Emma Stone has stirred significant Oscar attention with her role in the conspiracy thriller Bugonia, already making history prior to the 2026 Academy Awards. In January 2026, Stone earned a Best Actress nomination for her part in the film, becoming the youngest actress to receive seven Oscar nods at age 37, while also securing a Best Picture nomination as one of the movie’s producers.
This milestone surpasses the previous record held by Meryl Streep, who had achieved seven nominations by age 38, although Streep remains the most-nominated actress with a total of 21. Stone’s latest collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos continues a successful creative partnership following their 2023 film Poor Things, which brought Stone her second Best Actress Oscar. Stone’s earlier accolades include an Oscar win in 2018 for La La Land, as well as work with Lanthimos on the 2024 anthology Kinds of Kindness.
The Premise Behind Bugonia
Bugonia is an English-language adaptation of South Korean filmmaker Jang Joon-hwan’s 2003 dark comedy Save the Green Planet!, reimagined by Lanthimos and Succession writer Will Tracy. The story centers on Teddy Gatz (Jesse Plemons), a conspiracy theorist who kidnaps pharmaceutical CEO Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) alongside his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis). They accuse Michelle’s company of causing Teddy’s mother Sandy Gatz (Alicia Silverstone) to slip into a coma during a clinical trial.
Teddy believes Michelle is secretly part of an alien species known as the Andromedans, who are responsible for the dramatic decline of Earth’s honeybee population and are manipulating humanity. The film’s title, Bugonia, references an ancient Greek myth about bees spontaneously arising from the rotting carcasses of cattle.
As Teddy and Don subject Michelle to increasing torture to extract information about the Andromedans’ plans, Michelle initially denies any knowledge. However, she ultimately uses her intellect to outwit her captors. The plot builds to a harrowing climax when deputy sheriff Casey Boyd (Stavros Halkias) edges closer to rescuing Michelle, just as she persuades Teddy to initiate deadly events with devastating consequences for mankind.
Principal Cast and Characters
Emma Stone delivers a commanding portrayal of Michelle Fuller, the pharmaceutical CEO caught in a sinister abduction. Jesse Plemons plays Teddy Gatz, driven by his unwavering conspiracy beliefs, with Aidan Delbis appearing as his cousin Don. The cast remains intentionally minimal, mainly set within Teddy’s makeshift compound, emphasizing the tense atmosphere.
Stavros Halkias plays Casey Boyd, a deputy sheriff who could alter the course of events, while Alicia Silverstone appears briefly as Sandy Gatz, Teddy’s comatose mother.
Critical Reception and Perspectives
Bugonia holds an 88 percent critics’ score and an 84 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, slightly trailing behind Stone and Lanthimos’ earlier work, Poor Things. Reviews from major outlets convey varied emotions, underlining unease and tension amid the film’s dark themes.
The New York Times’ Alissa Wilkinson noted that the movie suits Stone
“ideal casting for Stone because of her anime-huge eyes and slightly otherwordly-wide grin.”
Jake Coyle from the Associated Press praised the film’s memorable ending featuring
“an apocalyptic air of resignation, of fait accompli, [that] sounds a chastening death knell.”
Los Angeles Times critic Amy Nicholson described Bugonia as
“a hilarious movie with no hope for the future of humanity,”
adding,
“What optimism there is lies only in the title, an ancient Greek word for the science of transforming dead cows into hives, of turning death into life.”
Meanwhile, David Fear of Rolling Stone acknowledged Lanthimos’s goal
“to inflame and delight in equal measure”
but warned the movie might
“confusing those who don’t recognize that bizarre is the new normal.”
However, not every response was favorable. Toronto Star’s Adam Nayman criticized the film as
“a case study in glib nastiness masquerading as satire.”
Slate’s Dana Stevens felt that despite its philosophical ambitions, the film’s grandeur ultimately became
“a disservice to both its characters and its audience.”
Oscar Nominations and Competition
Bugonia has garnered four Oscar nominations, including Emma Stone’s bid for her third Best Actress award. Her competitors in this category include Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, and Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value.
The film is also nominated for Best Picture, competing against titles such as F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams. Additionally, Will Tracy was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, and composer Jerskin Fendrix received a nod for Best Original Score.
Where to Watch Bugonia
Bugonia is currently available for streaming on Peacock, allowing audiences to experience the tense thriller ahead of the Oscar ceremony.
The film’s impact lies in its unsettling exploration of paranoia and manipulation, wrapped in a surreal narrative that challenges viewers’ perceptions. With Emma Stone’s record-setting Oscar journey and the film’s bold thematic content, Bugonia is positioned as a significant contender this awards season, prompting discussions on humanity’s fragility and the consequences of mistrust.
