Her character in La La Land dared to reach for the stars. And now Emma Stone's Oscar dreams may come true.
Stone devoted herself to her character Mia, rehearsing for months and learning tap and ballroom dancing.
Stone tapped into her own experiences as a struggling actress to bring her character to life.
"That's the lot in life when you're pushing yourself and always hoping to keep growing and expanding," Stone told Elle magazine. It's emotionally tricky."
Experts say Stone has a strong shot at taking home the award for Best Actress on Oscars night.
Despite this success, Stone can relate to Mia and her own past before achieving stardom.
"Every actor can relate to those feelings," Stone said. "You've just got to keep trucking."