Anora, a strip club Cinderella story without the fairy tale ending, was crowned best picture at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, handing Sean Baker’s gritty, Brooklyn-set screwball farce Hollywood’s top prize.
In a stubbornly fluctuating Oscar season, Anora, the Palme d’Or-winner at the Cannes Film Festival, emerged as the unlikely frontrunner. Baker’s tale of an erotic dancer who elopes with the son of a Russian oligarch – unusually explicit for a best-picture winner – was made for just US$6million.
All the looks from the Oscars red carpet
But Oscar voters, eschewing blockbuster contenders like Wicked and Dune: Part Two, instead added Anora to a string of recent indie best picture winners, including Everything Everywhere All at Once, CODA and Nomadland.
Mikey Madison won best actress for her breakthrough performance in Anora, a victory that came over the category favorite, Demi Moore (The Substance).
Cast and crew including Darya Ekamasova, Lindsey Normington, Vache Tovmasyan, Karren Karagulian, Alex Coco, Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Samantha Quan, Luna Sofía Miranda, Sean Baker, Drew Daniels and Yura Borisov accept the Best Picture award for Anora. (Getty)
Sean Baker, the filmmaker of Anora, won best director, best original screenplay and best editing. Baker used his acceptance speech for best director to preach passionately for the theatrical experience.
Adrien Brody clinched his second Oscar for best actor, winning for his role as a visionary Hungarian architect in The Brutalist.
Kieran Culkin picked up the first award of the night for A Real Pain, pipping Australian Guy Pearce. Zoe Saldaña later earned her first Academy Award for best supporting actress in Emilia Pérez, capping an already accomplished awards season.
Host Conan O’Brien got the show and his monologue off to a start filled with his usual sarcastic humour.
Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman gave tribute to two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, four days after Hackman was found dead.
“This week our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman,” he said.
ALL THE 2025 OSCARS WINNERS
Anora – WINNERThe BrutalistA Complete UnknownConclaveDune: Part TwoEmilia PérezI’m Still HereNickel BoysThe SubstanceWicked
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist – WINNERTimothée Chalamet – A Complete UnknownColman Domingo – Sing SingRalph Fiennes – ConclaveSebastian Stan – The Apprentice
Cynthia Erivo – WickedKarla Sofía Gascón – Emilia PérezMikey Madison – Anora – WINNERDemi Moore – The SubstanceFernanda Torres – I’m Still Here
Jacques Audiard – Emilia PérezSean Baker – Anora – WINNERBrady Corbet – The BrutalistCoralie Fargeat – The SubstanceJames Mangold – A Complete Unknown
Zoe Saldana accepts the Best Actress In A Supporting Role award. (Kevin Winter/Getty)
Monica Barbaro – A Complete UnknownAriana Grande – WickedFelicity Jones – The BrutalistIsabella Rossellini – ConclaveZoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Kieran Culkin accepts the Best Actor In A Supporting Role award for A Real Pain. ( Kevin Winter/Getty)
Yura Borisov – AnoraKieran Culkin – A Real Pain – WINNEREdward Norton – A Complete UnknownGuy Pearce – The BrutalistJeremy Strong – The Apprentice
A Complete Unknown – Jay Cocks and James MangoldConclave – Peter StraughanEmilia Pérez – Jacques AudiardNickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn BarnesSing Sing – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Anora – Sean Baker – WINNERThe Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona FastvoldA Real Pain – Jesse EisenbergSeptember 5 – Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex DavidThe Substance – Coralie Fargeat
Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too LateEl Mal – Emilia Pérez – WINNERMi Camino – Emilia PérezLike A Bird – Sing SingThe Journey – The Six Triple Eight
The Brutalist – WINNERConclaveEmilia PérezWickedThe Wild Robot
Best international feature
I’m Still Here – Brazil – WINNERThe Girl with the Needle – DenmarkEmilia Pérez – FranceThe Seed of the Sacred Fig – GermanyFlow – Latvia
Flow – WINNERInside Out 2Memoir of a SnailWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most FowlThe Wild Robot
Black Box DiariesNo Other Land – WINNERPorcelain WarSoundtrack to a Coup d’EtatSugarcane
Wicked – WINNERNosferatuA Complete UnknownConclaveGladiator II
Best make-up and hairstyling
A Different ManEmilia PérezNosferatuThe Substance – WINNERWicked
Wicked – WINNERThe BrutalistDune: Part TwoNosferatuConclave
A Complete UnknownDune: Part Two – WINNEREmilia PérezWickedThe Wild Robot
