Mikey Madison won an award for Best Actress during the night
The 97th Academy Awards was a night full of historic wins, surprising moments, and technical hiccups as Hollywood celebrated its best films of the year.

The big winner of the night was "Anora," which took home five awards, including Best Picture, making it the most-awarded film of the evening.

The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, bringing his signature humour to the event.

However, not everything went smoothly—many viewers watching on Hulu experienced streaming issues just before the night’s biggest awards were announced.

"Anora" and Sean Baker Make History

Directed by Sean Baker, "Anora" not only won Best Picture but also bagged awards for Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress (Mikey Madison).

With four individual wins, Baker became the first person to win four Oscars for the same film—a record previously held only by Walt Disney for a single night’s wins.

"Anora" had tough competition, going up against major films like "The Brutalist," "Dune: Part Two," "Wicked," and "Emilia Pérez."

Adrien Brody won for Best Actor

Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison Win Top Acting Honors

In another historic moment, Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his role in The Brutalist, making him the first actor to go two-for-two in this category after previously winning for The Pianist in 2003.

The Best Actress award went to Mikey Madison for her role in Anora, beating out Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez).

Zoe Saldaña became the first American of Dominican descent to win an Oscar, securing Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, while Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain.

Zoe Saldana won for Best Supporting Actress

Diversity and Historic Firsts

This year’s Oscars were marked by diversity and historic wins across multiple categories:

  • Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win Best Costume Design for Wicked.
  • "Flow" became the first Latvian film to win an Oscar, taking home Best Animated Feature.
  • Filmmakers from Brazil and Iran won in their respective categories, with "I'm Still Here" (Best International Feature) and "In the Shadow of the Cypress" (Best Animated Short).
  • "No Other Land", which documents Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers covering the West Bank conflict, won Best Documentary Feature.

Other Major Winners of the Night

Despite its 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez won only two awards: Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña) and Best Original Song ("El Mal").

Meanwhile, "The Brutalist", Dune: Part Two, and Wicked each won two awards.

Technical and Visual Awards

  • Best Cinematography: The Brutalist
  • Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
  • Best Production Design: Wicked
  • Best Makeup & Hairstyling: The Substance
  • Best Sound: Dune: Part Two

A Star-Studded Show with Memorable Performances

The night was filled with spectacular performances, including a "Wicked" medley by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, a James Bond tribute, and a Quincy Jones special segment.