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Frontrunners and Challengers

Sasha Stone
Oscars
Sinners
Best Picture
One Battle After Another
Oscar Race
Hamnet
Hollywood
Academy Awards
Oppenheimer
Best Director
Best Actress
Awards Season
Best Actor
Conclave
Oscar Awards
Anora
Emilia Perez
Telluride Film Festival
Baftas
Paul Thomas Anderson

AwardsDaily.com is a site dedicated to tracking the Oscar race and exposing its rich underbelly. With Founder and Editor Sasha Stone, who is joined by writers Jeremy Jentzen and Scott Kernen. awardsdaily.substack.com

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes101Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmNews

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Artwork for Frontrunners and Challengers

Latest Episodes

Sasha Stone, Scott Kernen, and Jeremy Jentzen discuss the Oscar chances of Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s You Can See Everything and what it would take to get it into the various guilds. What does it take to get into Best Picture and Best Direc... more

Hollywood is at a crossroads in many ways, but one major one is its use of AI. It is here, whether they are ready or not. In this year’s Oscar race, some films and documentaries use AI. We don’t know how the industry voters will react to those movies... more

Sasha Stone, Scott Kernen, and Jeremy Jentzen discuss the current Oscar race as shaped by the pundits and bloggers (there is no THERE there yet). I think Tom Cruise is still in play, but Scott and Jeremy disagree. We talk about The Social Reckoning, ... more

Sasha Stone, Scott Kernen, and Jeremy Jentzen discuss the Digger reception. Mixed, divisive- what does that mean for Oscar? Can identity-driven stories be enough? The Odyssey remains the strong frontrunner that, so far, no film has matched or challen... more

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Recent Guests

Mark Johnson
Awards commentator and writer for The Contending and Awards Watch
Episode: 2026 Oscars: Frontrunners and Challengers! Mark Johnson Drops By to Chat About the Short Lists
Rob Reiner
Acclaimed director known for films such as "The Princess Bride" and "When Harry Met Sally"
Episode: 2026 Oscars: Frontrunners and Challengers! Mark Johnson Drops By to Chat About the Short Lists
Clarence Moye
Contributor at The Contending
The Contending
Episode: 2025 Oscar Predictions: SAG Predictions, ASC Predictions! Big Awards Weekend!
Jeffrey Wells
Editor of Hollywood Elsewhere
hollywoodelsewhere.com
Episode: 2025 Oscars - We Knew Anora Would WIn!!

Hosts

Sasha Stone
Founder and editor of AwardsDaily, covering the Oscar race and film criticism.
Scott Kernen
AwardsDaily editor and Oscar watcher.
Jeremy Jentzen
AwardsDaily editor and film commentator.

Reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars from 204 ratings
  • Wonderful podcast

    I love every minute of the show! The hosts are smart and funny.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MinnesotaWriter
    United Statesa month ago
  • Too political

    I keep listening to the latest podcasts hoping to actually learn something. Unfortunately it just ends up slagging off One Battle after Another, we get it, you don’t like it, films are subjective move on.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Deb in KL
    Australia8 months ago
  • What a surprising fall

    Update in 2026: I can’t imagine having the time and energy to make a podcast about something you hate. If it’s such a chore to watch movies or if it causes your snowflake heart to flutter why oh why would you spend your time devoted to it. Honestly these co-hosts don’t even see all of the films. This is just a wreck. I check in every now and then to see if things have changed and they have only grown more nasty and boring. I’ve listened to this podcast for years and years and followed Sasha’s we... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jcaseychapman
    United States8 months ago
  • Woke this, woke that

    These idiots don’t even try to hide the racism anymore lol it is hilarious to listen to these white people cry about inclusivity in the film industry. Every podcast they whine about how anything to do with people of color in the film industry is too “woke” and killing the industry. Song Sung Blue is a “normal” movie because it centers around two bland white people. The truth is, white people like this feel the need to try and tear down and take aim at people of color and their vibrant, various c... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Tw3511
    United States9 months ago
  • Waste of time

    There are too many other Oscar podcasts out there that are fun and feature informed hosts to bother with this one. This host injects unnecessary and misguided Pro-Trump politics into this forum for no good reason.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    thehipwolf
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners say political commentary and culture-war digressions crowd out film analysis.
Fans praise the hosts' banter, authenticity and contrasting perspectives on films and awards.
Critical reviewers describe the tone as bitter or combative, while others appreciate the candid opinions.
Oscar followers value the hosts' knowledge of contenders, industry dynamics and awards history.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#228
Spain/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Predicting the SAG and the PGA - is the race locked?
Q: What are your thoughts on Paul Giamatti's chances for Best Actor?
His charm and popularity among voters make him a strong candidate, though he faces tough competition from Killian Murphy.
Predicting the SAG and the PGA - is the race locked?
Q: What do you think makes Lily Gladstone a suitable contender for Best Actress?
Lily's performance offers a unique opportunity for historical significance, given her background as the only Native American actress in the running, which might sway votes toward her.
2024: How Many Oscars will Oppenheimer Win?
Q: What do you think is Oppenheimer's potential Oscar count this year?
I think the floor is seven Oscars.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Frontrunners and Challengers

What is Frontrunners and Challengers about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A roundtable on the Oscar race, film festivals and the forces that shape awards outcomes. Sasha Stone leads conversations with writers Scott Kernen and Jeremy Jentzen, weighing contenders across major categories, comparing current campaigns with past Oscar seasons, and discussing how critics, studios, voters, media and audiences influence the race. The panel also looks at Hollywood's business and cultural debates, including streaming, AI, social media and the politics surrounding film and awards coverage.

The format is informal, opinionated and prediction-driven, with recurring debate, personal anecdotes and candid criticism rather than formal guest interviews. Its distinctive angle is the mix of detailed awards-season tracking and outspok... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Frontrunners and Challengers?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Frontrunners and Challengers:

1. IndieWire: Screen Talk
2. Little Gold Men by Vanity Fair
3. Prestige Junkie
4. The Next Best Picture Podcast
5. This Had Oscar Buzz

How many episodes of Frontrunners and Challengers are there?

Frontrunners and Challengers launched 10 years ago and published 101 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Frontrunners and Challengers?

Recent guests on Frontrunners and Challengers include:

1. Mark Johnson
2. Rob Reiner
3. Clarence Moye
4. Jeffrey Wells

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