slava Leontyev (Dir.), Camilla Mazzaferro, Aniela Sidorska, Paula Du Pré Pesmen, Olivia Ahnemann – Songbird Studios and Imaginary Lane
• The Musical Mind: A Portrait In Process – Scott Hicks (Dir.), Kerry Heysen, Jett Heysen-Hicks, David Chiem – Beyond May30 Entertainment Pty Ltd

AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary

• Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Gretchen Peterson
• ONEFOUR: Against All Odds – Johanna Scott
• Revealed: Ben Roberts Smith Truth on Trial – Orly Danon
• The Speedway Murders – Sean Lahiff
• Welcome To Babel – Karen Johnson

AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary

• Aquarius – Damien Lane
• Brand Bollywood Downunder – Dmitri Golovko, Burkhard Dallwitz, Brett Applin
• Mozart’s Sister – Jessica Wells
• Otto by Otto – Stefan Gregory
• The Speedway Murders – Antony Partos, Jackson Milas, Josh Pearson, Josie Mann

AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary

• A Horse Named Winx – Abigail Sie
• Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line – Wayne Pashley, Travis Handley, Stephen Hopes, Jason King
• Mozart’s Sister – Damian Jory
• The Musical Mind: A Portrait In Process – Pete Smith, Tom Heuzenroeder
• The Speedway Murders – Michael Darren, Pete Smith, Des Kenneally, Hamish Keen

ONLINE

AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy

• Bad Ancestors – Vanilla Tupu, Jessica Magro, Wendy Mocke, Rizcel Gagawanan – Purple Carrot Entertainment
• Buried – Fran Derham, Charlotte George, Miriam Glaser – Frantales Productions
• Descent – Millie Holten, Madi Savage, Ella Lawry, Liam Fitzgibbon, Sam Lingham – Haven’t You Done Well Productions
• Girl Crush – Ally Morgan, Hew Sandison, Sayuri Kawamura, Madeleine Mallis, Samantha Andrew – Oddity Entertainment
• Urvi Went to an All Girls School – Urvi Majumdar, Nina Oyama, Lauren Nichols, Kate Cornish – Buxstock Entertainment
• Videoland – Jessica Smith, Scarlett Koehne – Pikelet Pictures

OTHER

AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup

• Boy Swallows Universe – Angela Conte
• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Lesley Vanderwalt, Larry Van Duynhoven, Matteo Silvi, Luca Vannella
• Ladies in Black – John Logue
• The Artful Dodger – Lynne O’Brien
• The Moogai – Nick Nicolaou, Paul Katte, Carol Cameron

AACTA Award for Best Original Song

• Dream On (Meg Washington, Electric Fields & The Prison Choir) – How To Make Gravy
• Fine (Meg Washington, Brendan Maclean & The Prison Choir) – How To Make Gravy
• Forbidden Road (Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek) – Better Man
• Side By Side (Paul Kelly) – Runt
• Streetlights (Jacob Harvey) – Under Streetlights

AACTA Award for Best Soundtrack

• Better Man – Jordan Carroll
• Boy Swallows Universe – Jemma Burns
• Heartbreak High – Jemma Burns
• How To Make Gravy – Meg Washington
• Last Days of the Space Age – Allegra Caldwell

INDIVIDUAL

2025 AACTA Longford Lyell Award Recipient: Working Dog

2025 AACTA Brian Walsh Award Recipient: TBA

2025 AACTA Byron Kennedy Award Recipient: TBA

The AACTA Audience Choice Awards will return from December as AACTA open applications for contenders on their social media platforms for the publicly voted Awards including Favourite Australian Digital Creator, Favourite Film, Favourite TV Show, Favourite Actors and more. Voting for these Awards will happen in January.