Oscars 2025: 'Anora' stuns with five wins, Adrien Brody wins best actor

Oscars 2025: 'Anora' sweeps with five wins, Sean Baker makes history, Mikey Madison stuns with Best Actress win; Conan O'Brien's Hindi greeting takes the internet by storm

The 97th Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 2. Leading the nominations race with 13 nods was Jacques Audiard’s daring musical. However, the night ultimately belonged to Sean Baker’s Anora, which dominated the awards by securing five Oscars, including Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.  

 

Sean Baker set a milestone by becoming the first individual to win four Academy Awards for a single film. The event, broadcast live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, with Nick Offerman among the presenters.  

 

This year’s Oscars featured several historic achievements. Adrien Brody, the star of The Brutalist, became the first actor to win Best Actor twice in two nominations, triumphing over Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for A Complete Unknown.  

 

Emilia Perez earned two awards, with Zoe Saldana winning Best Supporting Actress, and the film also securing the Best Original Song accolade. Kieran Culkin was honoured with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain.    Also Read: Oscars 2025 Winner List 

In the Best Adapted Screenplay category, Conclave emerged victorious.   

India had one entry on the Oscars shortlist — Anuja, which was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film. However, the film, backed by notable figures like Priyanka Chopra and two-time Oscar-winner Guneet Monga, lost to I'm Not Robot, dashing India’s hopes for a win this year.  

 

The ceremony, hosted by Conan O’Brien, also included a tribute to the victims and heroes of the recent Los Angeles wildfires.  

 

The show opened with a musical performance by Wicked’s Oscar-nominated stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Additionally, Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink, and Raye delivered a tribute to the iconic music of the James Bond franchise. A special appearance by the Los Angeles Master Chorale was another highlight of the evening.  

 

‘Namaskar’ says Conan O’Brien: Hindi greeting goes viral  

  A surprising moment during the 97th Academy Awards came when first-time host Conan O’Brien addressed Indian audiences in Hindi. Amid his signature witty and self-deprecating monologue, O’Brien paused briefly to greet viewers from India, saying, “Namaskar. Nashte ke saath Oscar kar rahe hai aap log”, which translates to, “Greetings to the people of India, it’s morning there, so I hope you’re having breakfast with the Oscars.”  

 

His spontaneous Hindi greeting took many by surprise and quickly became a viral sensation online.  

 

O’Brien’s opening monologue also included humorous references to various nominees, including a comedic clip of him emerging from Demi Moore’s back — a nod to the body horror Best Picture contender, The Substance.  

 

Biggest upsets in 97th Academy Awards

1. Mikey Madison wins Best Actress over Demi Moore:

One of the most significant upsets was Mikey Madison taking home the Best Actress award for her role in Anora, beating out Demi Moore for The Substance. Moore had been favoured to win after sweeping several major awards, including the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award.

 

2. Anora dominates major categories:

Anora, a film about a strip club Cinderella story, won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker. This was unexpected given the strong competition from other films like The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez.

 

3. Emilia Pérez falls short:Despite being a strong contender with 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez secured only two wins. The film faced controversy surrounding its lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, which may have impacted its chances.

 

4. Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers snubbed:

-Luca Guadagnino’s film Challengers received no nominations, which was surprising given Guadagnino’s reputation and past successes.

 

5. Trent Reznor’s snub:

Trent Reznor, known for his work in film scores, was notably absent from the nominations list, which was unexpected considering his consistent contributions to the industry.