Oscars 2025 recap: Biggest moments from the 97th Academy Awards
The 97th Academy Awards took place Sunday night.
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 2025 Oscars.
Key moments:
Kieran Culkin thanks wife Jazz Charton while accepting Oscar
In his best supporting actor acceptance speech, Kieran Culkin thanked his manager of 30 years and the director of "A Real Pain," Jesse Eisenberg.
"I have no idea how I got here, I've just been acting my whole life. It's just been part of what I do. I felt like this was never my trajectory, but however I got here, I know that Emily Gerson Saines, my manager of 30 years, [it's] because of you. Thank you for being there, I lean on you for everything, so please don't go anywhere, I'd be completely lost without you. I love you."
"Jesse Eisenberg, thank you for this movie," he continued. "You're a genius, I'm never saying it again, so soak it up."
Culkin also thanked his mom, as well as his wife Jazz Charton, and joked about how he wants them to keep growing their family.
"About a year ago on a public stage like this, I very stupidly, publicly said that I want a third kid from her, because she said if I won the award, she would give me the kid," he said. "Turns out she said that because she didn't think I was going to win. But people came up to her and were like, you know, really annoying her, I think it got to her."
Culkin went on to say that his wife did say, "'Oh God, I did say that. I guess I owe you a third kid.' And I turned to her and said, 'Really, I want four.' And she turned to me and said, 'I will give you four when you win an Oscar.'"
"I held my hand out, she shook it and I have not brought it up once until just now. You remember that, honey? You do? Then I just have to say to you, Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith," he added. "No pressure. I love you. I'm really sorry I did this again. And let's get crackin' on those kids, what do you say?"
Kieran Culkin wins best supporting actor Oscar
Kieran Culkin won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance in "A Real Pain."
Other nominees in the category included Yura Borisov for "Anora," Edward Norton for "A Complete Unknown," Guy Pearce for "The Brutalist" and Jeremy Strong for "The Apprentice."
Conan O'Brien opens Oscars ceremony with hilarious monologue
Oscars host Conan O'Brien kicked off the 97th Oscars with a monologue that touched on this year's nominated movies and actors.
"'A Complete Unknown.' 'A Real Pain.' 'Nosferatu.' These are just some of the names I was called on the red carpet," he joked.
Of nominee "Wicked," O'Brien poked fun by saying, "It's the perfect movie for anyone who's ever finished watching 'The Wizard of Oz' and thought, 'Sure, but where did all the minor characters go to college? That's the story.'"
Touching on Oscar nominee Karla Sofía Gascón's social media controversy, O'Brien joked, "I loved 'Anora.' I really did. Little fact for ya, 'Anora' uses the F-word 479 times. That's three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón's publicist."
He then told the "Emilia Pérez" actress, who came under fire in recent weeks for past offensive social media posts, "Karla, if you're going to tweet about the Oscars, remember, my name is Jimmy Kimmel."
Adam Sandler made a surprise cameo, bantering with O'Brien over his chosen wardrobe for the Oscars: gym shorts and a hoodie.
O'Brien then got more serious with a message about what the Oscars truly represent at their core.
"Now, for almost a century, we have paused every spring to elevate and celebrate an art form that has the power, at its very best, to unite us," he said. "So, yes, even in the face of terrible wildfires and divisive politics, the work, which this is about, the work continues."
"And next year, and for years to come, through trauma and joy, this seemingly absurd ritual is going to be here," he continued. "I will not -- I'm leaving Hollywood to run a bed and breakfast in Orlando, and I'd like to see you there. But the magic, the madness, the grandeur and the joy of film worldwide is going to be with us forever."
Before his monologue, O'Brien kicked off the show with a parody of "The Substance."
Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo kick off Oscars with gravity defying performance
"Wicked" stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the Oscars with a showstopping performance.
Grande kicked things off with a performance of "Over the Rainbow" from 1939's "The Wizard of Oz."
Erivo then took the stage and sang "Home" from the 1975 Broadway musical "The Wiz."
The duo ended their performance with the song "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked."