Taylor Swift Eyes First Oscar Nod for 'Toy Story 5' Ballad After Academy Museum Gala Performance
The pop superstar performed at the annual fundraiser, a key event on the awards circuit, with her original song for the animated film gaining traction.
Taylor Swift could be on the path to her first Academy Award nomination, with her original song for "Toy Story 5" emerging as a contender. The singer performed at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, an event increasingly recognized as a significant stop on the awards campaign trail.
The gala, which raised $14 million this year, saw Swift take the stage to perform several songs, including her potential Oscar-nominated tune "I Knew It, I Knew You," which was released in June and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. While a chart-topping hit is not a prerequisite for an Oscar nomination in the Best Original Song category, its widespread popularity could influence Academy voters. Furthermore, every previous installment in the "Toy Story" franchise has yielded a Best Original Song nominee, adding to the song's potential.
Swift also performed "The Fate of Ophelia" from the musical "The Life of a Showgirl" live for the first time, alongside her hits "Blank Space" and "Love Story." "Toy Story 5" star Conan O'Brien introduced Swift, calling her "an insane, unprecedented honor to introduce a cherished member of our little 'Toy Story 5' family."
The Academy Museum Gala honored Charlize Theron, director John Carpenter, and actor Colman Domingo. The event was co-chaired by Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg, and Kate Capshaw.
Among the notable attendees were Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Rami Malek, Cara Delevingne, Seth Rogen, Jessica Alba, Kristen Dunst, Kate Hudson, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Demi Moore, Jon M. Chu, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Elliot Grainge, Teyana Taylor, and Olivia Munn.
Other figures in contention for Oscar nominations, such as Inde Navarrette and director Curry Barker from "Obsession," were also present. Previous pop stars who have secured Oscar nominations for their music include Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and SZA.