- Best Actor – Adrian Brody: The Brutalist
- Adrian Brody, now a two time Oscar winner, most known for his past role in 2003 for the “Pianist,” won Best Actor for his role as Laszlo Toth in “The Brutalist.”“The Brutalist” is about a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who moves to the United States in hopes of achieving the “American Dream.” Brody sports a Hungarian accent, and it was revealed that the film editors used AI to enhance Brody and his castmate Felicity Jones’ accents in the movie. Because of this, his winning the award has sparked controversy. However, that does not take away from his acting ability, which, as proven in 2003, is strong and powerful enough to win an Oscar.
- Best Actress – Mikey Madison: Anora
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- Mikey Madison was one of the youngest winners of the night, taking home the coveted Best Actress Award for her role in “Anora.” Winning Best Actress against powerhouses like Demi Moore (The Substance) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Madison launched her career in the best way possible. In interviews with hosts like Graham Norton, she explained her process for preparing to step into the role of Anora; she did hair treatments to keep it straight and even moved to Brooklyn to learn how to speak in their accent. The work Madison and her cast and crew put into the movie paid off, because Anora walked away with a total of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
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- Best Supporting Actor – Kieran Culkin: A Real Pain
- Kieran Culkin launched to fame in “Home Alone” when he was a young child alongside his equally famous brother, Macaulay Culkin. Last year, he won many awards for his role in the hit HBO series “Succession.” Culkin starred in “A Real Pain” alongside Jesse Eisenberg, in a movie about two brothers who visit Holocaust sites in Poland in honor of their late grandmother. His character, Benji, highlights Culkins ability to bring to life characters who are a perfect blend of charming, funny, angry, and emotionally painful.While Culkin almost dropped out of the movie, his perseverance paid off because now he can add “Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor” onto his ever growing list of successes.
- Best Supporting Actress – Zoe Saldana: Emilia Perez
- “Emilia Perez” has become one of the more controversial movies so far in 2025. “Emilia Perez” is a musical about a Mexican lawyer (Saldana) who is offered a job to help a cartel boss retire and transition. However, one standout from the movie was Zoe Saldana. For her role as Rita Castro she learned how to sing while also talking in a Mexican accent.The movie and role highlighted Saldana’s versatility when it comes to her acting, so it’s no surprise that she won amongst other high-profile actresses, including her own costar, Selena Gomez. Cindy Hinkle, a junior, watched the movie but didn’t love it. “Zoe Saldana. Well, I like a lot of her other movies but this one just wasn’t doing it for me.”
Oscars Lineup: Who Won the Largest Awards of the Evening?
Photo Credit: Getty Images
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: (L-R) Adrien Brody, winner of the Best Actor award for “The Brutalist”, Mikey Madison, winner of the Best Actress award for “Anora”, Zoe Saldana winner of the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award for “Emilia Pérez” and Kieran Culkin winner of the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for “A Real Pain”, pose in the press room during the 97th Annual Oscars at Ovation Hollywood on March 02, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images)
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