Hollywood’s biggest night just flipped the script—small-budget films snatched the spotlight at the 2025 Oscars, proving you don’t need a blockbuster bankroll to win hearts (and gold statues). Anora, a scrappy little comedy with a $6 million price tag, stormed the stage with a haul of five awards, including Best Picture, leaving glitzy giants like Wicked and Dune: Part Two to cheer from the tech sidelines. The Brutalist ($10m) and A Real Pain ($3m) also nabbed top honors, turning the night into a love letter to indie grit. Big money? Big noms? Sure—but it was the underdogs who barked loudest.
Dylan Skips, and He’s Not Wrong
The ceremony dragged into its third hour (we felt every second), and for a while, it was a free-for-all prize party—think Oprah yelling, “You get an Oscar! You get an Oscar!” The Brutalist, Conclave, even the beleaguered Emilia Pérez grabbed some love. But A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic everyone thought would charm the crowd, walked away empty-handed. Maybe the Academy’s just over music biopics—or maybe Dylan knew to dodge a night that couldn’t pick a favorite until Anora sprinted to the finish.
Weinstein’s Shadow Lingers
Adrien Brody, scooping his second Best Actor win for The Brutalist, gave a shoutout that raised eyebrows. Thanking his partner Georgina Chapman—Harvey Weinstein’s ex-wife—and her kids, he called their life a “rollercoaster” and dubbed himself “Popsie” to the tykes. Weinstein wasn’t named, but his ghost hovered over the Dolby Theatre, a reminder that Hollywood’s past isn’t quite past.
Brody vs. the Band
Forget the 45-second speech limit—Adrien Brody took on the orchestra and won. Two minutes into his emotional ramble, he waved off the music like a seasoned pro: “Turn it off, I’ve done this before!” Spoiler: He kept going. The crowd chuckled, Twitter exploded with intermission jokes, and the night proved once again—not all winners play by the rules.
Indie Rules, Streaming Stumbles
This was supposed to be the year streaming crashed the Oscars party—Hulu promised a front-row seat for cord-cutters. But tech gremlins struck, cutting out just before Mikey Madison’s Best Actress win for Anora. Netflix’s Emilia Pérez fizzled with only two wins from 13 nods, and host Conan O’Brien roasted the “cinemastream” hype with a bit about giant screens you don’t hold. Sean Baker, Anora’s four-time champ, doubled down, preaching the gospel of indie films and theater vibes. Take that, couch potatoes!
Horror’s Close Call
Horror fans held their breath—The Substance, a bloody body-horror gem, strutted in with five noms but slinked out with just one (Makeup and Hairstyling). Demi Moore’s buzz as a 62-year-old comeback queen got drowned out by Anora’s Mikey Madison, who, at 25, revived the ingenue era. Nosferatu struck out too—scary movies still can’t catch a break at the Oscars.
Culkin’s Cringe and Brits Bring Cool
Kieran Culkin’s Best Supporting Actor win for A Real Pain came with a head-scratcher: a long tale about his wife “owing” him a fourth kid if he won. Charming all season, he fumbled the landing—too private, too weird. Meanwhile, the Brits kept it classy. The Brutalist’s Daniel Blumberg read humbly from a cue card, Conclave’s Peter Straughan teased his sweater-stealing kid, and Wicked’s design duo danced goofy to the stage. Efficiency with a smile—cheers to that.
Conan’s Chaos and a Sandworm Serenade
Conan O’Brien brought wild energy to his Oscars debut—picture him twirling a cane while a Dune sandworm tickled the ivories. Not every gag soared (sorry, Adam Sandler hoodie bit), but lines like “Conclave’s about the Catholic church, don’t panic!” hit the mark. After years of safe hosting, this felt like a jolt of fun—even if it couldn’t top last year’s clapping dog.
Fairytales Fall Flat
Two actresses dreamed big, but woke up empty-handed. Demi Moore’s Cinderella run with The Substance ended in a pumpkin crash. Karla Sofía Gascón, poised for history as the first trans nominee, got overshadowed by old tweets and a Conan zinger—she cringed in her seat as her Emilia Pérez co-star Zoe Saldaña took Supporting Actress instead. Sometimes, the slipper doesn’t fit.
Anora reigned supreme, The Brutalist flexed muscle, and indie cinema danced all night. Check the complete winners list—proof that in 2025, small stories pack the biggest punch.