Movie fans listen up! The 97th Academy Awards just wrapped up and it was quite a night. "Anora" took home Best Picture Sean Baker made history and even Disney's main man Bob Iger is feeling pretty good. Let's break down the biggest moments the winners and why this year's Oscars were definitely one to remember.
'Anora' Sweeps the Oscars: Indie Darling Makes History and Takes Home Top Prizes Including Best Picture and Director
The big winner of the night was definitely "Anora". This movie was a total powerhouse grabbing five Oscars including the big one Best Picture. Sean Baker the director had a record-breaking night. He became the first person ever to win four Oscars for the same movie in one night. That is seriously impressive putting him in the same league as Walt Disney himself! Baker snagged awards for producing directing writing and editing "Anora".
Adding to "Anora's" success Mikey Madison won Best Actress for her role in the film. Adrien Brody took home Best Actor for "The Brutalist" while Zoe Saldaña from "Emilia Pérez" and Kieran Culkin from "A Real Pain" won in the supporting acting categories. Even though "Emilia Pérez" went into the night with a whopping 13 nominations it ended up with two wins but those supporting acting and original song wins are still something to celebrate.
Conan O'Brien's Hosting Gig Steals the Show: Jokes Tributes and Keeping a Long Ceremony Entertaining
Conan O'Brien hosted the 97th Academy Awards and he brought his signature humor to the stage. He kept things moving through a pretty long show clocking in at three hours and 45 minutes. But no one seemed to mind too much because Conan was genuinely funny. He had inspired bits self-deprecating jokes and even a song-and-dance number with Deadpool and a sandworm from "Dune." Seriously.
Even though the show was lengthy many felt like it never dragged. Conan poked fun at nominees like Timothée Chalamet and even made a joke about Karla Sofía Gascón's controversial tweets showing he wasn't afraid to touch on some of the more talked-about moments of awards season. He even gave a shout-out to Demi Moore and her movie "The Substance" in his opening. People are saying Conan made a strong case for hosting again next year.
Disney's Big Night: Bob Iger Happy with Oscar Nominations and Studio's Fire Relief Efforts
While "Anora" and indie films had a big night Disney also had reasons to be happy. The "big boss" himself Bob Iger praised Disney projects that got Oscar nominations. He specifically mentioned "A Complete Unknown" and "Inside Out 2" as projects the company was proud of.
Beyond the awards the Oscars also focused on something really important: relief for the Southern California wildfires. Disney played a part in these relief efforts. The show honored firefighters bringing them on stage to a standing ovation and had a charity component to raise money for fire victims. It was a moment that added some heart to the glitz and glamour of the night.
Oscar Firsts and Memorable Moments: From Zoe Saldaña's Historic Win to Adrien Brody's Powerful Speech
The 2025 Oscars had some historic wins and genuinely moving speeches. Zoe Saldaña's win for Supporting Actress was a major moment. She became the first American of Dominican origin to win an Academy Award and dedicated her win to immigrant parents.
Adrien Brody's Best Actor speech was also powerful. He spoke out against antisemitism and racism saying his movie "The Brutalist" was a reminder "to not let hate go unchecked." He received a standing ovation for his words.
Latvia even scored their first ever Oscar win for the animated feature "Flow" which was considered an upset in the category. And Paul Tazewell made history as the first Black man to win the Costume Design award for "Wicked".
2025 Oscars: Key Highlights and Winning Moments
- Best Picture: "Anora"
- Best Director: Sean Baker ("Anora")
- Best Actress: Mikey Madison ("Anora")
- Best Actor: Adrien Brody ("The Brutalist")
- Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña ("Emilia Pérez")
- Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin ("A Real Pain")
- Sean Baker's Historic Night: Won four Oscars tying Walt Disney's record for most wins in a single year.
- Conan O'Brien's Hosting: Praised for keeping the long show entertaining and funny.
- Tribute to Firefighters: Emotional moment honoring Los Angeles first responders.
- Zoe Saldaña's Historic Win: First American of Dominican descent to win an Oscar.
- Adrien Brody's Speech: Powerful words against hate and intolerance.
A Night of Surprises Heartfelt Speeches and Hollywood Glamour: The 97th Academy Awards Wrap-Up
The 97th Academy Awards were a mix of expected wins surprise upsets and genuine emotion. "Anora's" big wins were a victory for indie filmmaking. Conan O'Brien proved to be a great host keeping the show lively. And moments like Zoe Saldaña's speech and the tribute to firefighters added depth to the evening. Even though it was a long ceremony it felt like a memorable one. Now the awards season dust settles and we look ahead to see what movies will be making waves next year!