Oscars 2025 recap: Highlights and biggest moments from 97th Academy Awards

ByKimberlee Sakamoto, Hayley FitzPatrick, Carson Blackwelder, Angeline Jane Bernabe, and Mason Leib OTRC logo
Last updated: Monday, March 3, 2025 5:20AM GMT
2025 Oscars

LOS ANGELES -- The 2025 Oscars honored the best in cinema from the past year Sunday night.

The 97th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O'Brien, ended with "Anora" taking home the coveted trophy for best picture.

"Anora" was the top film of the night, taking home five Oscars including best director for Sean Baker.

The top acting prizes went to Adrien Brody, who won best actor for "The Brutalist," and Mikey Madison, who won best actress for "Anora." Winning in the supporting categories were "Emilia Pérez" star Zoe Saldaña and "A Real Pain" star Kieran Culkin.

Heading into the ceremony, "Emilia Pérez" led the field of nominees with 13 total Oscar nominations. It ended the night with two trophies.

This year's show honored the city of Los Angeles in the wake of the wildfires that left at least 29 dead and destroyed thousands of homes earlier this year, bringing firefighters onto the Oscars stage and hosting a charitable component to raise money for fire victims.

The Oscars ceremony aired live on ABC and streamed live on Hulu for the first time.

Scroll down for a recap of the Oscars and check out all coverage of the 97th Academy Awards here.


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Mar 03, 2025, 12:32 AM

Full list of winners from the 97th Academy Awards

Go here for a look at the full winners list.

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Mar 03, 2025, 4:35 AM

PHOTOS: 2025 Oscars parties highlights

Take a look at the photo gallery below for the glitz and glamour of the Oscars viewing and after parties with exclusive photos capturing Hollywood's elite celebrating the night in style.

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Cynthia Erivo attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
Mar 03, 2025, 2:35 AM GMT

Fire service members who fought Palisades, Eaton Fires appear onstage

Members of the Los Angeles fire service who battled the Pacific Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire were honored during the Oscars.

L.A. area fire departments were honored at the Oscars on Sunday for their brave and heroic actions when wildfires broke out across SoCal in January.

Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department were welcomed onto the stage of the 97th Academy Awards and recieved a standing ovation from the stars and celebrities packing the Dolby Theater in the heart of Hollywood.

Take a look at the full story here.

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Mar 03, 2025, 2:31 AM GMT

'Dune: Part Two' wins Oscar for Best Visual Effects

Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer have won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for "Dune: Part Two" at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, stars of the forthcoming Disney film "Snow White," presented the category.

Other films nominated in the category included "Alien: Romulus," "Better Man," "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" and "Wicked."

Go here for a look at the full list of winners from the 97th Oscars.

Disney is the parent company of this station.

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Mar 03, 2025, 2:27 AM GMT

'Dune: Part Two' wins Oscar for Best Sound

Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill have won the Oscar for Best Sound for "Dune: Part Two" at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Miley Cyrus and Miles Teller presented the category.

Other films nominated in the category included "A Complete Unknown," "Emilia Pérez," "Wicked" and "The Wild Robot."

Go here for a look at the full list of winners from the 97th Oscars.

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Mar 03, 2025, 2:20 AM GMT

Zoe Saldaña dedicates Oscar win to her grandmother

In her acceptance speech for best supporting actress for her role in "Emilia Pérez," Zoe Saldaña said she was "floored" by the honor.

Zoe Saldana accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "Emilia Perez during the Oscars on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Zoe Saldana accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for "Emilia Perez during the Oscars on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

"Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita," Saldaña said of her character. "And talking about powerful women, my fellow nominees, the love and community that you have offered me is a true gift, and I will pay it forward. Thank you so much."

Saldaña called "Emilia Pérez" director Jacques Audiard "a beloved character in my life" and said she shared her win with the cast and crew of the film.

"To my mom, my dad and my sisters ... everything brave, outrageous and good that I've ever done in my life is because of you," she added, turning attention to her family. "And to my husband ... the biggest honor of my life is being your partner. You hung the moon in our beautiful, perfect sons Cy, Bowie and Zen."

Saldaña ended her speech by dedicating her win to her grandmother.

"My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last," she concluded. "I hope the fact that I'm getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted. This is for my grandmother."