Top moments from the Oscars: 'Anora' wins big, 'Wicked' musical medley and emotional speeches
LOS ANGELES -- The 97th Oscars, hosted by Conan O'Brien, had no shortage of highlights.
See the full list of some memorable moments from Hollywood's biggest night.
'Anora' wins big with 5 Oscars
"Anora" took home five Oscars out of six nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards.
The film won awards for:
- Best Picture
- Actress in a Leading Role -- Mikey Madison
- Directing -- Sean Baker
- Writing (Original Screenplay) -- Sean Baker
- Film Editing
FULL LIST | Winners from the 97th Oscars
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo open 97th Academy Awards with powerful 'Wicked' medley
The Oscars opened with an amazing and moving performance by "Wicked" actors Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Grande started the show with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which was sung by Judy Garland in the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz." She wore a ruby red dress as she belted the iconic song.
Then came Erivo. She sang "Home" from the 1975 stage musical "The Wiz." The song was originally performed by Stephanie Mills. Erivo's performance showcased her powerful vocals and how she brings emotion into all her work.
Erivo was then joined by Grande as they dueted "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked." When Erivo finished with the iconic battle cry -- the audience was on their feet with a standing ovation.
MORE | Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo open 2025 Oscars with gravity-defying musical performances
Oscars pays tribute to Quincy Jones, Gene Hackman
Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah introduced a joyful tribute to the late producer Quincy Jones featuring 32 dancers, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah doing "Ease on Down the Road" also from "The Wiz."
Jones supervised the adaptation of songs from the Broadway musical for the 1978 film starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Richard Pryor.
Morgan Freeman paid tribute to two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, four days after Hackman was found dead.
"This week our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman," he said before the Oscars In Memoriam segment. "He received two Oscars and more importantly he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world."
Freeman and Hackman co-starred in the 1992 Clint Eastwood Western "Unforgiven" - the movie that earned Hackman his second Oscar. They were also both in 2000's "Under Suspicion."
"Rest in peace, my friend," Freeman said.
Conan's wastes no one's time in musical number; Adam Sandler crashes monologue
O'Brien promised not to waste the audience's time during the award ceremony by doing a musical number called "I'm not going to waste your time."
The performance included the "Dune" worm playing the piano; a bit that came up later in the show when the worm played the harp.
During Conan O'Brien's monologue, Adam Sandler made a surprise cameo -- bantering with O'Brien over his chosen wardrobe for the Oscars: gym shorts and a hoodie.
WATCH | Host Conan pays homage to Hollywood after fires, takes jabs at nominees
Zoe Saldaña dedicates Oscar win to her grandmother in emotional speech
In her acceptance speech for best supporting actress for her role in "Emilia Pérez," Zoe Saldaña said she was "floored" by the honor and thanked her family.
"To my mom, my dad and my sisters ... everything brave, outrageous and good that I've ever done in my life is because of you," she added, turning attention to her family. "And to my husband ... the biggest honor of my life is being your partner. You hung the moon in our beautiful, perfect sons Cy, Bowie and Zen."
Saldaña ended her speech by dedicating her win to her grandmother.
"My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last," she concluded. "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."
MORE | Zoe Saldaña wins Best Supporting Actress at the 97th Academy Awards
Paul Tazewell makes history first Black man to win Oscar for costume design
Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win the Oscar for best costume design. He won for his work on "Wicked."
For his work on "Wicked," Tazewell designed more than 1,000 costumes, which were worked on by 70 people.
Tazewell was nominated for an Oscar in 2022 for costume design on "West Side Story" and became the first Black man nominated in the category.
L.A. Firefighters Honored During Oscars
Firefighters from the Los Angeles area fire departments were honored during the Oscars.
The firefighters' brave and heroic actions as they battled the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in January were celebrated with a standing ovation from Hollywood.
MORE | Los Angeles firefighters receive standing ovation during Oscars
After the moment, O'Brien had them read a few jokes from the teleprompter, saying there are even some jokes he's not brave enough to tell.
"And remember," O'Brien told the crowd, "everyone in this audience has to laugh, these are heroes."
James Bond tribute features Margaret Qualley, Lisa, Doja Cat and Raye
Another highlight of the Oscars was the James Bond musical tribute, which honored the iconic film franchise's longtime producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
The segment kicked off with Margaret Qualley dancing to the "James Bond Theme" music with a gaggle of male dancers.
A trio of performers then delivered their renditions of various theme songs from throughout the Bond film series, including Lisa from Blackpink singing "Live and Let Die" from the 1973 film of the same name, Doja Cat singing "Diamonds Are Forever" from the 1971 film of the same name, and Raye singing "Skyfall" from the 2012 film of the same name.
Broccoli and Wilson received honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards in November. Broccoli's father, Albert R. Broccoli, together with producer Harry Saltzman, brought the James Bond stories to life on film after they purchased the rights to Ian Fleming's iconic novels in 1961.
On Feb. 20, it was announced that Amazon MGM Studios had taken over creative control of the James Bond franchise from Broccoli and Wilson.
Kieran Culkin says wife promised him 4th child if he won an Oscar
After taking the stage to accept his academy award for best supporting actor, Kieran Culkin made it clear he had an important topic to address his long-running deal with his wife, Jazz Charton, about expanding their family.
"Please don't play the music, because I want to tell a really quick story about Jazz," he began, before diving into the backstory.
"A year ago, I said that I wanted 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."
"Anyway, after the show, we're walking through a parking lot. She's holding the Emmy and she goes, 'Oh, god, I did say that. I guess I owe you a third kid.'
"I turned to her and said, 'Really, I want four.' And she turned to me -- I swear to god this happened -- and 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?"
The audience erupted in laughter as Culkin turned to his wife in the crowd.
Andrew Garfield thanks Goldie Hawn for bringing his late mom 'joy' in her life
Andrew Garfield took to the stage to hand out the Oscar for best animated feature film and best animated short film with Goldie Hawn -- and he didn't pass up the opportunity pass to tell the actress what she meant to his late mother.
"There's someone, there's a person who gave my mother during her life the most joy, the most comfort. And tonight, I feel very lucky, because I get to thank that person from the bottom of my heart. That person is Goldie Hawn," Garfield said. "I can feel her smiling at us at this moment."
Hawn replied, "Thank you, sweetie. That really touches me."
Garfield continued, "You've given us movies full of joy, you've lifted our spirits and you've made us feel that all's right with the world over and over and over again."
"I just loved it," Hawn said in response. "I was so lucky making movies in this amazing Hollywood and making people laugh -- and maybe some didn't, but that's OK."
Garfield's mother died in 2019 from pancreatic cancer.
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