On March 2, 2025, the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood buzzed with anticipation as the 97th Academy Awards unfolded, hosted by the sharp-witted Conan O’Brien in his first Oscars gig. This year’s ceremony was a rollercoaster of heartfelt speeches, unexpected twists, and a refreshing absence of overt politics—making it a standout in an awards season shadowed by Los Angeles wildfires and industry scandals. With Anora emerging as the night’s big winner, the 2025 Oscars offered a blend of indie grit and Hollywood glitz, signaling subtle shifts in the cinematic landscape. Here’s a deep dive into the night’s highlights, the winners, and what it all means.
A Ceremony Shaped by Resilience
The Oscars kicked off at 7 p.m. Eastern—an earlier start than usual—allowing the nearly four-hour telecast to stretch without veering into the wee hours. The backdrop was somber: devastating wildfires had ravaged Los Angeles in January, prompting the cancellation of the nominees’ luncheon and nomination delays. Yet, the show pressed on, opening with a poignant tribute to the city’s heroes and victims, followed by a chill-inducing medley from Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, blending “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Home,” and “Defying Gravity.” It set a tone of earnestness and uplift that carried through the night.
O’Brien’s hosting was a hit, blending self-deprecating humor with timely jabs—like a musical number about keeping the show on schedule—and a nod to the Emilia Pérez controversy without lingering. The absence of traditional original song performances made room for old-school spectacle: a James Bond tribute featuring Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink, and Raye, and Queen Latifah’s “Ease On Down The Road” honoring the late Quincy Jones. These moments, alongside personal tributes from presenters like Robert Downey Jr. and Andrew Garfield, lent the evening a loose, heartfelt vibe.
Anora Dominates: A New Indie King
The night belonged to Anora, Sean Baker’s raw, funny, and heartbreaking tale of a sex worker entangled with Russian oligarchs. The film scooped up five Oscars, including Best Picture, cementing Baker as a force. Baker himself tied Walt Disney’s record for most wins by an individual in one night—four statuettes for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and a producer credit on Best Picture. Unlike Disney’s 1954 haul across multiple projects, Baker’s wins were all for Anora, a feat unmatched in Oscars history.
Mikey Madison, Anora’s breakout star, clinched Best Actress, edging out Demi Moore (The Substance), who’d dominated precursor awards. Madison’s win was a mild upset—her Bafta victory had hinted at momentum, but Moore’s Golden Globe and narrative of Hollywood redemption made her the favorite. Madison’s speech, honoring the sex worker community, struck a chord, reflecting the film’s gritty authenticity.
Acting Categories: Triumphs and Surprises
The acting races delivered both locks and shocks. Adrien Brody won Best Actor for The Brutalist, a 215-minute epic about a Holocaust survivor architect. At 51, Brody became the first actor to win Best Actor with his first two nominations (his first was for The Pianist in 2002), fending off Timothée Chalamet’s acclaimed Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Brody’s quirky moment—spitting out gum to girlfriend Georgina Chapman mid-speech—added levity to his win.
Kieran Culkin took Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain, a role echoing his Succession flair but layered with fresh pathos. His sweep of precursor awards made this a foregone conclusion, though Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown) gave a strong showing. Culkin’s wry, stand-up-style acceptance speech was a highlight, cementing his Oscars charm.
Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, a musical-crime hybrid that led nominations with 13 but faltered amid controversy over Karla Sofía Gascón’s unearthed tweets. Saldaña’s emotional speech—dedicating the win to her grandmother and celebrating her Spanish-language role—brought tears, salvaging a bittersweet night for the film, which also snagged Best Original Song for “El Mal.”
Academy Awards: Full List of Winners
Here’s the rundown of the 2025 Academy awards i.e. Oscars winners across key categories:
-
Best Picture: Anora (Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker, Producers)
-
Best Director: Sean Baker, Anora
-
Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
-
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, Anora
-
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
-
Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez
-
Best Original Screenplay: Anora, Sean Baker
-
Best Adapted Screenplay: Conclave, Peter Straughan
-
Best Animated Feature: Flow (Latvia’s first win)
-
Best International Feature: I’m Still Here (Brazil’s first win)
-
Best Documentary Feature: No Other Land
-
Best Original Song: “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard)
-
Best Original Score: The Brutalist
-
Best Cinematography: The Brutalist
-
Best Film Editing: Anora, Sean Baker
-
Best Costume Design: Wicked, Paul Tazewell (first Black man to win)
-
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Substance
-
Best Production Design: Wicked
-
Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
-
Best Sound: Dune: Part Two
-
Best Animated Short: In the Shadow of the Cypress
-
Best Live Action Short: The Only Girl in the Orchestra
-
Best Documentary Short: The Only Girl in the Orchestra
Standout Moments and Snubs
The academy awards night wasn’t without its quirks. Brody’s gum-spitting, Baker hugging Madison before his screenplay win, and Doja Cat’s sultry “Diamonds Are Forever” in the Bond medley stole headlines. A tribute to Gene Hackman, who passed last month, narrated by Morgan Freeman, tugged heartstrings, as did the In Memoriam led by Queen Latifah, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey for Quincy Jones.
Snubs stung, too. Emilia Pérez’s 13 nods yielded just two wins, its Best Picture hopes dashed by scandal. Demi Moore’s loss to Madison sparked chatter—her The Substance run had been a redemption arc for the ages. Conclave, a Vatican thriller, nabbed Adapted Screenplay but missed bigger prizes despite Bafta and SAG wins, hinting at a late fade.
What It Means for Cinema
Anora’s triumph is a win for indie cinema in a year of big-budget contenders like Dune: Part Two and Wicked. Baker’s haul—earned independently—proves small films can still dominate, as producer Alex Coco urged in his Best Picture speech: “Keep making independent films. We need more.” It’s a rallying cry in an era where streaming giants and blockbusters often overshadow the little guy.
The acting wins reflect a mix of career peaks and new stars. Brody and Saldaña brought veteran gravitas, while Madison and Culkin signal fresh blood. Diversity shone through—Saldaña as the first Dominican-American Oscar winner, Tazewell breaking barriers in costume design, and international wins for Latvia and Brazil broadening the Academy’s lens.
Yet, the night dodged politics, a shift from past years. No grand statements—just earnestness, from Saldaña’s immigrant pride to Baker’s focus on craft. It felt like Hollywood exhaling after a tumultuous season, focusing on art over agendas.
The 2025 Oscars academy awards closed with Anora’s cast and crew swarming the stage, a fitting cap to a night of surprises and substance. As the telecast ended with “We Love LA,” honoring a wounded city, it left questions: Will indie momentum hold? Can Europe’s NATO summit vibe—self-reliance amid U.S. retreat—find a cinematic echo? For now, the 97th Academy Awards stand as a testament to resilience, talent, and a touch of the bonkers—proving the Oscars still have a pulse.
