“It’s been 84 years…” are words I famously said while waiting for The Oscars this year.
After months of online discourse, campaigns, and predictions, the night finally arrived on Sunday, Mar. 16, concluding the 2025 awards season. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about.
Big night for horror
Amy Madigan took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Aunt Gladys in Weapons. This was a major win for horror films. The Oscars have a tricky past with horror, so the nomination alone was already monumental.
To put it in perspective, the last actor to win an Oscar for a horror film was Natalie Portman for Black Swan in 2011. The last time a supporting actress won for a horror film was Ruth Gordon for Rosemary’s Baby in 1968.
Alongside Weapons, Sinners and Frankenstein went home with four and three Oscars, respectively, including the win for Best Actor, which was awarded to Michael B. Jordan for Sinners.
I’d also like to note that Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman and first Black person to win Best Cinematography for Sinners!
First casting award
After 98 years of the Academy Awards, a category has been officially added to honor the art of casting. Best Casting is awarded to casting directors who are responsible for casting actors and collaborating with directors and producers to bring a project to life.
The inaugural award went to Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another. She’s a long-time collaborator of Paul Thomas Anderson, having worked with him on all 10 of his feature-length films.
Two winners, one award
“And the Oscar goes to… it’s a tie,” were words most people probably weren’t expecting to hear tonight. After assuring the audience that this wasn’t a joke, Kumail Nanjiani presented Best Live Action Short Film to two films: The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva.
A tie is an extremely rare occurrence, happening only six times previously in the Academy Awards’ 98-year history.
Interestingly, this is the second time a tie has happened in the Best Live Action Short Film category. The last time it happened was in 1995 when Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life, and Trevor both won the award.
In memoriam
The “In Memoriam” segment is typically a slideshow featuring photos and short video clips commemorating those we lost in the entertainment industry. This year was different.
It featured touching tributes from Billy Crystal for Rob and Michelle Reiner, Rachel McAdams for Diane Keaton and Catherine O’Hara, and Barbra Streisand for Robert Redford, who also performed “The Way We Were.”
Although the segment was extended, many were quick to point out names who were noticeably absent from the show. Some of the missing names included Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
Multi-cultural performances
This year’s ceremony featured only two performances from Best Original Song nominees: “I Lied to You” (Sinners) and “Golden” (KPop Demon Hunters). Both performances highlighted Black and Asian cultures by bringing diverse musical and visual styles to the stage.
“I Lied to You” featured many guest appearances, including Misty Copeland (poor Timothée Chalamet) and Shaboozey, with Miles Caton singing us through the history of Black music.
“Golden” was performed on a vibrant stage with dancers dressed in traditional Korean hanbok and gold, of course. “Golden” went on to win Best Original Song, becoming the first K-Pop song to win the award.
The big winner
One Battle After Another went home with six Oscars, making it the most awarded film of the night, including the awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
This film was incredibly timely, given its political themes and the current political state of the world. Its exploration of power and resistance resonated deeply with audiences and, clearly, the Academy voters.
Wait, were you wondering why Sean Penn wasn’t there to accept his award for Best Supporting Actor? The actor has missed out on a few big nights, including skipping the BAFTAs and the Actor Awards, and the Academy Awards were no different.
Apparently, he’s on a trip to Ukraine for an unknown reason. However, he’s been outspoken about Ukraine in the past, and he even gave one of his other Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022.
Finally, we can rest after a long-awaited end to awards season. I’m happy to report that I’m very pleased with the winners, even though I was stressed throughout the entire thing. Cheers to a new year of film!
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