Jacob Elordi and Cate Blanchett will represent Australia at a major entertainment event in Singapore this week. The stars are among 331 national champions from across Asia and the Pacific competing at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. The awards ceremony will take place at Singapore’s historic Capitol Theatre on December 4, 2025.
The event is considered a top celebration for television and film in the Asia-Pacific region. Organizers say this year’s competition has more contenders than ever before. A total of 16 countries are participating across 40 different categories.
AACA Chairperson Beverley McGarvey stated the region is making a strong statement. She noted a record number of entries, judges, and companies taking part this year. “For buyers, distributors, casting and talent agents, co-producers, this is a truly one-stop curation of the best our region has to offer,” McGarvey said.
Australia’s Star-Studded Contenders
Jacob Elordi is in the running for Best Actor in a Leading Role. His nomination is for his performance in the Prime Video series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”. The role is a major step for the actor, who is also known for his part in the upcoming film “Frankenstein”.
“Congratulations, Jacob Elordi! Australia’s own star has just been named the 2025 National Winner!” announced the official Asian Academy Creative Awards Facebook page.
Cate Blanchett is Australia’s contender for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She is recognized for her Emmy-nominated performance in the Apple TV+ series “Disclaimer”. This marks the first time Apple TV+ has entered content into this awards competition.
They are not the only Australian talents in the competition. Veteran actor Hugo Weaving is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the film “How To Make Gravy”. Actress Aisha Dee is in the running for Best Supporting Actress for the Netflix series “Apple Cider Vinegar”. Asher Keddie is also nominated for Best Actor/Actress in a Comedy Role for “Strife” Season 2.
A Heated Competition Across Asia
Elordi and Blanchett face very strong competition from popular actors across Asia. In the Best Actor category, Elordi will compete against stars like China’s Li Xian, Korea’s Park Bo-gum, and Thailand’s Natara Nopparatayapon.
The Best Actress race is packed with 13 contenders. Blanchett’s rivals include the Philippines’ Jodi Sta. Maria, who previously won this award in 2022. Korea’s entry is Minha Kim from the Apple TV+ series “Pachinko” Season 2. Her co-star, Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung, is also competing in the Best Supporting Actress category for Korea.
The award for Best Drama Series is another major category to watch. Australia’s hope is Elordi’s show, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”. It is up against popular series like China’s “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty: To The West”, India’s “Suzhal – The Vortex Season 2”, and Korea’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines”.
Global Streaming Giants Dominate Entries
The list of nominees shows the strong influence of global streaming services on content in the Asia-Pacific region. Netflix shows performed very well in several countries. In India, the series “Black Warrant” earned six national award wins. In Thailand, the Netflix series “Mad Unicorn” received five national award nominations.
Prime Video also has a strong presence. Alongside Elordi’s nominated series, the platform is behind India’s mystery thriller “Suzhal – The Vortex Season 2”, which is up for Best Drama Series.
Apple TV+ made its first appearance at these awards this year. Beyond Blanchett’s nomination for “Disclaimer”, the service earned recognition for “Pachinko” Season 2, with actress Minha Kim and director Arvin Chen representing Korea and Taiwan, respectively.
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Event Details and How to Watch
The main awards ceremony is a single grand event described as a “Super Ceremony”. All 40 category winners will be announced during the Grand Awards Gala on December 4. The event follows a two-day National Winners Conference for industry professionals on December 3 and 4.
For fans wanting to watch, the awards organization will stream the red carpet event live. The Asian Academy Creative Awards’ official Instagram page posted details for viewers.
“Catch the AACA Red Carpet LIVE on 4 Dec at 4:30PM (SGT)! Don’t miss your chance… or stream the excitement live on Facebook & YouTube,” the post said.
The theme for this year’s red carpet is “Culture Glamour – One Red Carpet A World of Colour”. The historic Capitol Theatre in Singapore will host the event.
The Asian Academy Creative Awards were established to honor creative work in television, film, and digital media across the Asia-Pacific. It uses a two-stage judging process where local juries first pick national winners. Those winners then compete against each other in the international final round.
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Credits: Asian Academy Creative Awards Official Website,
