The 97th Academy Awards took place on March 2nd at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. A few weeks had passed since the ceremony and all the golden statues had been given out and the speeches had been concluded. A year’s worth of movies was honored and it was a night of shocking wins and performances and even a bit of controversy.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Enchant the Oscars Stage
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the Oscars with a performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Defying Gravity” from “The Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked.”
Erivo also gave a rendition of “Home” from the 1975 musical “The Wiz” which was previously performed by Diana Ross. It was an eight-minute performance that brought audience members to their feet. Once Erivo belted Elphaba’s battle cry at the end of “Defying Gravity” audience members gave the duo a standing ovation and fellow “Wicked” actor Michelle Yeoh and others even wiped away tears. Their rendition of the songs set the tone for an unforgettable night.
“Wicked” was nominated for 10 awards including “Best Supporting Actress” for Grande and “Best Leading Role” for Erivo. The film took two awards home for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. It was the most talked about film of the year and grossed $728 million at the box office. “Wicked” is the highest-grossing film adaptation of a Broadway Musical ever and part two is set to release in theatres on Nov. 21.
Anora Takes Home Five Awards
Perhaps the biggest win of the night goes to Anora. It was nominated in six categories and took home five awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Anora is an indie film about a young 22-year-old New York woman who falls in love with the song of a wealthy Russian oligarch. It was considered a low-budget film and was produced with just $6 million.
Fans noted that Anora’s film style is what set it apart from other films in its category. It had a particular style that was aesthetic and non-mainstream.
There’s no doubt that the wins didn’t garner any controversy. Some fans felt “The Substance” or “Wicked” should have won instead, others felt it was the best movie that have seen this decade.
Whether you love Anora or not, The film’s compelling narrative and top-notch performances resonated with both the Academy and audiences worldwide making it one of the best movies of 2024.
Mikey Madison’s Historic Win
Mikey Madison’s portrayal of Anora earned her Best Actress in a Leading Role. She is the second Actress to be born in the 90s to take home an Academy Award. The first is Jennifer Lawrence for the romantic comedy-drama “Silver Linings Playbook” in 2011. Previously before Anora, Madison was not a household name. She told GQ in an article that she enjoyed flying under the radar. Now, everything has changed. She is the newest addition to Hollywood’s A-list. Her Oscar win has caught the attention of numerous filmmakers including Greta Gerwig and Colleen Hoover.
Despite what appears to be a sudden rise to fame, Madison has been in numerous movies. She landed her first role in 2015 and appeared in the Quentin Tarantino movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt in 2019 when she was just 19 years old.
Madison also played Amber Freeman, who spoiler alert: turns out to be Ghostface, in Scream IV. Her performance continues to be praised and this is a milestone in her flourishing and successful career.
Zoe Saldana: From Box Office Queen to Oscar Royalty
Zoe was also one of the night’s biggest wins. She dominated the awards season for her portrayal of Emilia Perez. Her dynamic performance added depth to the film and showed her versatility as an actress. In her acceptance speech, she thanked her family and mother who attended the ceremony with her.
Saldana plays a character of Dominican heritage, similar to herself. Her character is a lawyer who feels unappreciated at work and is enlisted to help a cartel leader fake his death. Emilia Perez resonated deeply with critics and audiences. The film blended different genre’s including crime, drama, and music to create a film that told a captivating story.
Timothee Chalamet’s Oscar Snub and Date night with Kylie
Notably absent from the winner’s list is Timothee Chalamet for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” “A Complete Unknown” had gained lots of media attention and even critical acclaim but it wasn’t enough to get the 29-year-old his first Academy Award.
In 2019, Chalamet was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “Little Women.” He is the youngest actor since James Dean to be nominated for an Oscar twice.
Chalamet’s Oscar snub comes a week after his SAG win for Best Lead Actor.
Ironically, Timothee lost to Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist” who became the youngest best actor in 2003 for his role in “The Pianist” at 29 years old.
Adding to the evening’s drama, it was a rare date night for Timothee and Kylie. The pair have reportedly been dating for over a year. They celebrated Chalamet’s Best Actor nomination.
It wasn’t the first time we had seen Kylie supporting Timothee. She was also at the 2025 Golden Globes and they also attended the Vanity Fair After Party together as well.
It is reported the couple never left each other’s side and looked madly in love all night.
Demi Moore’s Performance in “The Substance”
Demi Moore’s performance in “The Substance” is one of the most talked about performances of the year. Throughout award season, many fans felt Moore was a clear frontrunner to win the Academy Award.
The Substance is a horror film about an aging film actress who has lost her star power. She is fired after turning 50 and replaced with a much younger star. She begins taking an experimental drug that creates a younger version of herself played by Margaret Qualley.
It was Moore’s first Oscar nomination after more than 30 years in the film industry.
Conan O’brien’s Hosting Debut
Conan O’Brien made his hosting debut with his signature wit and humor. His performance was well-received and more than 19 million people tuned in. O’Brien’s successful time hosting led to the announcement that he will be hosting the 98th Academy Awards in 2026.
