Oscars 2025 highlights: 'Anora' takes home five awards; Zoe Saldaña, Adrien Brody get acting wins

• "Anora": 5 wins (best picture, best directing, best lead actress, best original screenplay and best film editing)
• "The Brutalist": 3 wins (best lead actor, best cinematography and best original score)
• "Emilia Pérez": 2 wins (best supporting actress and best original song)
• "Wicked": 2 wins (best costume design and best production design)
• "Dune: Part 2": 2 wins (best visual effects and best sound)
• "The Substance": 1 win (best makeup and hairstyling)
• "A Real Pain": 1 win (best supporting actor).
• "Conclave": 1 win (best adapted screenplay)
• "I’m Still Here": 1 win (best international film)

Watch moments from the 97th Academy Awards, including clips from the acceptance speeches of actors Kieran Culkin, Adrien Brody and Zoe Saldaña.

"Emilia Pérez," "Conclave," "The Brutalist" and other acclaimed titles picked up awards throughout the night, but no film was as dominant as "Anora." Five awards is a mighty haul for the little independent movie that could.

"I want to thank the academy for recognizing a truly independent film," the film's screenwriter-editor-director Sean Baker said. "This film was made on the blood, sweat and tears of incredible indie artists. Long live independent film."

Even though tonight's award ceremony started at 7 p.m. ET, a little earlier than usual, the show still ended later than expected.

The ceremony had been expected to end at around 10:30 p.m. ET but ended almost 20 minutes later.

“Anora”

First-time nominee Mikey Madison has won her first Oscar for starring as Ani in the film "Anora." The win is probably the most prominent upset of the night, as many considered Demi Moore the front-runner going into the ceremony.

In her acceptance speech, Madison honored the sex worker community, which her character, Ani, is part of in the movie.

"I will continue to support and be an ally," Madison said, adding that meeting such workers was one of the highlights of working on the project.

Mikey Madison, “Anora”

In a moment that is likely to thrill cinephiles all over the world, Sean Baker used part of his best director speech to extol the virtues of seeing movies in actual movie theaters.

"We're all here tonight and watching this broadcast because we love movies," Baker said. "Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater; watching a film in a theater with an audience is an experience: We can laugh together, cry together, scream in fright together, perhaps sit in devastating silence together.

"It's a communal experience you simply don't get at home," he added.

Baker said the industry urgently needs to support the commercial health of brick-and-mortar theaters, especially independent cinemas hit hard by the early years of the pandemic. Baker closed by wishing his mom a happy birthday.

Baker's win in the best director race is yet another sign that "Anora" is heading for a best picture victory — which means Baker could leave the Dolby Theatre with four Oscars. He previously won best original screenplay and best editing.

Sean Baker, “Anora”

Twenty-two years ago, Adrien Brody became the youngest best actor winner in Oscar history at age 29. He was recognized for his searing performance in Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist,” a portrait of the real-life Polish Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman.

He took the main stage once again tonight for his performance in another drama about a Holocaust survivor: “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet’s sweeping epic about a (fictional) Hungarian Jewish architect who attempts to rebuild his life in the United States after World War II.

In his acceptance speech, Brody said what makes tonight special is his awareness that "it can all go away" in the entertainment industry. He also decried antisemitism and racism.

"I pray for a healthier and a happier and a more inclusive world," he said. "I believe if the past can teach us anything, it’s a reminder to not let hate go unchecked."

P.S. Walking to the stage, Brody apparently realized he had chewing gum in his mouth and attempted to toss it to his partner.

Adrien Brody, "The Brutalist"

Queen Latifah electrified the Oscars stage with a performance paying tribute to late music icon and producer Quincy Jones, who was posthumously awarded an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November.

Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey introduced the tribute.

“When we talk about Black excellence, we talk about Quincy,” Goldberg said.

Winfrey reminisced about the time Jones discovered her and brought her on to “The Color Purple.” Jones produced the 1985 film and wrote the score.

Jones, remembered as the driving force behind "We Are the World," was recognized as a musical genius, winning 28 Grammy Awards and receiving seven Oscar nominations.

When "The Brutalist" won best original score, composer Daniel Blumberg told the crowd, "It means a lot to be acknowledged like this.

"When I met Brady I met my artistic soulmate," he said of "The Brutalist" director, Brady Corbet. "Thank you, Brady; I love you."

O'Brien has largely shied away from riffing on world events and domestic politics tonight, but he made a brief exception after the last commercial break.

He started by praising "Anora," a portrait of a Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) who marries the son of a Russian oligarch but finds their romance foiled by his parents.

“'Anora' is having a good night. Two wins already," O'Brien said. Then he appeared to mock President Donald Trump: "I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”

The night is winding down with just four categories left to go: actor, director, actress and best picture.

“The Brutalist,” Daniel Blumberg

"I'm Still Here," the best international film winner, is about Eunice Paiva, whose dissident politician husband, Rubens Paiva, disappeared in 1971 while Brazil was under military dictatorship.

Director Walter Salles dedicated the award to Paiva, "who after a loss suffered during an authoritarian regime decided not to bend and to resist."

He also acknowledged the two women who played Paiva, Fernanda Torres and her mother, Fernanda Montenegro. Torres is nominated tonight for best actress, and the film is also nominated for best picture.

Lol Crawley took home the Oscar for best cinematography for "The Brutalist," marking the first win of the night for the film and Crawley himself.

In his speech, Crawley thanked several people, including "The Brutalist" director Brady Corbet for, he said, "allowing me to sail close to the edge and offering your hand if I ever fall in."

“I’m Still Here” (Brazil)

“The Brutalist,” Lol Crawley

The in memoriam segment began with a tribute by Morgan Freeman to Gene Hackman, 95, who was found dead along with his wife at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last week.

"Like everyone who has ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work," said Freeman, who starred with Hackman in the 1992 film "Unforgiven" and the 2000 film "Under Suspicion."

Hackman won two Academy Awards: best actor in 1971 for "The French Connection" and best supporting actor in 1992 for "Unforgiven." But more important, Freeman said, "he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world."

"Gene always said, 'I don’t think about legacy, I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work," Freeman said. "So I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you’ll be remembered for that and for so much more. Rest in peace, my friend."

The Oscars paid tribute to the creatives who have passed away over the past year with an angelic chorus and orchestra.

Among the list of actors, producers and creatives honored were: Maggie Smith, Donald Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Roger Corman, Jeff Baena, David Lynch, Paula Weinstein, Bill Cobbs and many others.

The segment came after Morgan Freeman honored the late Gene Hackman, who was found dead last week at age 95.

Accepting their award, "I'm Not a Robot" filmmaker Victoria Warmerdam looked at her husband, Trent, and thanked him for always having her back and said she loved him.

She also joked that she would not be having a baby with him because of their win. The comment appeared to be a reference to Kieran Culkin's acceptance speech earlier this evening, when he joked to his wife that they should have another kid.

"Dune: Part Two" picked up two back-to-back awards for best sound and best visual effects. The film, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya as Paul Atreides and Chani, is nominated for five Oscars tonight, including best picture.

The first installment of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic swept the 2022 Academy Awards, taking home six that year.

“I’m Not a Robot”

“Dune: Part Two”

Host Conan O'Brien welcomed a team of firefighters who battled the Eaton and Palisades wildfires to the Oscars stage — where they not only received a standing ovation but also got to deliver jokes of their own.

“On behalf of everyone in greater Los Angeles, thank you for all you do,” O’Brien said before he welcomed several firefighters to speak.

A fire captain joked, "Our hearts go out to all of those who lost their homes, and I'm talking about the producers of 'Joker II.'"

“Dune: Part Two”

Yuval Abraham, one of the filmmakers behind "No Other Land," called for the "end to the destruction of Gaza" and the return of the Israeli hostages who were "brutally taken in the crime of Oct. 7."

"We made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, because together our voices are stronger," he said.

The documentary is about the Israeli government’s displacement of Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank. It never secured a distribution partner in the United States and it screened at indie cinemas in selected cities, and digital screeners were made available for academy voters.

"The Only Girl in the Orchestra" is about the recently retired Orin O'Brien, a double bassist who became the New York Philharmonic's first female musician when Leonard Bernstein hired her in 1966. 

As O'Brien likes to say, "music helps us organize our emotions, and there are a lot of emotions that need organizing these days," director Molly O'Brien, who helmed the all-female team for Netflix, said in accepting the award.

“No Other Land”

Camille and Clément Ducol and their co-writer, the film’s director, Jacques Audiard, said the song "El Mal" was made "to denounce corruption."

"We hope it speaks through to the role music and art can play and continue to play as a force of the good and progress in the world," Camille said.

"Emilia Pérez" is also nominated for best original score.

“The Only Girl in the Orchestra”

“El Mal,” from “Emilia Pérez.” Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard.

In a rousing acceptance speech, Zoe Saldaña gave a shoutout to her family, including her mother and grandmother.

“My grandmother came to this country in 1961," she said. "I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity."

She said she is the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and added "I know I will not be the last."

She said she was thrilled by "the fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish,” adding, “My grandmother, if she were here, she’d be so delighted.”

“Wicked”

Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”

The film that wins for editing doesn't always nab best picture — though for the last two years, that's exactly what happened. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Oppenheimer," the two most recent best picture winners, earned editing awards at the Oscars in 2023 and 2024.

That's all to say that "Anora" looks very well positioned for best picture right now.

Some Oscars viewers who opted to livestream the awards show tonight expressed frustration over what they described as a glitch when they tried to log in to the Hulu app.

"Thank you for reaching out!" a message from the Disney Plus Help account said in response to ane X user. "The 97th Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC-TV and are streaming on Hulu starting at 7 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. If you are having trouble accessing it, try restarting your app or checking for updates. Let us know if you need further assistance!"

The word “Hulu” trended on X.

A representative for Disney told NBC News in a statement: We have identified the issue and impacted users should be able to log back in soon. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Anora,” Sean Baker

Lisa of of the K-pop girlband Blackpink, Doja Cat and RAYE performed a musical tribute to the James Bond film franchise, singing numbers from several of the popular films in the franchise.

The tribute opened up with “The Substance” star Margaret Qualley in a red dress doing a dance number as a “Bond girl."

Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli, the team behind Demi Moore's transformation in "The Substance," gave the Oscar nominee and her co-star, Margaret Qualley, a shoutout in their acceptance speech.

Persin thanked the two for their "patience in the makeup chair."

Moore is considered a front-runner in the best actress category tonight, though "Anora" star Mikey Madison could also take home the win.

“The Substance,” Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarselli

Peter Straughan, winner of the best adapted screenplay prize for "Conclave," took the stage wearing a blue and yellow pin in honor of Ukraine's national flag. It's a notable symbolic gesture as the Russia-Ukraine war grinds on — and relations between the United States and Ukraine show signs of strain.

Straughan told Variety on the red carpet that he was wearing the pin "just to say let's not turn our backs on Ukraine."

Oscar winner Peter Straughan based the "Conclave" screenplay on a novel of the same name by Robert Harris, a prolific British author and former journalist.

Harris has written other books that got the Hollywood treatment: "The Ghost" (adapted into Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer") and Polanski's "An Officer and a Spy."

“Conclave,” Peter Straughan

Sean Baker, winner of the best original screenplay prize for "Anora," could return to the stage a few more times before the ceremony is over.

Baker is favored to win the best director award — and "Anora," a madcap portrait of a Brooklyn sex worker, went into the show as a front-runner for best picture.

In his speech, Baker thanked "the sex worker community." Baker has made other films about the struggles of sex workers, including "Tangerine" and "Starlet."

Nick Offerman serves as an Oscar announcer tonight, but he's also seemingly there to pester Conan O'Brien by going off-script and making the host doubt his comedic abilities.

“Anora,” Sean Baker

The academy has opted to use the "Fab 5" format to pay tribute to the creative teams that work behind the scenes to bring the magic of film to life.

The format calls for five celebrities who represent the work of each nominee to step into the stage in unison and give them their flowers — sharing photos, videos and accounts about working with them.

It was first used with the costume category tonight, with actors Lily-Rose Depp, Elle Fanning, John Lithgow, Connie Nielsen and Bowen Yang addressing the nominees directly.

Paul Tazewell takes home best costume design in "Wicked," becoming the first Black man to win in the category. Tazewell was met with a standing ovation from several notable stars, including "Wicked" stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and director Jon Chu, calling the award "everything."

“This is absolutely astounding,” he said in his speech.

The first Black person to win in this category was Ruth E. Carter, who took home awards for her work in "Black Panther" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

“Wicked,” Paul Tazewell

Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, the Iranian filmmakers behind "In the Shadow of the Cypress," said they just got their visas approved yesterday. They arrived in L.A. just three hours ago and arrived on the stage in a state of shock after their win for best animated short was announced.

"Until yesterday we hadn’t even obtained our visa, and we were totally disappointed," Molayemi said. "And now we are standing here with this statuette in our hands. Also just the fact that we managed to make this film under the extraordinary circumstances of our country is a miracle. Yes, if we persevere and we remain faithful, miracles do happen."

He went on to dedicate the award "to all those who are still fighting in their inner and outer battles ... especially to our fellow Iranians who are still suffering."

When the "Flow" filmmakers took the stage after winning best animated feature, they appeared emotional.

Director Gints Zilbalodis, who is from Latvia, cried out that he and the rest of the Oscar-winning crew "are very inspired and hope to be back soon."

He added, "We must overcome our differences and find ways to work together."

“In the Shadow of the Cypress”

“Flow”

Kieran Culkin, accepting the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in "A Real Pain," used the last section of his speech to remind his wife of a promise she made last year: If he ever won an Oscar, she told him, they could have a fourth child.

Culkin was referring to his "Succession" acceptance speech at last year's Emmys, when he told his wife, Jazz Charton, he wanted a third child.

"A Real Pain" stars Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg as mismatched cousins who journey to Eastern Europe to visit their grandmother's ancestral home. Eisenberg also wrote and directed the film, which hit theaters in November.

In the supporting actor race, Culkin was up against Yura Borisov ("Anora"), Edward Norton ("A Complete Unknown"), Guy Pearce ("The Brutalist") and Jeremy Strong ("The Apprentice").

In his speech, Culkin gave a shoutout to Strong, his co-star on “Succession."

Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”

At the end of his monologue, host Conan O’Brien burst into song as he poked fun about the Oscars’ always running late.

“I won’t waste time,” he sang repeatedly as he was accompanied by dancers, the sandworm from "Dune" and even Deadpool.

Conan pivoted to a more serious tone near the end of his opening monologue, alluding to the devastation caused by this year's Los Angeles County wildfires and praising the film industry's behind-the-scenes crew members.

“In moments such as this, any awards show can seem self-indulgent and superfluous," he said. "But what I want us to do is remember why we gathered here tonight."

"Yes, we will honor many beautiful and talented A-list stars," he added. "But the Oscars also shines a light on an incredible community of people you will never see: craftspeople, technicians, artisans, costumers, hard-working men and women behind the camera who have devoted their lives to making film."

Conan O'Brien touched on everyone looking sharp tonight, except one attendee: Adam Sandler, who is in the crowd basketball shorts and a bright blue hoodie.

"Nobody even thought about what I was wearing until you brought it up," Sandler joked.

"You're dressed like a guy playing video poker at 2 a.m.," O'Brien quipped.

"I don't care about what I wear and don't wear," Sandler said, before going to give Timothée Chalamet a hug and say his name in his typical Sandler-fied pronunciation of the actor's name.

For anyone who used to watch "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" or his later show "Conan," this monologue is pitch-perfect Conan: pointed jabs at Hollywood with plenty of self-deprecation sprinkled throughout. Add a dash of old-timey humor about child labor laws and you have a perfect Conan monologue.

O’Brien also acknowledged the social media controversy surrounding “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón.

Gascón, who is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for best actress, became the center of backlash online during awards season after users resurfaced deleted posts in which she appears to comment on Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars.

“Karla Sofía Gascón is here tonight," O'Brien said. "And Karla if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, remember my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”

Kimmel hosted the Oscars four times, including last year.

O'Brien, seemingly referring to the controversy surrounding "The Brutalist," joked the Oscars did not use AI to put on the show.

"We would never do that," he said. "We use child labor."

A 7 p.m. ET start time may be OK for those on the East Coast. But here in Los Angeles it's still pretty early for an awards show.

"It’s Hollywood’s biggest night that starts at 4 in the afternoon," host Conan O'Brien joked. "Everyone here just had brunch. But it’s the Oscars, and I say let’s do this thing. Are you ready to go?"

Following Erivo and Grande's performances, the show cut to a clip of Demi Moore in "The Substance." Except it was host Conan O'Brien who came out of the star's body.

"That was weird," O'Brien said as he stepped onstage, directing his opening line to Moore, seated in the crowd.

After kicking off the show with a "Wizard of Oz" tribute, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande performed the "Wicked" hit "Defying Gravity." The stage beneath Erivo lifted during her iconic ballad, as Grande looked on to support her co-star as she hit the high note.

Instead of kicking off the show with a satirical comedy routine, the producers evidently opted for a more earnest approach. Plus, it doesn't hurt to open with the stars of one of last year's biggest box office hits. ("Wicked" was distributed by Universal Pictures, a unit of NBC News' parent company, NBCUniversal.)

The ceremony opened with a montage of movies set in Los Angeles, from "La La Land" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" to "Everything Everywhere All at Once." The clips were especially resonant as Los Angeles County attempts to rebound from January's devastating wildfires.

High-wattage musical performances followed. "Wicked" star Ariana Grande sang "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz." She belted out the classic tune against a digital backdrop of a night sky. Cynthia Erivo then took the stage and sang "Home," from the "Oz"-inspired musical "The Wiz."

And the 97th Oscars have begun.

"Sing Sing" star Colman Domingo never disappoints on the red carpet.

The actor arrived in custom Valentino, saying, "I want to bring love. ... We need more of it right now."

This is the second consecutive year Domingo has been nominated for best actor.

“It’s really truly humbling, honestly, especially for the films I’ve been representing,” Domingo said. This year he is nominated for his performance in "Sing Sing," a film about inmates who join a theater group in jail to escape the reality of incarceration, and last year he was up for an Oscar for "Rustin," the biopic of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.

Domingo said “Sing Sing" is "about our humanity, about what happens when you pour art and love into people.”

Filming movies and the marathon of awards season certainly seem taxing on entire families, as some of the stars on the red carpet shared.

Zoe Saldaña said that after the Oscars, she plans to quietly finish out the school year by enjoying the simple task of taking her kids to school every day. Director Jon Chu's kids are probably rooting even harder for a win since he promised a trip to Disney if "Wicked" takes home the top award of the night.

Kieran Culkin said he nearly didn't even take his role in "A Real Pain," which involved filming in Poland, because he didn't want to spend so much time away from his children.

Twenty-two years ago, Adrien Brody became the youngest best actor winner in Oscar history at age 29. He was recognized for his searing performance in Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist,” a portrait of the real-life Polish Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman.

Brody might earn his second Academy Award for another drama about a Holocaust survivor: “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet’s sweeping epic about a (fictional) Hungarian Jewish architect who attempts to rebuild his life in the United States after World War II.On the red carpet, Brody told ABC that the film "resonated" with him.

"You never know how a film will turn out, but it was written with such complexity and nuance and relevance, and I'd been yearning to find a role of this caliber for many, many years," he said.

The experience of shooting the film in 33 days was "challenging," he added, but that's part of the "nature of independent filmmaking."

Ariana Grande arrived at the Oscars in a Schiaparelli dress on the red carpet that is reminiscent of Glinda.

It was constructed with over 190,000 crystal sequins and rhinestones, according to the E! red carpet hosts.

On E!, designer Christian Siriano said that the haute couture gown appears to be custom made for the "Wicked" star.

She's nominated in the best supporting actress category tonight.

In her interview with ABC before the show, Grande reflected on the film and working with the stars of the original Broadway cast.

Gomez arrived at the Oscars wearing a sparkling gown from designer Ralph Lauren inspired by Sophia Loren, a cinema icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

The "Emilia Pérez" star will be presenting tonight.

Timothée Chalamet's yellow suit is bringing a bright splash to the red carpet.

The "A Complete Unknown" star, who is nominated for his portrayal of musician Bob Dylan, would become the youngest best actor winner ever if he takes home the statuette tonight.

In a pre-show interview with ABC, Chalamet said he had five and a half years to prepare for the role, which he "poured everything into."

Demi Moore has arrived in a silver dress that would make her "The Substance" character Elizabeth Sparkle jealous.

Though it appears she left her infamous yellow trench coat from the film behind tonight.

Moore is nominated for her first Oscar in the horror film.

"It's just a joy, I'm just really trying to stay present so I don't miss any of it," she said while talking to ABC ahead of the ceremony

"I'm Still Here" star Fernanda Torres' fans in Brazil are rooting for her best actress win tonight.

“Brazil is crazy because it's Carnival today. Some people are dressed up like Oscars, like myself," Torres told ABC on the red carpet. "It’s unbelievable in Brazil. It became like the Oscars Carnival.”

Torres is the second Brazilian actress to be nominated for an Oscar, behind her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, in 1998.

Saldaña is no stranger to the Oscars red carpet, previously attending as a presenter or as part of films like “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

But this year she is attending as a first-time Oscar nominee for her role as Rita Mora Castro in “Emilia Pérez.” For the occasion, she opted for a sculpted Saint Laurent dress.

“When I was part of films like 'Avatar,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy,'” Saldaña said, “I always felt fortunate to be here. That, as an artist, I get to make a living doing what I love.

"Today’s no different,” she added. “It is a dream come true. My inner child is really happy. It reignites this fire in me to continue telling stories.”

Cynthia Erivo is just an Oscar away from an EGOT, the coveted status granted to an exclusive group of artists who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

Erivo has won a Tony and a Grammy for the Broadway show “The Color Purple,” in which she played Celie Harris. She also won a Daytime Emmy Award for a performance on "TODAY" with the show's cast.

Tonight, the Broadway star is nominated for best lead actress for the record-breaking film adaptation of “Wicked."

Erivo graced the Oscars red carpet wearing a show-stopping dress serving as a "nod to Oz, a nod to the green and a nod to old Hollywood."

She also said her hand-sculpted nails, which sometimes take up to five hours to do, are a "proper ode to Oz and the Emerald City."

Fanning, 26, told E! Red Carpet host Zuri Hall this is her first time attending the Oscars even though fans have been seeing her on screen since she was a toddler.

The “A Complete Unknown” star opted for a classic look to walk her first Oscars red carpet, wearing a white Givenchy dress.

Asked about her upcoming project adapting Paris Hilton's memoir into a TV series with her sister, fellow actor Dakota Fanning, Elle said, "Working with my sister is on the bucket list."

In a red carpet interview, Bowen Yang teased the highly anticipated "Wicked" performance could defy gravity — literally.

Variety's Marc Malkin shared his hope that star Cynthia Erivo would fly over the Dolby Theatre, to which Yang responded he'll "get something close."

"She's not going to be on a broom; she's not going to be above," he said. "She's going to be ... elevated."

In an interview with academy red carpet host Amelia Dimoldenberg, "The Brutalist" director Brady Corbet shared the reason behind the lengthy film's intermission.

"I mean, the film was just very long, so I wanted to give everyone a break," he said. "Also, you know, the film is set in the 1950s, and intermissions were much more common in the midcentury."

Dimoldenberg said she used the intermission as a bathroom and snack break.

"Hell yeah," Corbet responded.

Slater and Yang were giving Boq and Pfannee vibes, respectively, on the Oscars red carpet.

E! Red Carpet host Zuri Hall asked Slater why Yang describes him as "adhesive," or a person who brings people together.

"I don’t think I've ever been described as 'adhesive,'" Slater said. "I think that Bowen is the person who brings people together."

Slater said one of his best on-set memories from filming "Wicked" were the group hugs the cast would give one another after they nailed the takes of "Dancing Through Life," he said.

Slater, who starred in "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical" in 2016, added that he is in his "Spongeboq" era.

A special tribute to the iconic music of the long-running James Bond spy franchise will come to the Oscars stage tonight, academy President Janet Yang.

“The Bond tribute is going to be amazing,” she told Variety on the red carpet. “It’s going to be one of the highlights of the show.”

Yang did not provide many details. Variety first reported that the performance is meant to honor producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who received honorary Oscars Governors Awards in November for their work on the James Bond films.

Amazon MGM Studios, the tech giant’s film unit, announced last month that it plans to take “creative control” of the James Bond series under a new deal with Wilson and Broccoli.

Wilson said he was “stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects.” Broccoli said she felt like “it is time to focus on my other projects."

More than 100 celebrities are expected to attend this year’s Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at West Hollywood Park.

On the menu? A burrata, garden tomato and arugula salad; a carrot lemongrass coconut soup; braised Korean short ribs or Pacific Mexican Sea bass; and two mousse offerings (chocolate and spring berry).

More celebrities are expected to pour in after the ceremony itself for an after-party that Chappell Roan will headline, according to a news release for the event.

According to Variety, John himself is expected to "spend the first part of the evening at the Oscar ceremony, because he is nominated for best original song ‘Never Too Late’ from his Disney+ documentary of the same name."

The viewing party, which is in its 33rd year, raises money to support EJAF’s mission to end AIDS.

It's no surprise that awards shows can get political, especially when a handful of the nominated films have themes that resonate in the current climate.

“The Apprentice,” which charts President Donald Trump’s rise to the top of Manhattan real estate under the tutelage of notorious fixer Roy Cohn, got two nominations in the acting categories for Sebastian Stan (who plays Trump) and Jeremy Strong (who plays Cohn). Last year, ahead of its release, Trump’s campaign said the film was “garbage.”

Speaking of Trump, it's unclear whether host Conan O'Brien will touch on the past six weeks since he started his second term. But nominees could veer into political discourse without mentioning Trump by name.

Gints Zilbalodis, director and writer of the Oscar-nominated animated feature "Flow," is paying homage to the film's star on his suit.

In a post on X, Zilbalodis posed alongside co-writer and producer Matīss Kaža in custom jackets showcasing the cat featured in "Flow." The cat is shown both on his sleeves and inside the jacket.

"Flow," which follows the cat's journey through isolation to community after a flood, is nominated for best international film and best animated film. It took home the Golden Globe earlier this year.

Diane Warren, nominated tonight for the original song category for “The Journey” from Tyler Perry’s Netflix movie “The Six Triple Eight,” performed by H.E.R., is no stranger to the Oscars.

She has been nominated a whopping 16 times.

Asked by E! hosts on the red carpet about her ritual going into the awards show, Warren said, “I just go with it, and I guess since I haven’t won yet I should do something different."

Still, she went on to say: "I’m just happy to be here. ... You never know how the night’s going to turn out. I’m really proud of this song.”

Expecting to see live performances of the movie tunes nominated for best original song? Well, not this year.

Even though those performances have become a staple of Oscars ceremonies, the academy will break from that tradition this year.

Instead of focusing on the razzle-dazzle (remember last year's surge of “Kenergy?”), the show will spotlight the songwriters and creatives behind the music.

“We will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life. All of this, and more, will uncover the stories and inspiration behind this year’s nominees,” according to academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang.

Co-hosting for the second consecutive year, Julianne Hough is not a newbie to the Oscars red carpet show. Ahead of the event at 6:30 p.m. ET, she emphasized the "adrenaline" of speaking to stars before the show.

"I want to be intentional with the questions but also not too serious, because look, we're at the Oscars, we've got to enjoy ourselves and have a good time," Hough told Variety on the red carpet.

Amid the onslaught of controversies, there’s a silver lining to the Oscars this year: There’s a big opportunity for some major history to be made.

Karla Sofía Gascón became the first openly trans actress to receive an Oscar nomination. This year also marks the first time four Latino performers were nominated in Oscar acting categories: Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Fernanda Torres and Colman Domingo.

Domingo, who was nominated for his portrayal of Bayard Rustin in “Rustin” last year, also has an opportunity to become the first Afro Latino to win the best actor Oscar for his performance in “Sing Sing,” a prison drama that follows incarcerated men who take part in a theater arts rehabilitation program. Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo, nominated for her portrayal of Elphaba in “Wicked,” has the potential to become the youngest EGOT winner, or winner of an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

Read the full story here.

In her first interview speaking publicly about “A Complete Unknown,” folk music icon Joan Baez praised Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of her former flame Bob Dylan.

Though Baez said she remembered the real-life Dylan as a lot scruffier than Chalamet, the film accurately captured how it felt to be around the charismatic young folk musician she remembers.

“I have to come back to that’s how it was,” Baez said. “When he walked into the room, he took up all the oxygen. And so, my part was always diminished in his presence. And in that sense the film is accurate.”

In the same interview, Baez also praised first-time Oscar nominee Monica Barbaro, who played her in the film.

“I loved what she did in the film,” Baez said. “If I didn’t think she was good at it, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it in general. But she looked enough like me and she had my gestures down. You could tell who it was. She worked so hard. Kudos to her for taking the role on.”

The film is nominated in eight categories.

Roger Stone, the veteran political lobbyist and longtime ally of President Donald Trump, recently took to X to praise Jeremy Strong, who is nominated for his portrayal of Trump mentor Roy Cohn in “The Apprentice.”

“I knew Roy Cohn. Roy Cohn was a friend of mine,” Stone said in a post on Feb. 22, linking to a news article about Strong. “As much as I hate to say it, this guy deserves an Oscar.”

“The Apprentice” stars best actor contender Sebastian Stan as Trump and chronicles the future president’s climb to the top of the Manhattan real estate business in the 1980s. Strong earned positive reviews for his depiction of Cohn, a political fixer and lawyer who counseled Trump.

“Wicked” was a huge 2024 box office success, surpassing the $700 million mark globally and making history as the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation of all time.

The musical film also broke records when it achieved the biggest opening weekend for a Broadway adaptation, making $163 million after it premiered back in November.

Tonight, it's nominated in 10 categories, including best picture.

On the red carpet, "Wicked" choreographer Christopher Scott teased the musical film's highly-anticipated sequel, coming to theaters this November.

“It’s a little darker, but it's epic," Scott told E!. "For the dance, there is a little wonderful moment there."

In what was perhaps the most shocking win of the Golden Globes in January, Demi Moore snagged a statuette for best film actress in a musical or comedy for her leading role in body-horror film “The Substance.”

Moore, the star of “Ghost” and “A Few Good Men,” appeared floored to be honored with the award, acknowledging it’s the first major acting award she has ever received in her storied career. In a powerful acceptance speech, Moore recalled a producer who, 30 years ago, told her she was a “popcorn actress.”

“I made that mean that this wasn’t something I allowed to have. That I could do movies that were successful but that I couldn’t be acknowledged. I bought in, and I believed that,” Moore said.

Tonight, Moore is considered a front-runner in the Oscars best actress category, her first-ever Academy Award nomination.

Read the full story here.

Winning an Oscar is one of the most coveted awards in Hollywood. But how does the process work?

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is made up over over 10,000 members. Those members include actors, writers, directors, costume designers, makeup artists, producers and other film industry professionals. They are the ones who decide who gets nominated and ultimately the winner in each category.

For the 97th Academy Awards, the submission deadline for general entry categories was in mid-November, and preliminary voting began on Dec. 9, 2024, according to the Academy’s website. A shortlist was announced later in December. The Academy members’ voting period in January was extended twice due to the wildfires.

Tour-time Oscars host Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel is making a show of support for his successor Conan O'Brien.

Kimmel posted a photo to Instagram today of him standing next to Oscar the Grouch from “Sesame Street,” holding up a cardboard sign that reads: “Good luck Conan!”

Kimmel hosted the ceremony in 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024. In August, he weighed in on his decision to pass up the opportunity again, telling the hosts of the “Politickin’” podcast that he's "not good at balancing" his fulltime duties as a Jimmy Kimmel Live! host and the Oscars.

“I’m not good at balancing. I’m really not,” he said. “It’s not one of my strengths. I’m all in when it comes to something like the Oscars. I think about it in the morning and at night, and when I have ideas I want to work on them, and then my nightly show seems like a nuisance. We have all our writers from the show working on the Oscars, so it distracts them. It’s fun to do, and it feels good when it went well, but, for me, just was too much, to do it three years in a row.”

Red carpet coverage will begin around 3:30 p.m. ET, with various networks airing interviews with stars as they show off their glam outside the Dolby Theatre.

ABC’s official red carpet ceremony will air at 6:30 p.m. ET, and it will also be available on both ABC and Hulu.

“The Apprentice” charts Donald Trump’s rise to the top of Manhattan real estate under the tutelage of notorious fixer Roy Cohn. Trump’s campaign said the film was “garbage.”

Both Jeremy Strong, who plays Cohn, and Sebastian Stan, who plays Trump, are nominated tonight.

NBC News spoke with director Ali Abbasi when the film was released in October.

Read the full story here.

Oscars red carpet host Amelia Dimoldenberg has moved her signature “Chicken Shop Date” to Hollywood. At least during Oscars weekend.

For a second year, the online host will serve as the academy’s official social media ambassador and red carpet correspondent, according to the academy.

Dimoldenberg’s carpet coverage has become almost as signature as her love of chicken — with audiences still buzzing over several flirtatious red carpet interviews with actor Andrew Garfield.

Ahead of the ceremony, she sat down with several nominees (including Jesse Eisenberg, Mikey Madison and Yura Borisov) to discuss everything from their personal lives to their films over chicken nuggets and chips.

She'll be chatting more with attendees and nominees tonight.

Fernanda Torres, who is nominated for best actress in a leading role, issued an apology in January after a 2008 blackface clip of her resurfaced. The skit was from a Brazilian TV show called “Fantastico," and Torres played a housekeeper.

“I am very sorry for this,” the actress told Deadline. “I’m making this statement as it is important for me to address this swiftly to avoid further pain and confusion. At that time, despite the efforts of Black movements and organizations, the awareness of the racist history and symbolism of blackface hadn’t yet entered the mainstream public consciousness in Brazil. Thanks to better cultural understanding and important but incomplete achievements in this century, it’s very clear now in our country and everywhere that blackface is never acceptable.”

Her statement came after she took home the Golden Globe for portraying Eunice Paiva in the Oscar-nominated “I’m Still Here." Torres is the first Brazilian nominated for the best actress Oscar since her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, was nominated in 1999 for “Central Station.”

The Oscars’ “Fab 5” presentation, where previous winners in the acting categories give tributes to the nominees before announcing the winner, will reportedly switch focus this year to categories that “maybe don’t normally get the spotlight on the Oscar stage,” Oscars executive producer Katy Mullan told the AP.

“Our theme is all about collaboration and the alchemy of filmmaking and really taking a look behind the scenes and understanding a bit more of the interconnectedness of how a film comes together,” Mullan said.

Hollywood loves a good Oscars party. But this year, in the wake of the L.A. wildfires, not all the usual parties will be in full swing.

United Talent Agency, which reps some big Hollywood names, including nominees Mikey Madison, Cynthia Erivo and Timothée Chalamet, is scrapping its annual Oscars celebration, according to Deadline.

Instead, the agency will make donations to numerous fire relief causes, Deadline reported, citing an internal memo sent to UTA employees.

NBC News has reached out to UTA for comment.

“No Other Land,” a documentary about the Israeli government’s displacement of Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank, received a nomination for best documentary feature — and it could win.

But the film, created by a collective of Israeli and Palestinian activists, never secured a distribution partner in the U.S., perhaps owing to its subject matter. It has nonetheless screened at indie cinemas in select cities, and digital screeners were made available to academy voters.

“Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón, who generated backlash for purported posts that resurfaced on social media, is attending the Oscars, according to Variety and CNN.

Netflix's “Emilia Pérez" leads the pack of nominees with 13 total nods, including one for Gascón in the lead actress category.

The streaming service did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Growing scrutiny around Gascón's comments threw a wrench in the film’s Oscar campaign. Social media users resurfaced deleted posts in which she appears to comment on Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars. She has since apologized.

Netflix is reportedly paying for Gascón’s travel and expenses, which is customary for any film studio to do for nominees.

On Friday, Gascón was seen on the red carpet of the Cesar Awards in France, her first awards show appearance since the controversy began.

In the best actress category, Demi Moore (“The Substance”) seems to have momentum after winning best comedy actress at the Golden Globe Awards and equivalent honors at the SAG Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

But don’t count out Mikey Madison (“Anora”), who triumphed at the BAFTAs and the Independent Spirit Awards, or Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”), who won best drama actress at the Globes.

In the best actor race, Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”) is well positioned after taking home prizes from the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Critics Choice Awards. Brody’s closest competition comes from Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), whose portrayal of Bob Dylan earned him a SAG statuette earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) and Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”) appear to be locks for best supporting actor and best supporting actress, respectively.

Host Conan O’Brien headed to the Dolby Theatre last week for the ceremonial rolling out of the red carpet.

Controversy over nominee "The Brutalist" began stirring in January after film editor Dávid Jancsó said in an interview with tech magazine Red Shark News that AI was used to enhance the lead actors’ Hungarian accents.

The Brady Corbet film, which stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, follows an architect who survives World War II and escapes Europe to America to rebuild his life.

Corbet said that his lead actors’ performances are “completely their own” and that they worked “for months” with a dialect coach to perfect their Hungarian accents.

“Innovative Respeecher technology was used in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy. No English language was changed. This was a manual process, done by our sound team and Respeecher in post-production,” Corbet said in a statement. “The aim was to preserve the authenticity of Adrien and Felicity’s performances in another language, not to replace or alter them and done with the utmost respect for the craft.”

Read the full story here.

A representative for Harrison Ford confirmed that the actor will no longer present at the Oscars after he was diagnosed with shingles, a viral infection that leads to painful rashes.

Ford is doing OK and has been resting after his diagnosis this weekend, Entertainment Weekly first reported.

In addition to a performance from “Wicked” stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, singers Doja Cat, Raye and Lisa of the K-pop girl band Blackpink will also be gracing the Oscars stage.

Queen Latifah is expected to take part in a performance paying tribute to late music icon and producer Quincy Jones, who was posthumously awarded an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November.

“We planned and curated a beautiful moment that will uplift the room and celebrate his greatness,” Raj Kapoor, executive producer and showrunner of this year’s Academy Awards, told reporters on Wednesday. “It is a beautiful moment and will make everybody feel good.”

Get ready for a musical number that is sure to be "popular." After weeks of rumors, “Wicked” co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are officially set to hit the stage at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof learned he had been sentenced to eight years in prison while he was completing his latest film, the tense political thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”

NBC News recently spoke with Rasoulof, a fierce critic of Iran’s theocratic regime who escaped the country on foot after he made the Oscar-nominated film.

Read the full story here.

The promotional popcorn bucket for "Dune: Part Two" turned into immediate meme fodder for its … questionable design.

Internet users had a field day comparing the lid to a fleshlight sex toy and joking about engaging in sexual activity with the bucket.

The film is up for five Oscars tonight, including best picture and best sound.

Read the full story here.

“The Brutalist” is the fifth film collaboration between director Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold, his partner.

It’s a heavyweight contender tonight, nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture. Corbet is nominated for best director, while he and Fastvold are up for best original screenplay.

The partners take turns in the director’s chair from project to project. Their previous collaborations include 2018’s “Vox Lux” starring Natalie Portman and the 2020 release “The World to Come” featuring Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby. The dynamic will continue this year with their latest film, “Ann Lee,” a historical musical drama starring Amanda Seyfried. Fastvold directed, and Corbet co-wrote it with her.

“Brady likes to write at night, and I write early in the morning,” Fastvold, 38, said. “And then we write together in the middle of the day.”

Read the full story here.

Bob Dylan has nothing but praise for Timothée Chalamet, who plays the famed singer-songwriter in “A Complete Unknown.”

Dylan took to X in December to share his excitement for the biopic and his faith in Chalamet’s taking on the role.

“Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” Dylan wrote. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”

The message “floored” Chalamet, he said.

Read the full story here.

Throughout awards season, Demi Moore's pup Pilaf has become a regular site, both on Instagram and at various events with her Oscar-nominated mom.

We want to know whether Pilaf will be "The Substance" star's plus-one tonight.

If yes, it wouldn't be the first time a dog has made its way to Hollywood's biggest night. After all, it wasn't long ago that Messi, the dog who starred in "Anatomy of a Fall," stole the Oscars show.

Netflix’s “Emilia Pérez,” a musical film about a Mexican cartel kingpin who fakes their death in order to transition into a woman, scored a massive 13 nominations when Oscar contenders were announced last month. But growing scrutiny of social media posts from the film’s star could jeopardize its Oscar chances.

Karla Sofia Gascón, who is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for best performance by an actress in a leading role, has become the center of backlash online after users resurfaced deleted posts in which she appeared to comment on Muslims, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars.

In January, Gascón issued an apology via Netflix. In February, Deadline published an interview with director Jacques Audiard, who called Gascón’s purported old posts “inexcusable.” Hours later, Gascón posted to Instagram addressing his remarks.

“Following Jacques interview that I understand, I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself, hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is, a beautiful ode to love and difference,” she wrote. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who has been hurt along the way.”

Read the full story here.

Every show needs a run through, with Hollywood's biggest night being noe exception. Here's a look inside the Dolby Theatre the day before the ceremony.

Oscar presenters Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Oprah and Whoopi Goldberg were among the stars who cycled in and out of the Dolby Theatre on Saturday to rehearse before the show, the Associated Press reported.

For the 23rd straight year, Oscar nominees will be receiving the “Everybody Wins” gift bag from L.A.-based marketing company Distinctive Assets. This year’s bag — which is not affiliated with the Academy Awards — is valued at nearly $220,000, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

Now well into his third decade of putting the gift bags together, Distinctive Assets founder Lash Fary says that the task only gets easier each year. Rather than try to outdo himself, Fary only tries to achieve one thing.

“My goal when I’m building this bag is that I go, ‘There’s some cool s–t here that I would love to get if I were a celebrity,’” he tells CNBC Make It. 

This year’s bag, which is filled with more than 60 gifts ranging from cannabis pre rolls to an invitation to a $23,000 stay at a Maldives resort, is being delivered to nominees in luggage from high-end bag brand Nomatic. 

Read the full story here

“Nickel Boys” director RaMell Ross’ first narrative feature is set at the fictional Nickel Academy, based on the notoriously cruel Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys near Tallahassee, Florida, which operated for 111 years before the Justice Department shut it down in 2011.

Ross and producer Joslyn Barnes adapted the film from Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel, “The Nickel Boys.”

The film is nominated in two categories: best picture and best adapted screenplay.

Read the full story here.

Oscar voters honored an eclectic mix of films and performances this year — but of course, as with any awards season, there wasn’t room for everyone.

Daniel Craig, star of Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” failed to land a best actor nomination. Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” an erotic drama starring Zendaya, got shut out entirely. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who earned some of the best reviews of the year for her starring role in Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” didn’t appear in the best actress race.

Three acclaimed dramas that were seen as best picture contenders — “A Real Pain,” “September 5” and “Sing Sing” — didn’t make the cut, though they were all recognized in other categories.

NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz explains what goes into betting on an actor and the history of the gamble. 

At Fanny's, the Academy Museum's restaurant and café, films like "A Complete Unknown" and "Anora" aren't just Oscar nominees — they're cocktails too.

The restaurant is now offering an Oscar-themed cocktail menu featuring a signature drink for each best picture nominee.

The festive drinks encapsulate each film's unique persona — "The Substance" is adorned with a boozy syringe, "Dune: Part Two" is dusted with desert-like graham cracker crumbs, and "Wicked" features a pink cream foam reminiscent of Glinda's bubble.

Sean Baker’s Brooklyn comedy “Anora” took top honors at both the Producers Guild Awards and the Directors Guild Awards in February, catapulting it to Oscar favorite status.

Both guild ceremonies were held in Beverly Hills, California. The PGA’s top prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award, has matched the Oscar winner for best picture in 16 of the last 21 years. Since 2009, when the guild and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences both adopted a preferential ballot to pick a winner from 10 nominees, they’ve corresponded all but three times.

Hollywood’s award season has been uncharacteristically up for grabs, with half a dozen films viewed as legitimate best picture contenders. Some had pegged “Anora” as the front-runner going into the season after the film won the Palme d’Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Read the full story here.

From breakout stars to veteran actors who have graced our screens for generations, these 13 artists have received their first Oscar nominations in this year’s acting categories.

• Mikey Madison — nominated for best actress for her role as Ani in “Anora.”
• Demi Moore — nominated for best actress for transforming into Elisabeth Sparkle in body-horror film “The Substance.”
• Ariana Grande — nominated for best supporting actress for her dazzling performance as Galinda/Glinda (if you know, you know) in the musical film “Wicked.”
• Monica Barbaro — nominated for best supporting actress for portraying folk icon Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.”

The battle for best picture has been filled with twists and turns.

“Emilia Pérez” started off as a front-runner, winning best musical/comedy film and best foreign language film at the Golden Globes, but controversial social media posts from the movie’s star appear to have doomed its Oscar chances.

“The Brutalist” nabbed best drama film at the Globes and then “Conclave” snagged top honors at the British Academy Film Awards. But they could both be edged aside by “Anora,” which won the marquee prizes from Hollywood’s producers, directors and writers guilds.

The papal thriller “Conclave” won best ensemble and Timothée Chalamet took best actor at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards last month, a pair of twists that added a few final wrinkles to an unusually unpredictable awards season.

“Wow,” said “Conclave” star Ralph Fiennes taking the stage. “I’ve not been elected to speak. I’ve been designated to speak on behalf of our conclave, our ensemble.”

Read the full story here.

The late night legend is set for his first outing as Oscar emcee.

But he’s no stranger to the awards circuit, having previously hosted the Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2006 as well as the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in 1995 and 2013.

"The Oscars, it's the pinnacle," O'Brien said in a recent promotional video posted to ABC's Instagram account. "It's the one you dream about hosting when you're a child. As long as the pay is good. Looking into that."

Sean Baker’s "Anora" won best film, best director and best actor for Mikey Madison at the Independent Spirit Awards in February. The film about a Brooklyn sex worker and her whirlwind affair with a Russian oligarch’s son has emerged in recent weeks as an awards season front-runner.

The Spirit Awards, held in a beachside tent in Santa Monica, California, is the shaggier, more irreverent sister to the Academy Awards, celebrating the best in independent film and television.

In accepting the directing prize, Baker spoke passionately about the difficulty of making independent films in an industry that is no longer able to fund riskier films. He said indies are in danger of becoming calling card films — movies made only as a means to get hired for bigger projects.

“The system has to change because this is simply unsustainable,” Baker said to enthusiastic applause. “We shouldn’t be barely getting by.”

Read the full story here.

Even though it's Oscars Sunday, it's not too late to binge one (or two) of the best picture nominees.

Many of the films are available to stream. Just hurry!

Read the full story here.

The Oscars ceremony concludes the busy awards season, which this year was upended by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

The fires, fueled by severe winds and dry conditions, killed at least 29 people and reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble. Thousands across the city were impacted, including many in the entertainment industry.

In January, the Oscar nominations announcement was delayed for a second time due to the natural disasters. But the the academy remained committed to putting on tonight's show as planned at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

At that time, the academy donated $750,000 to the Motion Picture & Television Fund, which supports entertainment community members, according to Variety.

The three-and-a-half-hour telecast will air live on ABC starting at 7 p.m. ET — and in a big first, the ceremony will stream in real time on Hulu.

Best picture:

—"Anora"

—"The Brutalist"

—"A Complete Unknown"

—"Conclave "

—"Dune: Part Two"

—"Emilia Pérez"

—"I’m Still Here"

—"Nickel Boys"

—"The Substance"

—"Wicked"

Directing:

—Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”

—Sean Baker, "Anora"

—Brady Corbet, "The Brutalist"

—Coralie Fargeat, "The Substance"

—James Mangold, "A Complete Unknown"

Actor in a leading role:

—Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

—Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”

—Colman Domingo, "Sing Sing"

—Ralph Fiennes, "Conclave"

—Sebastian Stan, "The Apprentice"

Actress in a leading role:

—Cynthia Erivo, "Wicked"

—Karla Sofía Gascón, "Emilia Pérez"

—Mikey Madison, "Anora"

—Demi Moore, "The Substance"

—Fernanda Torres, "I’m Still Here"