New Jersey
It’s Oscars night! New Jerseyans up for awards at this year’s event
2-minute read
Conan O’Brien to host 2025 Oscars
Comedian Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Academy Awards, marking his first time in the role.
A full display of New Jersey talent can be seen at this year’s Oscars.
New Jersey actors, a director and cinematographer are nominated for numerous awards. The Garden State was even used as the backdrop for an Oscar-nominated Best Picture film.
The 2025 Oscars will be held this Sunday March 2 at 7 p.m. eastern time. You can watch the award show live on ABC or stream on Hulu.
Here is how New Jersey played its part in helping shape this year’s list of movies at the Oscars.
‘A Complete Unknown’ filmed in New Jersey
The Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” featuring Timothée Chalamet, was filmed all across New Jersey.
The Oscar-nominated movie filmed near the Jersey Shore at Bahrs Landing in Highlands, Cape May and at White Mana in Jersey City this past spring.
“A Complete Unknown” is nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Timothée Chalamet is nominated for best Actor in a Leading Role, Edward Norton is nominated for best Actor in a Supporting Role and Monica Barba is nominated for best Actress in a Supporting Role.
The film was also nominated for best Costume Design, Directing, Sound and Writing in an adapted screenplay.
New Jersey actors nominated at the Oscars
Zoe Saldaña is nominated for best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Rita Mora Castro in the movie Emilia Pérez.
Saldaña was born in Passaic in 1978. She was raised in New York City and spent some time in her childhood in the Dominican Republic.
The Hispanic movie star previously starred in blockbuster films such as “Avatar,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Star Trek.”
Sebastian Stan is nominated for best Actor in a Leading Role at the Oscar’s. He played the role of a young Donald Trump in the movie “The Apprentice.”
Stan went to Rutgers University in New Brunswick where he studied theater at the Mason Gross School of Arts. He graduated in 2005.
The actor, who also played the “Winter Soldier” in the Marvel movies, told the Star Ledger: “Rutgers and Mason Gross School of the Arts is a big part of my life. It’s where I really, like truly, got to know acting and the history and everything. I had great teachers there. I had great classmates. I love the program. It’s dear to my heart.”
Stan grew up in Romania before moving to New York as a child.
Jesse Eisenberg, who was raised in East Brunswick, is nominated for best Writing for the movie “A Real Pain.” Eisenburg wrote and starred in the film.
Eisenburg previously starred in many popular films such as “The Social Network,” “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Zombieland.”
New Jersey director and cinematographer nominated
Sean Baker is nominated for four Oscars this year for his directing and writing in the movie “Anora.” He is nominated for best Writing, best Directing, best Film Editing and Best Picture.
Baker was born in Summit and grew up in Short Hills. His family moved to Somerset County, and he attended Gill St. Bernard’s in Glad Stone. Baker also worked as a projectionist at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair before pursuing his dream of becoming a director.
Baker also directed critically acclaimed films such as “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine.”
Edward Lachman is a cinematographer who is nominated for best Cinematography for the movie “Maria” at the 2025 Oscars.
Lachman was born in Morristown. He has also made movies such as “Far From Heaven,” “Carol” and “Ken Park.”
New Jersey
Wrong-way driver charged in I-80 crash that injured N.J. State Police trooper
An alleged drunk, wrong-way driver was arrested following a crash on Interstate 80 in Warren County, officials said.
Robert Felegi was driving a pickup truck west in the eastbound lanes in Knowlton when he crashed head-on into a New Jersey State Trooper’s vehicle near milepost 1.4 around midnight Tuesday, State Police said.
The trooper had emergency lights and sirens activated while trying to alert motorists of a hazard ahead, authorities said.
The trooper suffered minor injuries, while Felegi was not hurt.
Felegi, 67, of Middleport, Pennsylvania, was charged with assault by auto and driving under the influence.
He was brought to the Warren County jail ahead of a detention hearing. An attorney for Felegi is not listed in court records.
investigation, and no additional information is available.
New Jersey
NJ casino workers continue push to end smoking loophole
TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) — New Jersey casino workers, who are pushing to permanently ban smoking in their workplaces, held a rally in Trenton on Monday.
A hearing was held to discuss a lawsuit that aims to close the smoking loophole in the Garden State.
For years, casino workers have been pursuing protections against secondhand smoke in their workplaces.
RELATED | Judge allows smoking to continue in Atlantic City casinos, dealing blow to workers
New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act largely bans indoor smoking, but casinos have a long-standing exemption.
The lawsuit filed last April by the United Auto Workers, which represents dealers at the Bally’s, Caesars and Tropicana casinos.
In August 2024, a judge ruled in favor of the casinos to allow smoking to continue.
“Casino workers are expected to clock in to work every day despite inevitably facing a toxic environment that could cause countless health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and asthma,” said Nancy Erika Smith, the lawyer representing Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) and the UAW on Monday.
“We’re asking the court to find the exemption in New Jersey’s Smoke-Free Air Act unconstitutional and void it immediately. We hope this case will serve as a precedent for casinos across the country to close their smoking loopholes and stop poisoning their workers,” added Smith.
The casinos have warned that thousands of jobs and millions in gambling revenue and taxes could be lost if smoking was banned.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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New Jersey
11-Vehicle Crash Closes Turnpike, College Student Abducted: NJ Weekend
A teenager was shot to death in Jersey City, a woman was killed in a fiery crash with a dump truck in Ocean County, and a man is in critical condition after an SUV hit him in a Princeton crosswalk.
Here are the headlines from the weekend in New Jersey you may have missed.
Teen Shot Dead In Jersey City Apartment, Prosecutor Says
A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death in Jersey City on Friday night, prosecutors said.
Woman Killed In Fiery Head-On Dump Truck Crash In Ocean County
A woman was killed Friday when her van hit a dump truck head-on in Jackson and burst into flames, Jackson police said.
Evelin Villanueva-Detejeda, 43, of Perth Amboy, was killed in the crash that happened about 2 p.m. on Toms River Road (Route 571) near Osprey Place, Sgt. Edward Travisano said.
Six people sustained minor injuries in the collision late Friday afternoon, according to State Police Tpr. Christopher Postorino.
Read more: 11-Vehicle Crash, Overturned Truck Shut Down Turnpike In South Jersey: Police
NJ College Student Abducted From Campus, Sexually Assaulted By Armed Man, Police Say
A Union County man is facing a slew of charges after kidnapping a woman, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Akram Elsayed, 28, of Roselle, has been arrested after an investigation found that he’d kidnapped a woman and handcuffed her to the door of a car, police said.
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