Oscar Night 2025: A Wild Ride!
Okay, so the 97th Academy Awards? It was a total rollercoaster. A whirlwind of shocking upsets and predictable wins, all against the backdrop of a crazy awards season – remember those wildfires and all the drama? Emilia Pérez started out like a frontrunner, with a whopping 13 nominations. But honestly, who saw Anora sweeping the board like that? It snagged Best Picture, Best Director (Sean Baker – what a guy!), and Best Actress (Mikey Madison). Talk about a surprise!
Anora's Reign and Other Big Wins
Sean Baker’s Anora, this dark fairytale about a sex worker marrying into serious Russian money, completely captivated the Academy. It took home five awards in total! Meanwhile, Adrien Brody nabbed his second Best Actor Oscar for his incredible performance in The Brutalist. That was a powerful one. Supporting Actor went to Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), and the Supporting Actress award went to Zoe Saldana (Emilia Pérez), making history as the first American of Dominican descent to win. There was some buzz about whether she truly deserved the supporting actress nod given her screen time, but hey, that's the Oscars for you.
And then there was the tribute to the firefighters battling those intense LA wildfires. It was really moving. Plus, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo from Wicked performed – classic Oscars magic.
Beyond the Big Winners
Conclave, that gripping papal thriller, won Best Adapted Screenplay. The script was truly something else. Wicked, while not winning Best Picture (a bit of an upset considering its nominations!), did take home Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. Dune: Part Two kept its technical prowess shining, earning Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. And representing Brazil, I’m Still Here snagged Best International Feature Film.
Some Seriously Close Races!
It wasn't all one-sided, though. The Best Actor race was a nail-biter between Brody and Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown). It was so close! The Best Actress competition was equally intense, a compelling showdown between Madison and Demi Moore (The Substance). Even Best Picture was a real nail-biter, with Anora and Conclave going head-to-head right until the very end. It was intense!
Looking Ahead to Next Year
The 2025 Oscars really showed the incredible breadth of talent out there. The unexpected wins and incredibly close races just proved how unpredictable these awards can be. It left everyone buzzing, and you know what? I'm already looking forward to next year’s ceremony.
