Oscars 2025 Highlights, Surprises, and Controversies That Defined the Night
Oscars 2025 highlights : The Academy Awards brought a night filled with unforgettable moments, from dazzling performances to record-breaking wins and unexpected snubs. With Conan O’Brien making his hosting debut and Sean Baker making history with multiple wins, the night was anything but predictable
A ‘Wicked’ Opening That Defied Gravity
Oscars 2025 highlights :Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo set the stage on fire with a breathtaking performance paying homage to cinematic adaptations of The Wizard of Oz. Grande, dressed in a ruby-red gown, sang Over the Rainbow before Erivo took over with Home from The Wiz. The duo then closed with Defying Gravity from Wicked, delivering a showstopping opener.
Sean Baker Makes History
Anora emerged as the night’s biggest winner, with director Sean Baker taking home four Oscars 2025 highlights for editing, directing, original screenplay, and best picture. This tied him with Walt Disney for the most Oscars won by a single individual in one night.
Conan O’Brien’s Hosting Brilliance
In his first stint as an Oscars 2025 highlights host, Conan O’Brien balanced humor and sentimentality, poking fun at the industry while celebrating its craft. He acknowledged global film achievements, including Latvia’s first Oscar win for Flow. One of his sharpest quips referenced Anora, a film about a Brooklyn sex worker defying Russian oligarchs: “I guess Americans are excited to see someone finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”
Mikey Madison’s Shocking Best Actress Win
Oscars 2025 highlights :Though Anora had already swept several major categories, Mikey Madison’s win for Best Actress was a surprise. Many expected Demi Moore to claim the award for her role in The Substance. Madison, visibly shocked, called the moment “very surreal.”
Kieran Culkin’s Signature Speech
Winning Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain, Kieran Culkin continued his streak of entertaining and unpredictable speeches. Much of it was censored, but he still managed to announce that his wife, Jazz Charton, had agreed to have two more children if he won an Oscar.
Streaming Woes: Hulu’s Oscars Fail
Viewers watching on Hulu were left frustrated when the live feed cut out right before the Best Actress award was announced. The abrupt “Thank you for watching” message sparked outrage, forcing many to scramble to social media to catch up on the ceremony’s climax.
A Political Moment on Stage
The Best Documentary winners, Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, made a powerful statement about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while accepting their award for No Other Land. Their speech, which called for an end to “ethnic cleansing” and condemned violence in Gaza, drew mixed reactions but was one of the most talked-about moments of the night.
Oscars Pay Tribute to James Bond and Theaters
The night featured a tribute to the James Bond franchise, following its acquisition by Amazon. Meanwhile, Sean Baker took the opportunity during his acceptance speech to advocate for watching films in theaters, highlighting the struggle of cinemas post-pandemic.
Biggest Snub: No Clips for Supporting Actor Nominees
One of the night’s biggest letdowns was the decision to forgo showing clips of performances in the Supporting Actor category. Instead, last year’s winners offered verbal praise for the nominees—leaving many fans disappointed.
Zoe Saldaña’s Heartfelt Speech
Among the night’s most touching speeches was Zoe Saldaña’s, who dedicated her award to her mother, husband, and children. She also expressed pride in being a child of immigrants and celebrated her opportunity to perform in Spanish on such a prestigious stage.
In Memoriam’s Notable Omission
The In Memoriam segment honored industry icons like Gene Hackman, Maggie Smith, and James Earl Jones. However, many were shocked by the omission of Harriet the Spy actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who had passed away just a day before the ceremony.
Final Thoughts
Oscars 2025 delivered everything: history-making wins, stunning performances, political statements, and streaming disasters. Whether it was Anora’s dominance or Hulu’s embarrassing blackout, the night gave fans plenty to talk about—and left Hollywood with new narratives to carry forward.