The 97th Academy Awards were dominated by Anora, which emerged as the biggest winner of the night, taking home five prestigious Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
The film’s remarkable success was largely credited to Sean Baker, who not only directed but also edited, wrote, and co-produced the movie. His multi-faceted involvement in the project led him to secure an unprecedented four Oscars in a single night.
This feat placed him in the history books, tying him with the legendary Walt Disney for the most Academy Awards won by an individual in a single year. However, Baker’s accomplishment was unique, as all his wins stemmed from a single film, whereas Disney’s victories at the 1954 ceremony were spread across four different projects.
Notably, Bong Joon-Ho had also received four Oscars in 2020 for Parasite, but his win for Best International Feature was technically awarded to South Korea rather than him personally.
Among the films competing for top honors, Emilia Pérez led the pack with an impressive 13 nominations, making it the most-nominated film of the year. It garnered recognition across multiple categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, and a slew of acting nods.
One of the film’s most historic moments came when Karla Sofía Gascón received a nomination for Best Actress, making her the first transgender woman to be recognized in any acting category at the Oscars. This groundbreaking achievement was, however, overshadowed by controversy, as resurfaced social media posts containing offensive remarks stirred debate around her campaign.
Despite the milestone, the Best Actress award ultimately went to Mikey Madison for her powerful portrayal in Anora, further solidifying the film’s dominance at the ceremony.
Two other films, Wicked and The Brutalist, also made a strong showing, tying for second place with 10 nominations each. Both films were formidable contenders in several major categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, and also secured multiple acting nominations.
Wicked, an adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, was widely celebrated for its dazzling spectacle and performances, while The Brutalist impressed critics with its gripping narrative and atmospheric storytelling. The competition among these films added to the night’s suspense, as each had built strong momentum leading up to the awards.
Zoe Saldaña’s victory in the Best Supporting Actress category was another significant moment of the night, marking a historic milestone for the Dominican-American actress. With her win for Emilia Pérez, she became the first American of Dominican descent ever to take home an Oscar.
Though Emilia Pérez had been expected to dominate, it ultimately secured only two awards, a result that left some fans and critics surprised. Nevertheless, Saldaña’s triumph was widely celebrated, as it underscored the increasing diversity and representation in Hollywood’s most prestigious awards show.
The Best Actor category saw Adrian Brody claim his second Oscar for his performance as architect László Tóth in The Brutalist. His win reaffirmed his place in Oscar history, as he had previously set a record in 2002 when he became the youngest actor ever to win the award for his role in The Pianist at just 29 years old.
Timothée Chalamet, who was also in contention for his portrayal of folk music icon Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, had hoped to surpass Brody’s record but ultimately fell short.
The category also featured strong performances from Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), Colman Domingo, and Sebastian Stan, the latter of whom could have made history as the first actor to win an Oscar for playing a sitting U.S. president.
Adding a touch of humor and unpredictability to the night was Conan O’Brien, who made his Oscars hosting debut. The former Late Night and Tonight Show host had previously helmed the Emmys twice but had never taken on the Academy Awards stage.
His comedic flair and signature wit brought a fresh energy to the ceremony, keeping audiences entertained throughout the evening. With standout wins, historic firsts, and unexpected surprises, the 97th Academy Awards proved to be an unforgettable night for Hollywood, cementing Anora and Sean Baker’s legacy while showcasing the evolving landscape of the film industry.
Below is the full list of winners and nominees:
Best picture
- “Anora” — Winner
- “The Brutalist”
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Conclave”
- “Dune: Part Two”
- “Emilia Pérez”
- “I’m Still Here”
- “Nickel Boys”
- “The Substance”
- “Wicked”
Best actress
- Mikey Madison, “Anora” — Winner
- Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
- Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
- Demi Moore, “The Substance”
- Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
Best actor
- Adrian Brody, “The Brutalist” — Winner
- Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
- Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”
- Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
- Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice”
Best supporting actor
- Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” — Winner
- Yura Borisov, “Anora”
- Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”
- Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”
- Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice”
Best supporting actress
- Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez” — Winner
- Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown”
- Ariana Grande, “Wicked”
- Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”
- Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”
Best director
- Sean Baker, “Anora” — Winner
- Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”
- James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
- Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”
- Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
Best cinematography
- “The Brutalist,” Lol Crawley — Winner
- “Dune: Part Two,” Greig Fraser
- “Emilia Pérez,” Paul Guillaume
- “Maria,” Edward Lachman
- “Nosferatu,” Jarin Blaschke
Best animated feature
- “Flow” — Winner
- “Inside Out 2”
- “Memoir of a Snail”
- “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
- “The Wild Robot”
Best animated short
- “In the Shadow of the Cypress” — Winner
- “Beautiful Men”
- “Magic Candies”
- “Wander to Wonder”
- “Yuck!”
Best costume design
- “Wicked,” Paul Tazewell — Winner
- “A Complete Unknown,” Arianne Phillips
- “Conclave,” Lisy Christl
- “Gladiator II,” Janty Yates
- “Nosferatu,” Linda Muir
Best original screenplay
- “Anora,” Sean Baker — Winner
- “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold
- “A Real Pain,” Jesse Eisenberg
- “September 5,” Tim Fehlbaum & Moritz Binder
- “The Substance,” Coralie Fargeat
Best adapted screenplay
- “Conclave,” Peter Straughan — Winner
- “A Complete Unknown,” Jay Cocks & James Mangold
- “Emilia Pérez,” Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain & Nicolas Livecchi
- “Nickel Boys,” RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
- “Sing Sing,” Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin & John “Divine G” Whitfield
Best makeup and hairstyling
- “The Substance” — Winner
- “A Different Man”
- “Emilia Pérez”
- “Nosferatu”
- “Wicked”
Best film editing
- “Anora,” Sean Baker — Winner
- “The Brutalist,” Dávid Jancsó
- “Conclave,” Nick Emerson
- “Emilia Pérez,” Juliette Welfling
- “Wicked,” Myron Kerstein
Best production design
- “Wicked,” Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales — Winner
- “The Brutalist,” Judy Becker
- “Conclave,” Suzie Davies
- “Dune: Part Two,” Patrice Vermette
- “Nosferatu,” Craig Lathrop
Best original song
- “El Mal,” “Emilia Pérez” (Clement Ducol, Camille & Jacques Audiard) — Winner
- “Never Too Late,” “Elton John: Never Too Late” (Elton John & Brandi Carlile)
- “Mi Camino,” “Emilia Pérez” (Clement Ducol & Camille)
- “Like a Bird,” “Sing Sing” (Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander)
- “The Journey,” “The Six Triple Eight” (Diane Warren)
Best documentary short
- “The Only Girl in the Orchestra” — Winner
- Death by Numbers”
- “I Am Ready, Warden”
- “Incident”
- “Instruments of a Beating Heart”
Best documentary feature
- “No Other Land,” Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham & Rachel Szor — Winner
- “Black Box Diaries,” Shiori Itō
- “Porcelain War,” Brendan Bellomo & Slava Leontyev
- “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” Johan Grimonprez
- “Sugarcane,” Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie
Best sound
- “Dune: Part Two” — Winner
- “A Complete Unknown”
- “Emilia Pérez”
- “Wicked”
- “The Wild Robot”
Best visual effects
- “Dune: Part Two” — Winner
- “Alien: Romulus”
- “Better Man”
- “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
- “Wicked”
Best live-action short
- “I’m Not a Robot” — Winner
- “A Lien”
- “Anuja”
- “The Last Ranger”
- “The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent”
Best international feature
- “I’m Still Here,” Walter Salles (Brazil) — Winner
- “The Girl with the Needle,” Magnus von Horn (Denmark)
- “Emilia Pérez,” Jacques Audiard (France)
- “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany)
- “Flow,” Miguel Gomes (Latvia)
Best original score
- “The Brutalist,” Daniel Blumberg — Winner
- “Conclave,” Volker Bertelmann
- “Emilia Pérez,” Clément Ducol & Camille
- “Wicked,” John Powell & Stephen Schwartz
- “The Wild Robot,” Kris Bowers
