Movie buffs you know the Oscars are usually a mix of glamor awards and well... politics . But this year things felt a little different. While past ceremonies have been full of celebs speaking their minds this time around it was surprisingly quiet especially when it came to the big elephant in the room: Donald Trump .
From Fiery Speeches to… Silence? Why the 2025 Oscars Felt Apolitical Compared to the Trump Era
Remember back in 2017 when Trump first became president? The Oscars were LIT. Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue was all Trump all the time. People were making speeches left and right. It was a moment. Fast forward to the 2025 Oscars and… crickets mostly. One article even called it "long and boring" and honestly it kind of felt that way politically speaking.
In 2017 it was like everyone in Hollywood had something to say about Trump. Gael García Bernal defended immigrants Barry Jenkins gave a shout-out to the ACLU. This year? Almost nothing. Host Conan O'Brien made a joke about a "powerful Russian" which everyone knew was a dig at Trump's relationship with Putin. Zoe Saldaña mentioned her immigrant parents. And the team behind the documentary No Other Land criticized the US government. But that was pretty much it.
Conan O'Brien's "Powerful Russian" Joke: The One Political Moment That Landed (and How the Crowd Reacted)
Let's talk about Conan's joke for a sec because it was definitely the most noticeable political moment. He was talking about the movie Anora which was having a good night at the awards. He quipped "I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian." Boom. The crowd went wild. Apparently the audience knew exactly what he meant and the applause was loud and clear.
Even though Conan didn't say Trump's name everyone got the message. It was a subtle jab but it landed because it played on the well-known topic of Trump's relationship with Vladimir Putin. It was a smart way to get a political point across without being too heavy-handed for the Oscars vibe.
Why the Silence? Fear Cowardice or Something Else? Decoding Hollywood's Apolitical Oscars
So why the big difference between the Trump-era Oscars and this year's show? Several theories are floating around.
- Fear of Backlash: Let's be real Trump is known for being well... vindictive. Maybe people in Hollywood are just scared to become targets. It's possible some actors and directors thought it was safer to just stay quiet.
- Hollywood Humility? This might be a stretch but maybe Hollywood is realizing their political speeches don't actually sway voters that much. Remember all the celebrity support for Kamala Harris? Didn't exactly change the world. Maybe there's a bit of humility or at least self-awareness creeping in.
- Just Tired of Politics? Honestly everyone is probably exhausted by politics right now. Maybe Hollywood just wanted one night off to celebrate movies without getting into all the drama. Who can blame them?
One article suggests that the silence might not be cowardice but "judicious silence" in a world that feels super uncertain. Maybe it's not about being weak but being strategic. Or maybe everyone was just on Ozempic and feeling lightheaded who knows! Whatever the reason the lack of Trump talk at the Oscars was definitely noticeable and a big change from previous years.
Trump's Take? Disdain for Hollywood and His Movie Loses Out at the Oscars
Of course Trump himself was not at the Oscars. He has made it pretty clear he is not a fan of Hollywood in general. Funny enough there was a movie nominated this year The Apprentice that's all about his early career. It was up for two awards Best Actor for Sebastian Stan (who played Trump) and Best Supporting Actor for Jeremy Strong (who played Roy Cohn). But guess what? It lost both. Adrien Brody won Best Actor and Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor.
Unsurprisingly Trump was not a fan of The Apprentice. He called it "fake and classless" and a "cheap defamatory and politically disgusting hatchet job" timed to hurt his political movement. So yeah safe to say he wasn't rooting for it to win.
Dissent or Capitulation? What Hollywood's Oscar Silence Really Means
So what does all this Oscar silence mean? Is Hollywood being cowardly or just cautious? Is it a sign of changing times or just a one-off year? It's tough to say for sure. Maybe it's a bit of everything. The world is a complicated place and Hollywood like everyone else is probably trying to figure out how to navigate it. Whether this silence is a good thing a bad thing or just a thing is up for debate. But it definitely made the 2025 Oscars feel different maybe even a little boring but definitely less politically charged than we have come to expect.