The 2025 Oscars had everything—glamour, emotion, and *Wicked* stars defying gravity in a show-stopping performance. It was a night of big surprises, heartfelt speeches, and unforgettable moments that had Hollywood buzzing.  

One of the most shocking moments came when Mikey Madison was announced as Best Actress. The room gasped—Demi Moore had been the frontrunner for months, and while Madison’s BAFTA win hinted at a possible upset, the race remained incredibly tight.

But in the end, it was Madison’s night. Just a few years ago, she was relatively unknown, and now she had her first Oscar for Anora, a film about a sex worker caught in a whirlwind romance with the spoiled son of a Russian oligarch. The film also won Best Picture, making history in the process.

Edie Turquet, one of the dancers in the film, texted, "It's insane that a movie about sex workers could win Best Picture," adding that she hoped it would help change perspectives on her community.  

As expected, Wicked co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande brought the house down with their performance of Defying Gravity. Erivo, draped in a stunning white gown, hit the final note with such power that the entire audience leaped to their feet in applause.

Earlier in the night, Grande turned heads on the red carpet in a champagne-colored Schiaparelli gown. "It's giving chandelier," one reporter joked backstage. Social media, meanwhile, was full of people wondering, "How is she going to sit down in that dress?"  

The nostalgia continued on the red carpet when Halle Berry ran up to Adrien Brody and planted a kiss on him—payback for that unforgettable moment at the 2003 Oscars when Brody had kissed Berry after winning Best Actor.

Inside the theater, Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were also caught sharing a kiss. Jenner was there to support her boyfriend, who was up for Best Actor, though he ultimately lost to... Adrien Brody.  

Adam Sandler, as always, brought the laughs. Host Conan O’Brien poked fun at his signature casual style, saying Sandler looked "like a guy playing video poker at 2 AM." The comedian, dressed in his trademark hoodie and shorts, played along, pretending to storm out before stopping to shout "Chalamet!" in the same way he had on SNL. Chalamet, ever the good sport, cracked up.  

While the show mostly steered away from serious topics, there was a powerful moment when O’Brien invited a group of Los Angeles firefighters on stage. These were the men and women who had battled the recent wildfires, and they received a standing ovation.

O’Brien then handed them the mic to read some of his riskier jokes. LA Fire Captain Erik Scott delivered the best one: "Our hearts go out to everyone who lost their homes... including the makers of Joker 2." The joke landed, and O’Brien called it "the best delivery of the night."  

Zoe Saldana had the audience in tears when she won her first Oscar for Emilia Perez, a musical about a transgender Mexican drug lord. As soon as she got on stage, she broke down, looking toward the audience and crying out, "Mommy!" She took a moment to compose herself before thanking her fellow nominees and the film’s cast and crew.

But it was her tribute to her family that hit the hardest. "Everything brave, outrageous, and good I've ever done in my life is because of you," she said, addressing her husband and their three sons. She also proudly declared herself the first American of Dominican origin to win an Academy Award. "I know I won’t be the last," she said.  

Perhaps the most dramatic story of the night belonged to Iranian filmmakers Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, who won Best Animated Short Film for In the Shadow of the Cypress. Their battle to get a U.S. visa had lasted for weeks, and they barely made it to the Oscars in time.

They landed in LA just hours before the ceremony, changed in an airport restroom, and rushed to the Dolby Theatre. "It’s not our fault we’re so late," Sohani told reporters. "We couldn’t get a visa. It’s a difficult relationship between the U.S. and Iran." In their acceptance speech, Molayemi added, "Until yesterday, we hadn’t obtained our visa, and now we’re standing here with this statuette in our hands."  

The 2025 Oscars had its fair share of surprises, emotional moments, and laughter, proving once again why it's the most exciting night in Hollywood.

Source : BBC