LAST UPDATE | 3 Mar 2025

IT WAS ANORA’S night at the 97th Academy Awards with the film taking home five of the six Oscars it was nominated for, including the coveted best picture gong. 

The tragicomic Cinderella story is set in a murky modern world of New York strippers, Russian billionaires and incompetent gangsters, and tells the story of a young sex worker and the unwinding of her ill-fated romance with the son of an oligarch. 

Mikey Madison, who plays the film’s title character, collected the best actress statuette for her performance over favourite Demi Moore. 

Writer-director Sean Baker won both the best director and best film editing awards, with the movie also picking up the prize for best original screenplay. 

Epic post-WWII drama The Brutalist was the next big winner on the night, with Adrien Brody getting best actor along with wins for cinematography and original score. 

There were no surprises in the other two acting categories. Kieran Culkin was rewarded for his performance in A Real Pain with the prize for best supporting actor while Zoe Saldana scooped best supporting actress for Emilia Pérez.

Despite earning 13 nominations, the only other win for Emilia Pérez was for best original song. Wicked and Dune: Part Two also won two awards each. 

Though it had been tipped to win more by some critics, papal thriller Conclave only took home one Oscar on the night – best adapted screenplay for British dramatist Peter Straughan.

Here is the full list of winners:

Best picture:

Anora

Best actress:

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Mickey Madison (Anora)

Best actor:

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)

Best supporting actor:

Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)

Best supporting actress:

Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

Best director:

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Sean Baker (Anora)

Best animated film:

Flow

Best animated short:

In the Shadow of the Cypress

Best original screenplay:

Anora

Best adapted screenplay:

Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Peter Straughan (Conclave)

Best international feature film:

Fernanda Torres congratulates Walter Salles after he wins the best international feature film award for I'm Still Here from Brazil. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

I’m Still Here (Brazil)

Best documentary feature film:

No Other Land

Best original song:

Clement Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard accept the award for best original song for El Mal from Emilia Perez. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

El Mal from Emilia Pérez

Related Reads

Anora's Mikey Madison wins best actress Oscar as best actor goes to Adrien Brody

Oscars monologue: Conan O'Brien takes aim at AI, Netflix and long acceptance speeches

Gúnas and tuxes: The looks from the 97th Academy Awards

Best editing:

Anora

Best visual effects:

Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer, winners of the award for best visual effects for Dune: Part Two. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Dune: Part Two

Best cinematography:

The Brutalist

Best sound:

Dune: Part Two

Best original score:

The Brutalist

Best live-action short film:

I’m Not a Robot

Best documentary short:

The Only Girl in the Orchestra

Best makeup and hairstyling:

Marilyne Scarselli, Pierre-Olivier Persin, and Stéphanie Guillon celebrate backstage after winning the Oscar for makeup and hairstyling for The Substance. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Substance

Best costume design:

Wicked (Paul Tazewell)

Best production design:

Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, winners of the award for best production design for Wicked. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Wicked