Anora Dominates the 2025 Oscars: Brody and Madison Take Top Honors
The 2025 Academy Awards saw Sean Baker’s Anora emerge as the night’s biggest winner, securing five awards including Best Picture and Best Director. American actors Adrien Brody and Mikey Madison were also celebrated for their performances, taking home the leading actor and actress awards respectively.
Key Wins and Highlights
Anora’s success included wins for Best Picture, Best Director (Sean Baker), Film Editing, and Original Screenplay. Baker’s win marked a historic achievement, making him the first person to win four Oscars for a single film at one ceremony – surpassing Walt Disney’s previous record of four wins across different films.
Mikey Madison, 25, secured the Best Actress award for her role in Anora, beating out veteran actress Demi Moore. Her performance as a stripper who falls for the son of a Russian oligarch resonated with voters. Madison acknowledged the sex worker community in her acceptance speech, stating her commitment to continued support and allyship.
Adrien Brody, a double-Oscar winner, was recognized with the Best Actor award for his performance in The Brutalist, a film centered on a Jewish-Hungarian architect seeking a better life in the United States. Brody spoke about the fragility of the acting profession and used his platform to address the lasting impact of war, oppression, antisemitism, and racism, calling for a more inclusive world.
Presenters and Ceremony Moments
The awards ceremony featured a diverse group of presenters, including Will Arnett, Javier Bardem, Rose Byrne, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Hathaway, and Jimmy Kimmel. Notably, Robert Downey Jr. And Chris Evans, known for their roles as Iron Man and Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, presented together.
A special moment occurred when Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy reunited on stage to present, commemorating the 15th anniversary of their 2011 film, Bridesmaids.
Other Notable Wins
The Brutalist won three awards, and Wicked took home two.