Biggest moments of the 2025 Oscars, from 'Defying Gravity' to 'Anora'

Leave it to the Oscars to dish up memorable moments that sometimes are on par with the indelible scenes from the movies they honor.

This year’s 97th Academy Awards may not have included any massive gaffes ("La La Land" being erroneously announced as best picture) or surprise outbursts (Will Smith and The Slap), but it did offer a big Oscar run by small indie film “Anora,” an unusually long acceptance speech by a humbled Adrien Brody and a request for more babies from Kieran Culkin.

If you missed some or all of the 3½-hour show, here is the good, the bad and the sometimes ugly of Hollywood’s biggest night.

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'Wicked' stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande wow with a powerful performance of 'Defying Gravity'

The show got off to a stunning Broadway-esque start, with Ariana Grande delivering a version of “Over the Rainbow” that was worthy of its “Wizard of Oz” originator, Judy Garland.

How good was it? The stars in the audience were clapping and hollering throughout her performance. And they kept it up when her “Wicked” co-star Cynthia Erivo stepped onstage to deliver her version of "Home" from “The Wiz.” And to wrap up the Oz-focused opener, Grande and Erivo dueted on their best picture-nominated movie’s soaring theme song, “Defying Gravity.” Rarely has the Oscars' first minutes been this good.

Adrien Brody takes best actor for 'The Brutalist' a week after losing at SAG Awards

Adrien Brody seemed genuinely shocked when his name was announced as best actor. “The Brutalist” is 3½ hours long, and at times it felt as if Brody’s acceptance speech would be just as lengthy.

Brody cut off the playoff music several times, once with a curt “I’ve done this before,” a reference to his win for “The Pianist” in 2003.

At the end of his five-minute speech, he seemed to reference today's tense political climate.

"I'm here once again to represent the lingering traumas and the repercussions of war and systematic oppression and of antisemitism and racism and of othering," Brody said. "If the past can teach us anything, it's a reminder to not let hate go unchecked."

Kieran Culkin leverages his Oscar win to add more kids to his growing brood

Well, Kieran Culkin’s wife, Jazz, got quite the shock announcement Sunday night as her husband held aloft his Oscar for best supporting actor (in “A Real Pain”) and grinned his mischievous grin.

The couple are parents to daughter Kinsey Sioux and son Wilder Wolf, but Culkin said his wife agreed to a third child if he won an Emmy – which he did last year for “Succession.” But Culkin has wanted an even larger brood, ideally four kids. To that, he said, Jazz told him, “If you win an Oscar.”

Culkin gave Jazz a loving look and quipped, “Love of my life, ye of little faith,” adding later: “No pressure. I love you. I'm really sorry I did this again, and let's get cracking on those kids.”

The Oscars marks the end of the James Bond era with a Doja Cat, Raye and Lisa tribute

James Bond was feted at the Oscars with an elaborate set piece, kicked off with Lisa of Blackpink belting out “Live and Let Die,” the famous Paul McCartney and Wings title song. Next up, Doja Cat singing “Diamonds Are Forever” from the Bond film starring one of the best to portray 007, Sean Connery. That segued into Raye melting into “Skyfall,” originally sung by Adele.

Fans on social media seemed puzzled by the seemingly random and somewhat campy tribute, which also featured "The Substance" star Margaret Qualley silently taking on the role of a dancing Bond girl. (Was it a live tryout?)

So why the interlude? To steal a line from “Skyfall,” “this is the end” of a long run by Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. Amazon now owns the Bond series, ushering in a new era for the superspy.

Zoe Saldaña completes best supporting actress sweep with tearful thanks to ancestors

“Mommy!” screamed Zoe Saldaña in delight as she accepted her best supporting actress Oscar for “Emilia Pérez.” The win caps a veritable sweep for Saldaña, who also took top honors for her role as a Mexican lawyer at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTAs and Critics Choice.

Saldaña went on an emotional tear once again, thanking “Pérez” cast and crew but mostly her ancestors, who emigrated to the USA from the Dominican Republic more than 60 years ago.

“I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands," she said. "I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last. I hope. The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish − my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted.”

Gene Hackman celebrated by co-star Morgan Freeman in Oscars in memoriam segment

No surprise that Gene Hackman was a central and towering figure in this year's in memoriam segment. The 95-year-old actor, found dead last week alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, was a two-time Oscar winner and once of the best bad guys in the business.

Morgan Freeman, 87, did the somber honors, noting that his friend and co-star in "Unforgiven" and "Under Suspicion" was "a generous performer whose gifts elevated everyone's work. He received two Oscars, but more importantly won hearts of film lovers all over the world."

Freeman added that Hackman told him, "I don’t think about legacy, but I hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work."

"Gene," Freeman said, "you’ll be remembered for that and for so much more. Rest in peace, my friend."

'Anora' steals the Oscars spotlight from 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Conclave,' winning 5 awards

“Anora” was a genuine overachiever on Oscar night. After winning nothing at last weekend's SAG Awards, Sean Baker's $6 million independent film cleaned up in an amazing slow build that started with Baker's win for best original screenplay.

The movie won not only best picture, but also, for Baker, best director and best editing. The director came to the microphone so often that he wound up riffing during one acceptance speech on the importance of seeing movies in a theater: “We can laugh together, cry together, and, in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever."

"Anora" plays like a fairy tale love story between a New York sex worker and a Russian oligarch’s son. Which is why Oscar night must have felt like a Cinderella moment for its star, Mikey Madison, who looked stunned as she went up to accept her best actress Oscar, upsetting Demi Moore, who many thought might win her first Oscar for “The Substance.”

Said Madison: "This is a dream come true. I'm probably going to wake up tomorrow."