Zoe Saldaña shook the controversy surrounding her film Emilia Pérez as she earned Best Supporting Actress at the 2025 Oscars .
The 97th Academy Awards – which featured a star-studded red carpet – hit a high as the 46-year-old American actress was crowned for the Netflix film.
She triumphed over: Monica Barbaro — A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande — Wicked, Felicity Jones — The Brutalist, and Isabella Rossellini — Conclave.
Zoe became the first ever Oscar winner of Dominican descent and made sure to thank her ancestors for paving the way to have a successful acting career in America.
She said: ‘My grandmother came to this country in 1961 — I am a proud child of immigrant parents. With dreams and dignity and hard-working hands, and I am the first American on 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, this is for my grandmother. Thank you so much. Thank you.’
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Zoe Saldaña shook the controversy surrounding her film Emilia Pérez as she earned Best Supporting Actress at the 2025 Oscars
Emilia Pérez has earned a tide of negative publicity after racist and Islamophobic tweets from her costar Karla Sofía Gascón — some quite recent — were discovered.
Netflix went so far as to stop covering Gascón’s travel for awards shows, but she did appear at the Oscars.
In Emilia Perez, Zoe plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico.
Cartel leader Emilia (played by Gascon) enlists Rita, an unappreciated lawyer, to help fake her death so that she can finally live authentically as her true self.
The award show started out in fine form as Kieran Culkin took home the first award of the night.
It kicked off with the 42-year-old actor taking home Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in A Real Pain.
He beat out an impressive field including: Yura Borisov — Anora, Edward Norton — A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce — The Brutalist, and his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong — The Apprentice.
Kieran started out his acceptance speech by acknowledging Strong – who portrayed his brother Kendall Roy on the highly-popular HBO series – with profanity as the broadcast had bleeped much of the acknowledgement.
He said: ‘Jeremy you’re amazing in The Apprentice, I love your work, it’s f***ing – there we go, I cursed, I didn’t mean to, and I’m not supposed to single anyone out as favouritism, but you were great.
‘And I’ve already lost whatever speech I prepared, 20 seconds in.’
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The 46-year-old American actress was crowned for the Netflix film triumphed over: Monica Barbaro — A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande — Wicked, Felicity Jones — The Brutalist, and Isabella Rossellini — Conclave
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Zoe became the first ever Oscar winner of Dominican descent and made sure to thank her ancestors for paving the way to have a successful acting career in America
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Zoe stunned on Hollywood’s biggest night
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Emilia Pérez has earned a tide of negative publicity after racist and Islamophobic tweets from her costar Karla Sofía Gascón — some quite recent — were discovered as Netflix went so far as to stop covering Gascón’s travel for awards shows, but she did appear at the Oscars
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In Emilia Perez, Zoe (pictured left) plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico; she is shown alongside Gascon
He finished off the speech by acknowledging his wife Jazz Charton and shared a sweet story which began: ‘I love you, Jazz. I have to thank my wife Jazz.
‘Please don’t play the music, because I want to tell a really quick story about Jazz.’
The couple share two children: a 5-year-old daughter Kinsey Sioux, and a 3-year-old son Wilder Wolf.
Kieran continued: ‘A year ago, I said that I want a third kid, because she said if I won the award, she would give me the kid. Turns out she said that because she didn’t think I was going to win. But — and people came up to me and were like, you know, really annoying her, it got to her.
‘But anyway — after the show we’re walking through a parking lot, she’s holding the Emmy, she goes, oh, god, I did say that. I guess I owe you a third kid. I turned to her, I said, really, I want four. And she turned to me, I swear to god this happened, she said, I will give you four when you win an Oscar.
‘I held my hand out, she shook it and I have not brought it up once until just now. You remember that, honey? Then I just have to say to you, jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith — No pressure. I love you. I’m really sorry I did this again. And let’s get cracking on those kids, what do you say? I love you. I love. I love you.’
A Real Pain – directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg – stars Eisenberg and Culkin as mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
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The 2025 Oscars started out in fine form as Kieran Culkin took home the first award of the night
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The 42-year-old actor took home Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in A Real Pain. He beat out an impressive field including: Yura Borisov — Anora, Edward Norton — A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce — The Brutalist, and his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong — The Apprentice
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Kieran started out his acceptance speech by acknowledging Strong – who portrayed his brother Kendall Roy on the highly-popular HBO series – with plenty of profanities as the broadcast had bleeped much of the acknowledgement
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He finished off the speech by acknowledging his wife Jazz Charton and shared a sweet story which began: ‘I love you, Jazz. I have to thank my wife Jazz.
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The couple share two children: a 5-year-old daughter Kinsey Sioux, and a 3-year-old son Wilder Wolf
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A Real Pain – directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg – stars Eisenberg and Culkin as mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history
Paul Tazewell became the first Black male winner of Achievement in Costume Design for his work in Wicked.
The 60-year-old American costume designer for the theatre, dance, and opera and television was up against: A Complete Unknown — Arianne Phillips, Conclave — Lisy Christl, Gladiator II — Janty Yates and Dave Crossman, and Nosferatu — Linda Muir.
Paul was emotional during his acceptance speech as he said: ‘ This is absolutely astounding. Thank you, academy. For this very significant honor. I’m the first Black man to receive costume design award. For my work on Wicked. I’m so proud of this.
‘Thank you everyone in the UK for all of your beautiful work. I could not have done this without you. My Ozian muses, Cynthia and Ariana, I love you so much. All the other cast, thank you, thank you, thank you for trusting me with bringing your characters to life. This is everything.’
Sean Baker took home two Oscars as he earned Achievement in Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay for Anora.
In the screenplay category he triumphed over The Brutalist — Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold, A Real Pain — Jesse Eisenberg, September 5 — Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; co-Written by Alex David, The Substance — Coralie Fargeat.
When it came to the best Adapted Screenplay category it was Peter Straughan who won for Conclave.
He won over: A Complete Unknown — James Mangold and Jay Cocks, Emilia Pérez — Jacques Audiard with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi, Nickel Boys — RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes, and Sing Sing — Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield.
Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield.
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Paul Tazewell became the first Black male winner of Achievement in Costume Design for his work in Wicked
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The 60-year-old American costume designer for the theatre, dance, and opera and television was up against: A Complete Unknown — Arianne Phillips, Conclave — Lisy Christl, Gladiator II — Janty Yates and Dave Crossman, and Nosferatu — Linda Muir
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Jonathan Bailey and other castmembers are seen wearing costumes designed by Tazewell
The show began with an incredible medley from Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
The Academy Awards are honoring the best films of 2024, with the star-studded ceremony being held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Conan O’Brien, 61, is making his debut as Oscars host, after joking: ‘I only agreed to host so that I could get invited.’
This year’s ceremony has an unusually unsettled field in many of the most high-profile categories, including best picture and most of the acting categories.
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Sean Baker took home two Oscars as he earned Achievement in Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay for Anora
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When it came to the best Adapted Screenplay category it was Peter Straughan who won for Conclave
Emilia Pérez leads the nominations this year with 13, including for best picture, actress (for Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (for Zoe Saldaña), director (for Jacques Audiard), adapted screenplay and original song.
Gascón stars as the title character, a former Mexican drug lord who comes out as a transgender woman and fakes her own death in order to reinvent herself as a pro-social force, while Saldaña plays an ethically challenged lawyer who helps set up her new identity.
The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay.
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The show began with an incredible medley from Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
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Conan O’Brien kicked off the show with a hilarious monologue
Brody stars as a Jewish Hungarian architect who immigrates to the US after surviving the Holocaust. The epic historical drama follows his character László Tóth’s attempts to realize his creative vision even as it conflicts with the petty desires of his wealthy benefactor (Pearce).
Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande).
The blockbuster musical is an adaptation of only the first half of the musical of the same name, a reimagined prequel to The Wizard Of Oz starring Erivo as Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, and Grande as Galinda Upland, who becomes Glinda the Good
Other best pictures nominees include Anora, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys and The Substance.
The closely watched race for best actor in a leading role got a major shakeup just a week before the Oscars at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, when Timothée Chalamet scored a shock win for his Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
Prior to that win, Brody was seemingly the favorite after winning best actor awards at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Movie Awards.
Ralph Fiennes has also doggedly stayed in the running for his role as a British Cardinal struggling to keep a secretive papal election from dissolving into competition and intrigue.
The critically acclaimed film has scored multiple actor wins at smaller ceremonies and festivals for Fiennes, as well as multiple awards for the entire acting ensemble, which Fiennes has accepted on more than one occasion.
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Emilia Pérez leads this year’s Oscar nominees with 13 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (for Zoe Saldaña) and director
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The Brutalist landed in second place with 10 nominations, including for best picture, director (for Brady Corbet), actor (for Adrien Brody), supporting actor (for Guy Pearce), supporting actress (for Felicity Jones), and original screenplay
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Conan O’Brien is hosting the ceremony, which is being held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, for the first time; pictured Wednesday in Hollywood
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Wicked tied it for 10 nominations, including for best picture, actress (for Cynthia Erivo), and supporting actress (for Ariana Grande)
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This year’s best lead actor race is up in the air after Timothée Chalamet’s recent SAG win for A Complete Unknown
Brody is also a favorite for The Brutalist, but Ralph Fiennes has gotten plenty of awards-season attention for the papal-selection drama Conclave
Those three co-frontrunners are competing against Colman Domingo for Sing Sing and Sebastian Stan for his performance as a young Donald Trump in The Apprentice.
The best actress category also has no clear frontrunner. Demi Moore has been lauded for her comeback performance in the satirical body-horror film The Substance, which earned her best actress honors from the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, as well as several critics’ organizations.
But her win a week before the Oscars at the SAG Awards suggests she may be in a prime spot to snatch the Oscar after being nominated for the first time.
Anora star Mikey Madison, who plays an adult dancer who impetuously marries the son of a Russian Oligarch, was widely acclaimed and was honored by several critics’ organizations early in the season.
Her chances increased significantly after she won the BAFTA for best lead actress, which she followed up with an Independent Spirit Award win in the gender-neutral lead performance category.
Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón was once a favorite for the award, but she was widely criticized after racist and Islamophobic tweets — some quite recent — that had somehow gone unremarked upon were translated into English and reported on.
Since then, Gascón has sat out awards ceremonies after her posts came to light. After multiple half-hearted apologies, Netflix reportedly opted to stop paying for Gascón’s travel and accommodations for awards shows, though a source told People that she still plans to attend the Oscars.
Before the controversy, her nomination was seen as historic, as she is the first openly transgender woman to be nominated in the best actress category.
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Anora’s Mikey Madison is a late-breaking best actress co-frontrunner after recent wins and controversy that erupted after offensive tweets from Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón resurfaced
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Demi Moore is the other major frontrunner for the satirical body-horror film The Substance. She has won multiple major awards this season
The other nominees are Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, who has failed to capture any major awards, and the Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres, who stars in the historical drama I’m Still Here. She had her own controversy after a clip of her appearing in blackface in a comedy sketch from a Brazilian TV series 17 years ago resurfaced in January.
In the supporting actress category, the nominees including Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande for Wicked, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, Isabella Rossellini for Conclave and Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez
Saldaña appears to be the current favorite after a string of wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards, SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards.
But some of those early awards had voting periods that cut off prior to the controversy around Gascón surfacing, which could potentially harm her chances from voters who were turned off of Emilia Pérez altogether.
The supporting actor category seems the easiest to predict, Kieran Culkin’s string of wins for A Real Pain making him the favorite.
The other nominees include Yura Borisov for Anora, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce for The Brutalist and Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice.
Among the best picture nominees, Emilia Pérez once seemed like the most likely winner, but Gascon’s offensive posts have threatened its chances.
The Palme d’Or–winning Anora got a late boost with wins for best picture at the Directors Guild of America Awards and the Producers Guild of America Awards, which are considered two of the best predictors of Oscars success by awards-season prognosticators, and its win at the Independent Spirit Awards didn’t hurt.
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Saldaña appears to be the favorite in the supporting actress category after a string of wins
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Kieran Culkin has dominated the supporting actor categories in recent weeks for Jesse Eisenberg’s drama A Real Pain
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After Gascón’s offensive tweets surfaced, Emilia Pérez’s best picture frontrunner status seemed in question, and Anora has snatched up the top award at multiple ceremonies considered major predictors of the Oscars
The best director category seems likely to be a three-man race between Anora’s Sean Baker, The Brutalist director Brady Corbet and Emilia Pérez’s Jacques Audiard.
This year’s original song category features two cutes from Emilia Pérez, El Mal and Mi Camino, the new Elton John song Never Too Late, from the documentary of the same name about him, Like a Bird from Sing Sing, and the latest Diane Warren effort The Journey.
The Academy Awards begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and can be watched on ABC and, for the first time, on a streaming service, Hulu.
Subscribers to premium services including Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and FuboTV can also also catch the ceremony live.
Oscar nominations 2025 – see who received nods for this year’s Academy Awards
Best Picture
Wicked
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Perez
Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked has received multiple Oscar nods, including one for Best Picture
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 Gascon – Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison – Anora
Demi Moore – The Substance
Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here
The Substance has been nominated for numerous Oscars, including Best Actress for Demi Moore
Actor in a Supporting Role
Yura Borisov – Anora
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice
Actress in a Supporting Role
Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Directing
Sean Baker – Anora
Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
James Mangold – A Complete Unknown
Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Music (Original Song)
El Mal – Emilia Pérez
The Journey – The Six Triple Eight
Like A Bird – Sing Sing
Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez
Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late
Emilia Pérez has also earned numerous nominations
Music (Original Score)
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Anora
The Brutalist
A Real Pain
September 5
The Substance
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing
Animated Feature Film
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengence Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
