Oklahoma-born movie star and producer Brad Pitt has once again roared into the Academy Awards spotlight. The Hollywood icon earned his eighth career Oscar nomination thanks to a best picture nod for the summer blockbuster F1 The Movie, reaffirming his enduring power both in front of and behind the camera.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the high-octane Formula 1 drama picked up four nominations when the 98th Academy Awards contenders were announced on Thursday, Jan. 22. Alongside best picture, F1 scored nominations for film editing, visual effects, and sound—technical categories that underscore the film’s immersive, trackside realism.
Already a two-time Oscar winner, Pitt shares in the best picture nomination as one of the film’s producers. Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and raised in Springfield, Missouri, Pitt has long balanced a dual identity as both movie star and creative force. On F1, he joins a powerhouse producing team that includes Kosinski, Chad Oman, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
The competition for best picture this year is fierce. F1 is up against nine other films, including Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending hit Sinners, which leads the field with a record-setting 16 nominations.
Who Does Brad Pitt Play in F1 The Movie?
At 62, Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a once-promising Formula 1 phenom whose career was derailed by a devastating crash in the 1990s. Decades later, Hayes is known as “the greatest that never was,” drifting from race to race until his former teammate, Ruben Cervantes—played by Javier Bardem—persuades him to return for one final shot at glory.
Driving alongside hotshot rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), Sonny must confront his past while navigating the ruthless reality of Formula 1, where even teammates can be your fiercest rivals. The film also stars Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Kim Bodnia, and was shot during real Grand Prix weekends, lending authenticity rarely seen in racing films. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton served as one of the producers.
A Box-Office and Awards Powerhouse
Released by Apple Original Films in partnership with Warner Bros., F1 The Movie marked Apple’s biggest theatrical success to date. The $200 million production opened with $55.6 million domestically and raced to a worldwide total of $630 million, solidifying its place as both a commercial juggernaut and awards contender. The film is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV.
With eight Oscar nominations across acting and producing, Brad Pitt’s latest recognition proves that decades into his career, the Oklahoma native is still running at full throttle in Hollywood’s biggest race.