Los Angeles: “Anora”, the gripping drama about a sex worker who embarks on an unexpected journey after marrying a wealthy client, emerged as the biggest winner at the Academy Awards on Sunday, securing five Oscars, including the prestigious Best Picture.
The film’s 25-year-old lead, Mikey Madison, won Best Actress, while Sean Baker took home the award for Best Director. The movie also earned Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing, solidifying its place as a standout in this year’s unpredictable race.
Madison’s victory was seen as an upset over Demi Moore, who had been widely expected to win for her performance in The Substance.
“I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me,” Madison said during her emotional acceptance speech. “To be here standing in this room today is really incredible.” She also took a moment to acknowledge and support the sex worker community, stating, “I will continue to be an ally.”
A Competitive Oscars Race
The triumph of Anora came in a highly competitive year, where contenders included the papal thriller Conclave, the Jewish immigrant story The Brutalist, and the blockbuster musical Wicked.
Veteran actor Adrien Brody won his second Academy Award, securing the Best Actor trophy for his performance in The Brutalist, where he portrayed a Jewish immigrant architect pursuing the American dream.
In the supporting acting categories, Zoë Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her role as a fixer for a Mexican drug lord in the Spanish-language Netflix musical Emilia Pérez, while Kieran Culkin earned Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Real Pain, a drama about two cousins exploring their Polish-Jewish roots.
International and Animated Feature Winners
In the documentary category, No Other Land, which chronicles the bond between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist amid tensions in the occupied West Bank, won Best Documentary Feature.
The Best Animated Feature award went to Flow, making history as the first Oscar-winning film from Latvia. Meanwhile, the Best International Feature Oscar was awarded to Brazilian drama I’m Still Here.
Memorable Oscars Moments
The ceremony opened with a “Wizard of Oz”-themed medley performed by nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, featuring the hit Defying Gravity from Wicked.
The night also saw bold fashion statements, with Timothée Chalamet donning a striking canary yellow tuxedo, which prompted Oscars host Conan O’Brien to joke, “You will not get hit on your bike tonight.”
In a heartfelt moment, O’Brien invited a group of Los Angeles firefighters on stage to thank them for their heroic efforts during the January wildfires. Fire Captain Jodi Slicker joined in on the humor, quipping, “Usually when Conan calls, he’s stuck in a tree.”
The Academy Awards once again proved to be an unpredictable and exciting celebration of cinema, with Anora cementing its legacy as the biggest winner of the night.
