Oscars 2025: A Night of Historic Wins and Unforgettable Moments

The 97th Academy Awards took place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, celebrating the best in cinema from 2024. Hosted for the first time by the legendary Conan O’Brien, the night was filled with memorable speeches, surprising wins, and groundbreaking achievements. The event was broadcast live on ABC and, for the first time, also streamed on Hulu.

Anora Wins Big at the Oscars 2025

The indie drama Anora took home the coveted Best Picture award, capping off a night where it won five Oscars, including Best Director for Sean Baker and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. The film, which follows the gripping story of a young woman navigating love and survival, solidified its place in cinema history.

Meanwhile, The Brutalist, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, and Wicked all earned multiple awards, showing the diversity in storytelling that shaped the past year in film.

Big Winners of the Night

🏆 Best Picture

🏆 Winner: Anora – Producers: Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker

Nominees:

• The Brutalist

• A Complete Unknown

• Conclave

• Dune: Part Two

• Emilia Pérez

• I'm Still Here

• Nickel Boys

• The Substance

• Wicked

🎬 Best Director

🏆 Winner: Sean Baker – Anora

Nominees:

• Brady Corbet – The Brutalist

• James Mangold – A Complete Unknown

• Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez

• Coralie Fargeat – The Substance

🎭 Best Actor in a Leading Role

🏆 Winner: Adrien Brody – The Brutalist (as László Tóth)

Nominees:

• Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown (as Bob Dylan)

• Colman Domingo – Sing Sing (as John "Divine G" Whitfield)

• Ralph Fiennes – Conclave (as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence)

• Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice (as Donald Trump)

🎭 Best Actress in a Leading Role

🏆 Winner: Mikey Madison – Anora (as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva)

Nominees:

• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked (as Elphaba Thropp)

• Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez (as Emilia Pérez / Juan "Manitas" Del Monte)

• Demi Moore – The Substance (as Elisabeth Sparkle)

• Fernanda Torres – I'm Still Here (as Eunice Paiva)

🎭 Best Actor in a Supporting Role

🏆 Winner: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain (as Benji Kaplan)

Nominees:

• Yura Borisov – Anora (as Igor)

• Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown (as Pete Seeger)

• Guy Pearce – The Brutalist (as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.)

• Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice (as Roy Cohn)

🎭 Best Actress in a Supporting Role

🏆 Winner: Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez (as Rita Mora Castro)

Nominees:

• Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown (as Joan Baez)

• Ariana Grande – Wicked (as Galinda "Glinda" Upland)

• Felicity Jones – The Brutalist (as Erzsébet Tóth)

• Isabella Rossellini – Conclave (as Sister Agnes)

More Notable Wins

• Best Writing (Original Screenplay): Anora – Sean Baker

• Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Conclave – Peter Straughan

• Best Animated Feature Film: Flow

• Best International Feature Film: I'm Still Here (Brazil)

• Best Documentary Feature Film: No Other Land

• Best Music (Original Score): The Brutalist – Daniel Blumberg

• Best Music (Original Song): "El Mal" from Emilia Pérez

• Best Cinematography: The Brutalist – Lol Crawley

• Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two

Oscars 2025 Highlights & Moments

1. Conan O’Brien’s Hilarious Hosting Debut

Conan O’Brien, known for his quick wit and comedic brilliance, brought a fresh energy to the ceremony. His self-deprecating humor, playful jabs at Hollywood’s biggest stars, and unexpected skits kept the audience entertained throughout the night.

2. Emilia Pérez’s Historic 13 Nominations

With 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez became the most nominated film of the night. Karla Sofía Gascón’s nomination marked a historic moment for trans representation at the Oscars.

3. Kieran Culkin’s Emotional Speech

Winning Best Supporting Actor, Succession star Kieran Culkin delivered a heartfelt speech, thanking his brother Macaulay Culkin and reflecting on his journey from TV to film.

4. Ariana Grande’s First Oscar Nomination

Pop icon Ariana Grande received her first Academy Award nomination for her role as Glinda in Wicked, marking a major career milestone.

5. Dune: Part Two Dominates Technical Categories

While it missed out on Best Picture, Dune: Part Two triumphed in Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, proving its cinematic spectacle and immersive world-building.

Final Thoughts

The 97th Academy Awards celebrated the diverse storytelling and groundbreaking performances that defined 2024’s films. From indie breakthroughs like Anora to big-budget spectacles like Dune: Part Two and Wicked, this year’s Oscars showcased a mix of fresh talent and Hollywood legends.

As we look ahead to the 2026 Oscars, we can’t wait to see what films will captivate audiences next. Until then, let’s keep celebrating the magic of cinema! 🎬✨

What were your favorite moments from the 2025 Oscars? Let us know in the comments! 👇