The 2025 Academy Awards are officially underway as Hollywood celebrates the best films and acting performances of the last year.
Sunday’s ceremony is hosted by Conan O’Brien, who takes over from Oscars stalwart Jimmy Kimmel.
Nominations were announced in January, with Netflix’s divisive musical Emilia Pérez leading the pack on 13 nominations, setting a record for a non-English-language film. Meanwhile, The Brutalist and Wicked tied with 10 nominations apiece. A Complete Unknown and Conclave followed with eight mentions each.
In the acting categories, Demi Moore (The Substance), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), and Ariana Grande (Wicked) are among the nominees.
Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón is also in attendance after sitting out most of awards season due to her racist tweet controversy.
There is likely to be some kind of tribute to film icon Gene Hackman, whose death under “suspicious” circumstances at 95 is currently under investigation.
This year’s ceremony will air on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. British viewers can tune in on ITV1 and ITVX.
The Independent will be bringing you live updates from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Follow along below:
Key points
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Who is nominated?
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How to watch the ceremony
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The Independent’s Oscar predictions
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What’s in the Oscars gift bag?
Mick Jagger shares unexpected Bob Dylan admission
03:21 , Tom Murray
The Rolling Stones frontman, 81, was a surprise attendee as he received a standing ovation from Hollywood stars, including fellow musician Elton John.
But when Jagger graced the stage to applause from the audience, he humbly revealed that he wasn’t actually the first choice to present the Best Original Song category. Jagger claimed that Dylan had been asked to attend due to the biopic of his life, A Complete Unknown, being nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet.
“As much as I love doing it, I wasn’t the first choice to give this award out,” Jagger said, adding candidly: “The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do this.”
Read more:
Mick Jagger drops unexpected Bob Dylan revelation at Oscars
Conan gets political
03:17 , Tom Murray
O’Brien appeared to mock Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin in his latest bit.
“Anora is having a good night. Two wins already,” he said. “I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”
Oscars’ host Conan O’Brien jokes about ‘standing up to a powerful Russian’
‘Emilia Pérez’ loses Best International Feature Film
03:09 , Tom Murray
Best International Feature Film seemed to be a lock for Emilia Pérez. However, it’s I’m Still Here that goes home with the win.
Director Walter Salles accepted the first Oscar win for Brazil after five nominations.
“Thank you first in the name of Brazilian cinema in such an extraordinary group of filmmakers,” Salles said. “This goes to a woman… who decided to not to bend, and to resist.”
The film is based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s 2015 memoir of the same name about Eunice Paiva — a mother and activist coping with the forced disappearance of her husband, the dissident politician Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), during the military dictatorship in Brazil.
Morgan Freeman pays tribute to Gene Hackman
02:50 , Tom Murray
Morgan Freeman introduced the annual In Memorium segment with a tribute to Gene Hackman, who died under “suspicious” circumstances just weeks ago.
“He won 2 Oscars but most importantly, he won the hearts of film-lovers around the world,” said Morgan.
Colman Domingo instigates dance party during ad break
02:27 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
During the ad break, Best Actor-nominee Colman Domingo came onstage to urge nominees to toast to Los Angeles with little bottles of tequila.
He then instigated a brief “dance party” and encouraged attendees to take selfies. Something to note if everyone seems a bit more relaxed next time you see them on screen.
Conan O’Brien makes Drake joke
02:19 , Tom Murray
“Well, we’re halfway through the show, which means it’s time for Kendrick Lamar to come out and call Drake a pedophile,” O’Brien jokes, referencing Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show performance of his Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us.”
Just when Drake thought it was safe to watch TV again.
Oscars viewers did not like the James Bond tribute
02:07 , Tom Murray
Oscars viewers branded the bizarre James Bond musical segment as “pointless” — and one of the “worst” moments in the ceremony’s history.
“I’m a huge James Bond fan but unless they are announcing the new Bond I don’t see the point…” one person wrote on X/Twitter, with another chiming in: “This James Bond montage and performance is cool and all, but it has no relevance to… anything about the last year in movies.”
An additional viewer wrote: “I’m so confused. Why are we honoring Bond if there’s no new movie out and we don’t even know when the next movie is coming out?”
Read more:
Oscars viewers have same question after ‘pointless’ James Bond tribute
Zoe Saldaña wins Best Supporting Actress
02:00 , Tom Murray
Zoe Saldaña emotionally paid tribute to her mother while accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Emilia Pérez.
Calling herself a “proud child of immigrant parents” — she added, “Everything brave, outrageous and brave in my life that I’ve ever done is because of you.”
However, Adam White argue Ariana Grande should have won the award.
“Even before Emilia Pérez imploded, Zoe Saldaña’s inevitable Best Supporting Actress win felt askew: she’s more or less the film’s lead, and Emilia Pérez itself is such a calamity that it’s difficult to stand entirely in her corner,” he writes. “… Give the prize to Ariana Grande — she’s incredibly funny and charismatic in Wicked and walks away with the whole film.”
Who will win and who should win at this year’s Oscars
The Academy pays tribute to James Bond
01:50 , Tom Murray
The Oscars just aired a musical tribute in celebration of the James Bond franchise’s 60th anniversary and the outgoing producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
In what could be taken as a live audition, the tribute opened with The Substance star Margaret Qualley in a red dress dancing a tango.
Lisa of the K-pop girlband Blackpink, Doja Cat and RAYE then sang iconic James Bond tracks: “Live and Let Die,” “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Skyfall.”
Paul Tazewell: ‘This is the pinnacle of my career’
01:28 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
Paul Tazewell, the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design for his work on Wicked, says backstage: “This is the pinnacle of my career.”
He movingly describes his journey through an industry without role models. “The whole way through, there was never a Black male designer that I could follow, that I could see as inspiration,” he says. “To realize that that’s actually me, is a Wizard of Oz moment. There’s no place like home.”
All the winners — updating live
01:25 , Tom Murray
Struggling to keep up already? We’ve got you covered. Follow the winners list — updating live — here:
Oscar winners 2025 – the complete list (updating live)
Review: ‘Conan O’Brien’s incredibly silly Oscar monologue was the best in years’
01:24 , Tom Murray
Featuring digs at controversial Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon and a Dune sandworm playing the piano, the comedian’s opening run of zingers made up for years of plodding mediocrity from Jimmy Kimmel, writes Adam White.
Conan O’Brien’s incredibly silly Oscar monologue was the best in years
Watch Jeremy Strong’s sullen reaction as he loses Oscar to Succession co-star Kieran Culkin
01:22 , Tom Murray
Andrew Garfield praised for helping Goldie Hawn on stage
01:20 , Tom Murray
Andrew Garfield had to assist Goldie Hawn with the Oscars autocue after she revealed she has cataracts.
Midway through their appearance on stage, Hawn, who was delivering her pre-written dialogue, had to stop as she was unable to see what was on the screen.
She then asked Garfield to step in to help her.
Cataracts are a common part of aging and cause blurry vision.
Garfield has since been praised for his assistance, with the moment branded “beautiful” by viewers.
Read more:
Goldie Hawn reveals eye condition on Oscars stage and asks for Andrew Garfield’s help
‘Anora’ wins first upset of the night
01:18 , Tom Murray
Sean Baker wins Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for Anora — an award that many expected to go to Jesse Eisenberg for A Real Pain.
Anora follows a young sex worker from Brooklyn who gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. In his speech, Baker thanked “the sex worker community.”
It may indicate more wins for Baker on the night. For The Independent, Annabel Nugent recently argued the film deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
Read her take here:
Why Anora deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
‘Wicked’s’ Paul Tazewell becomes first Black man to win Best Costume Design
01:09 , Tom Murray
Paul Tazewell wins Best Costume Design for his work in Wicked, becoming the first Black man to do so.
Cynthia Erivo was seen shooting to her feet to applaud the designer while Coleman Domingo was filmed screaming, “Bravo!”
“This is absolutely astounding,” he said in his speech.
The first Black person to win the category was Ruth E. Carter, who won for her work in Black Panther.
Kieran Culkin cracks jokes backstage
01:03 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
Kieran Culkin is the first winner into the backstage interview room, clutching his Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He seems like he’s floating.
Dazzled, but still grinning. “I’m not fully inside my body right now. I’m trying my best to be present,” he says.
He’s full of praise for Jesse Eisenberg’s screenplay, saying: “The script was incredibly tight. It was the first time I ever read something and thought, I fully understand this guy.”
Despite his dazed look, he’s characteristically still cracking jokes — making light of the numbers journalists have to hold overhead to get the moderator’s attention: “Number two-thousand eight hundred and sixty four… what’s your question?”
‘Flow’ gets big backstage reaction from Latvian press
00:55 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
There’s a huge reaction backstage as Flow wins the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. The Latvian contingent in the press room are cheering and hugging each other.
Flow is the first Latvian film to ever be nominated at the Academy Awards.
Oscar viewers fume as Hulu experiences outages
00:49 , Tom Murray
Streaming service Hulu has experienced widespread outages just as the Oscars began, leaving many viewers frustrated.
Over 22,000 customers reported experiencing problems across multiple states, according to DownDetector.com. Users reported frozen and pixelated images.
“Seriously? During the Oscars?” wrote one user. “So ready to ditch Hulu,” wrote another.
Read more:
Hulu outage reported as Oscars 2025 begin leaving some Hollywood fans in the dark
Kieran Culkin takes home the first award of the night for ‘A Real Pain’
00:35 , Tom Murray
In his acceptance speech, Culkin displayed a rare moment of earnestness, thanking Robert Downey Jr for presenting him the award for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to thank Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote, directed, and starred alongside him in A Real Pain.
Conan O’Brien mocks Karla Sofía Gascón controversy in opening monologue
00:29 , Tom Murray
Oof. Conan did not shy away from Karla Sofía Gascón’s social media controversy.
“Anora uses the F-word 479 times,” he said.
“That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist: ‘You tweeted WHAT?’” he joked, adding: “And Karla if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, remember my name is Jimmy Kimmel.”
Kimmel hosted the Oscars four times, including last year.
Gascón found herself in hot water when journalist Sarah Hagi drew attention to a series of problematic tweets made from the actor’s X account between 2020 and 2021.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande kick things off with ‘Wicked’ performance
00:16 , Tom Murray
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande held a lot of space on stage as they kicked off the Oscars with “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked hit “Defying Gravity.”
Grande watched in adoration as her co-star belted out those iconic final notes.
Oscars announcer Nick Offerman makes Kevin Spacey joke
00:09 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
Announcer Nick Offerman draws laughs and groans as he reminds nominees not to take too long to get to the stage, so don’t spend too much time hugging those around you “whether consensual, or with Kevin Spacey.”
Oscar nominee struck by tragedy hours before ceremony
00:02 , Tom Murray
The Oscar-nominated short film The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent has been struck by tragedy on the eve of the Academy Awards.
Darko Buzov, the son of the Croatian man whose heroic true story inspired the film, and who was himself an important force behind the film’s creation, died suddenly of a heart attack aged 52 on Saturday (1 March).
Read more:
Oscar nominee struck by tragedy hours before ceremony
Ben Stiller remembers Gene Hackman on the red carpet
Sunday 2 March 2025 23:52 , Tom Murray
Ben Stiller called his The Royal Tenenbaums co-star a “giant” on the red carpet.
Stiller played Hackman’s son Chas Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s 2001 drama. The legendary French Connection star was found dead, aged 95, in his Santa Fe home along with his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, and one of their pet dogs on Wednesday.
Video: The Oscars red carpet looks: The good, the bad and the outrageous
Sunday 2 March 2025 23:30 , Tom Murray
Timothée Chalamet arrives to screaming fans
Sunday 2 March 2025 23:20 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
There’s a very particular, high-pitched squeal that greets the arrival of Timothée Chalamet. He’s turned up dressed head-to-toe in a striking daffodil suit.
The A Complete Unknown star has replicated various old Bob Dylan looks at many of the key events this awards season, but this bright yellow look is pure Chalamet. (Dylan, everyone knows, prefers to be tailored up in blue.)
The Independent’s Kevin EG Perry is reporting live from the Dolby Theatre
Sunday 2 March 2025 23:17 , Kevin EG Perry at the Oscars
Hello from backstage at the Dolby Theatre! The red carpet is buzzing with excitement outside, but in here, there’s a palpable feeling of nervous tension in the air. This is the night that Hollywood’s long awards season has all been building towards, an occasion when so many will find out whether they’ll be going home empty-handed or delivering a speech they’ve been dreaming about since they were children stood in front of the mirror clutching a hairbrush like a statuette.
Best dressed on the red carpet — updating live
Sunday 2 March 2025 23:10 , Tom Murray
The Independent’s Lifestyle team is casting a scrupulous eye over the red carpet, determining who are this year’s fashion winners — and who should take the wooden spoon.
You can follow along with the best — and most questionable — outfits, updating live here:
Oscars 2025: Best dressed stars shine on the red carpet
Oscars 2025: The most questionable looks from the celebrities on the red carpet
Conan O’Brien shares his pre-show ritual
Sunday 2 March 2025 22:34 , Tom Murray
Conan O’Brien is doing exactly what you’d think Conan O’Brien would be doing before his Oscars hosting gig.
“Preshow ritual,” he captioned a photo on X, which showed him holding a guitar with a pipe in his mouth. “I’m hosting the #Oscars tonight on @ABC and @hulu. See you there!”
James Bond music tribute confirmed by Oscars president
Sunday 2 March 2025 22:24 , Tom Murray
The Oscars will air a special tribute to the music of James Bond, Academy president Janet Yang told Variety on the red carpet.
“The Bond tribute is going to be amazing,” she said. “It’s going to be one of the highlights of the show.”
It comes weeks after long-serving 007 producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced they were handing over creative control of the iconic franchise to Amazon MGM Studios.
The pair also received honorary Oscars Governors Awards in November.
Read more:
James Bond producers give full creative control to Amazon after 60 years
Ethan Slater arrives on the red carpet without Ariana Grande
Sunday 2 March 2025 22:16 , Tom Murray
Ethan Slater has arrived on the red carpet without his Wicked co-star and girlfriend, Ariana Grande.
The musical’s Oscar-nominated stars, Grande and Cynthia Erivo, will perform during the ceremony, it was confirmed earlier this week.
The Oscars’ 10 greatest Best Picture winners, from All About Eve to Parasite
Sunday 2 March 2025 22:00 , Greg Evans
The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab chooses the best films to have ever won Hollywood’s most prestigious award
The greatest Best Picture winners in Oscars history
Who is presenting award tonight?
Sunday 2 March 2025 21:20 , Greg Evans
Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller and Oprah Winfrey, Elle Fanning, Halle Berry and Penélope Cruz are among the top names confirmed as presenters.
Who is presenting at the 2025 Oscars?
Red carpet gets underway
Sunday 2 March 2025 20:53 , Tom Murray
It’s barely lunchtime in Los Angeles, but the Oscars red carpet is officially underway as this year’s nominees begin to trickle into the Dolby Theatre. For a second year, the ceremony will begin an hour earlier than usual in an effort to retain viewers on the East Coast.
ABC’s official red carpet coverage won’t start until 6:30 p.m. ET. It will also be available to watch on Hulu.
Stay tuned as we’ll be bringing you all the best and — ahem — most daring looks from the red carpet.
Oscar nominations 2025: The full list of movies, actors and directors
Sunday 2 March 2025 20:20 , Greg Evans
All the movies and actors that are in contention for trophies at tonight’s ceremony.
Oscar nominations 2025 – the complete list
15 worst films that ever won Oscars, ranked
Sunday 2 March 2025 19:20 , Greg Evans
Any belief that the Oscars award the right films, directors and performances has faded over the years.
While every ceremony has a smattering of correct decisions – trophies handed to the right people for the right films – more often than not, the pervading feeling is one of pessimism caused by a deluge of undeserving recipients.
The Oscars are a far cry from what they claim to be – a celebration of the previous year’s cinematic offerings. But this does not stop people from trawling the internet the following morning in the hope that maybe, just maybe, the winners list impresses rather than disappoints.
With the 2025 ceremony taking place in March, we have highlighted 15 films that really should not have been awarded Oscars.
15 worst films that ever won Oscars, ranked
Oscars 2025 predictions: Who will win and who should win at this year’s Academy Awards
Sunday 2 March 2025 18:20 , Greg Evans
Will it be Demi Moore or Mikey Madison? Timothée Chalamet or Adrien Brody? And is Emilia Pérez really, truly dead in the water? Ahead of the Sunday’s Academy Awards, Adam White predicts who will reign supreme in the show’s major categories.
Who will win and who should win at this year’s Oscars
Emilia Pérez is a mess of a film – it is also a worrying tale of our time that it was nominated for so many Oscars
Sunday 2 March 2025 17:20 , Greg Evans
When the Oscar-nominated lead Karla Sofía Gascón was caught up in a Twitter storm recently she was promptly dropped by Netflix and airbrushed from their Academy Award campaign. But, argues Clarisse Loughrey, there are deeper troubling questions over why it was nominated for so many Oscars in the first place…
Emilia Pérez is a mess of a film – it is also a worrying tale of our time
Anora: Why Sean Baker’s sad and sexy glitter bomb of a film deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Sunday 2 March 2025 16:20 , Greg Evans
The awards season staple features a star-making performance from 25-year-old Mikey Madison and a tone that oscillates between slapstick, romcom and bleak drama – and it’d be a worthy winner on Oscar night, writes Annabel Nugent.
Why Anora deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
How to watch the 2025 Oscars live tonight
Sunday 2 March 2025 15:35 , Greg Evans
The 97th Academy Awards are about to be more accessible than ever before.
For the first time ever, the 2025 Oscars ceremony will air on ABC and be streamed live on Hulu at the same time. The annual awards show, which has aired on the broadcast network for a whopping 50 years, can be streamed by all Hulu subscribers starting at 7 p.m. ET on March 2, 2025. The Oscars will also be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
Meanwhile, viewers in the UK can follow the action on ITV1, with coverage starting from 10:30 pm.
Find out more below:
How and when to watch the 2025 Oscars live on tonight
The Oscars have snubbed horror for too long – it’s time they rewarded gore
Sunday 2 March 2025 15:20 , Greg Evans
As ‘The Substance’ becomes the first body horror film ever nominated for Best Picture, Kevin E G Perry looks back at the Academy’s long-running fear of scary movies.
The Oscars have snubbed horror for too long – it’s time they rewarded gore
Inside the controversial Oscars ‘fashion show’ – and why Hollywood hated it
Sunday 2 March 2025 14:21 , Greg Evans
For years the Best Costume Design Oscar was presented via an elaborate spectacle that involved supermodels, dancers and – on one occasion – a live elephant carrying an envelope with the winner’s name in their trunk. Lydia Spencer-Elliott digs into the archives to unearth the truth behind the show’s slow demise.
Inside the controversial Oscars ‘fashion show’ – and why Hollywood hated it
Conan O’Brien might be the funniest man alive. Can he navigate hosting the Oscars?
Sunday 2 March 2025 13:20 , Greg Evans
The former talk show host and all-time great ‘The Simpsons’ writer is taking the helm of the Academy Awards for the first time. Kevin E G Perry looks back at his storied career and examines how he’ll handle Hollywood’s biggest night in a city still reeling from devastating fires.
Conan O’Brien might be the funniest man alive. Can he navigate hosting the Oscars?
How Timothée Chalamet became his generation’s best chance at acting greatness
Sunday 2 March 2025 12:20 , Greg Evans
The ‘Dune’ star is up for an Academy Award for playing Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown’. Mike Bedigan explains what sets Chalamet apart from so many of his peers.
How Timothée Chalamet became his generation’s best chance at acting greatness
Brazilians have waited 25 years to avenge Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar win – Fernanda Torres might just do it
Sunday 2 March 2025 11:20 , Greg Evans
In 1999, Brazilians were left frustrated when Fernanda Montenegro, one of the country’s most famous and respected actors, was beaten to an Academy Award by the ‘Shakespeare in Love’ star. Now, almost three decades later, Montenegro’s daughter – the star of the celebrated drama ‘I’m Still Here’ – could take home the Best Actress prize herself, writes Adam White
Brazil waited decades to avenge Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar – Fernanda Torres might do it
Actors like to get political at the Oscars – this year many won’t dare
Sunday 2 March 2025 10:20 , Greg Evans
In a world awash in war and fascism, Academy Award winners are having to navigate an impossible conundrum: do you talk about it all on stage, or ignore it entirely? Al Horner speaks to Hollywood insiders and Oscar winners Adam McKay and Graham Moore about the biggest elephant in the room this awards season
Actors like to get political at the Oscars – this year many won’t dare
Who is presenting awards at the Oscars
Sunday 2 March 2025 15:50 , Greg Evans
Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey and Ben Stiller are among the big names confirmed to be presenting awards tonight.
Who is presenting at the 2025 Oscars?
The Brutalist: Why Brady Corbet’s 215-minute masterpiece deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Sunday 2 March 2025 09:20 , Greg Evans
The dense and stylish period epic starring Adrien Brody is going into the Oscar weekend no longer as the Best Picture frontrunner… and it’s an understandable if disappointing development, writes Louis Chilton
Read more:
Why The Brutalist deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Harrison Ford drops out as Oscars 2025 presenter due to shingles diagnosis
Sunday 2 March 2025 08:20 , Greg Evans
Harrison Ford will no longer present at Sunday’s 2025 Oscars Award Show after falling ill.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the 82-year-old Indiana Jones actor was forced to back out of the opportunity to work as a presenter after being diagnosed with shingles yesterday.
The outlet confirmed Ford is “doing OK,” physically.
Harrison Ford drops out as Oscars 2025 presenter due to shingles diagnosis
Why you can’t watch this Oscars favorite in theaters
Sunday 2 March 2025 07:20 , Tom Murray
For many low-budget, independent films, an Oscar nomination is a golden ticket.
The publicity can translate into theatrical releases or rereleases, along with more on-demand rentals and sales.
However, for No Other Land, a Palestinian film nominated for Best Documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards, this exposure is unlikely to translate into commercial success in the US. That’s because the film has been unable to find a company to distribute it in America.
Read more:
This Oscars favourite will be hard to see in cinemas. Here’s why
Ralph Fiennes’ Oscars hopes take a hit due to ‘Schindler’s List’
Sunday 2 March 2025 06:20 , Tom Murray
Anonymous Oscars voters have admitted that they didn’t vote for Ralph Fiennes in Conclave under the false assumption that they thought he had won before.
Fiennes, 62, is in contention for the Best Actor award for his performance as Cardinal Lawrence in the Vatican thriller. It’s the third time the star has been nominated for an Oscar, having previously been recognised for Schindler’s List and The English Patient.
Despite the nominations and critical acclaim, Fiennes didn’t actually win an Oscar for either of the roles, losing out to Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive and Geoffrey Rush in Shine, respectively.
Speaking to Variety, two of the voters admitted that they didn’t cast their ballot for Fiennes because they both believed that “he won before” for Schindler’s List, where he played Nazi officer Amon Goeth.
Read more:
Ralph Fiennes Oscars blow after voters ‘admit shocking Schindler’s List’ error
Video: The Oscars | Overrated or Underrated?
Sunday 2 March 2025 05:21 , Tom Murray
How The Brutalist made its disorienting, Oscar-nominated score
Sunday 2 March 2025 04:24 , Tom Murray
The Oscar-nominated soundscape of Brady Corbet’s awards frontrunner was often recorded before filming had begun, before being blasted out of speakers onto the set of the film during production.
Kevin E G Perry speaks to composer Daniel Blumberg about his very novel approach to music – and his surprise that it’s been so embraced.
How The Brutalist made its dazzling score: ‘It was hammers and screws making music!’
The curious history of the posthumous Oscar
Sunday 2 March 2025 03:25 , Tom Murray
Heath Ledger, Peter Finch and Walt Disney are among the most famous stars to win Oscars after their deaths, something that is more common than you might at first think, writes Geoffrey Macnab.
The curious history of the posthumous Oscar
In 2000, 55 Oscars vanished from an LA dock. What happened next?
Sunday 2 March 2025 02:27 , Tom Murray
When a pallet carrying a small army of 13-inch-tall golden men vanished 24 years ago, Academy bosses raised the alarm and the FBI joined the hunt.
Ellie Harrison looks back on the strange tale, which features a dumpster diver, Hollywood handshakes and a $50,000 reward.
In 2000, 55 Oscars trophies were stolen from an LA loading dock. What happened next?
An Oscar frontrunner is based on a true story – but whose truth is it?
Sunday 2 March 2025 01:28 , Tom Murray
I’m Still Here is inspired by the “disappearance” of a real-life congressman in Seventies Brazil and directed by Walter Salles, a childhood friend of the congressman’s family.
It’s just the latest in a strange sub-genre of historical fiction made by filmmakers with insider access, writes Xan Brooks – for better and for worse.
An Oscar frontrunner is based on a true story – but whose truth is it?
Video: Timothée Chalamet calls his oscar nomination ‘luminous’
Sunday 2 March 2025 00:29 , Tom Murray
Why ‘Mean Girls with popes’ deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Saturday 1 March 2025 23:20 , Jacob Stolworthy
Filled with dramatic popes and nuns backstabbing one another behind closed doors, Edward Berger’s surprisingly spicy thriller ‘Conclave’ – starring Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini – should be rewarded on Hollywood’s biggest night.
Lydia Spencer-Elliott goes to bat for the film here:
Why Conclave deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Why ‘Anora’ deserves to win Best Picture
Saturday 1 March 2025 22:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
The awards season staple features a star-making performance from 25-year-old Mikey Madison and a tone that oscillates between slapstick, romcom and bleak drama – and it’d be a worthy winner on Oscar night, writes Annabel Nugent.
Why Anora deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
15 worst films that ever won Oscars, ranked
Saturday 1 March 2025 21:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
Any belief that the Oscars award the right films, directors and performances has faded over the years.
While every ceremony has a smattering of correct decisions – trophies handed to the right people for the right films – more often than not, the pervading feeling is one of pessimism caused by a deluge of undeserving recipients.
Here are 15 of the most egregious examples:
15 worst films that ever won Oscars, ranked
Saturday 1 March 2025 20:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
Although every Oscars nominee won’t be a winner this weekend, they will each walk away with something special: a very pricey gift bag.
Organised by Los Angeles-based entertainment company Distinctive Assets Legendary, this year’s gift bags for nominees were given a special title: “Everyone Wins.”
But what’s inside the luxurious bags each of which is reportedly worth more than six figures?
Amber Raiken investigates:
What’s in the Oscars 2025 gift bag: LA wildfire relief and a luxury wellness retreat
Who will win this year’s Oscars? Our predictions
Saturday 1 March 2025 19:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
Will it be Demi Moore or Mikey Madison? Timothée Chalamet or Adrien Brody? And is ‘Emilia Pérez’ really, truly dead in the water?
Ahead of tomorrow’s Academy Awards, Adam White predicts who will reign supreme in the show’s major categories.
Who will win and who should win at this year’s Oscars
An end to political acceptance speeches?
Saturday 1 March 2025 18:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
In a world awash in war and fascism, Academy Award winners are having to navigate an impossible conundrum: do you talk about it all on stage, or ignore it entirely?
Al Horner speaks to Hollywood insiders and Oscar winners Adam McKay and Graham Moore about the biggest elephant in the room this awards season.
Read more here:
Actors like to get political at the Oscars – this year many won’t dare
Saturday 1 March 2025 17:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
‘The Independent’ has gone head-to-head on all things Oscars, to decide what’s overrated and what’s underrated.
Watch along as Jacob Stolworthy and Annabel Nugent discuss Demi Moore’s long-awaited Best Actress nod, why Gladiator II might not be as bad as you think and *that* kiss between Adrien Brody and Halle Berry.
We also ask: asre the Oscars overrated or an overly long snooze-fest?
Let’s battle it out.
The Oscars | Overrated or Underrated?
How to watch the 2025 Oscars
Saturday 1 March 2025 16:31 , Jacob Stolworthy
The 97th Academy Awards are about to be more accessible than ever before.
For the first time ever, the 2025 Oscars ceremony will air on ABC and be streamed live on Hulu at the same time. The annual awards show, which has aired on the broadcast network for a whopping 50 years, can be streamed by all Hulu subscribers starting at 7 p.m. ET on March 2, 2025. The Oscars will also be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
How to watch the 2025 Oscars live on Sunday
Why ‘The Brutalist’ deserves to win Best Picture
Saturday 1 March 2025 15:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
The dense and stylish period epic starring Adrien Brody is going into the Oscar weekend no longer as the Best Picture frontrunner… and it’s an understandable if disappointing development, writes Louis Chilton.
Why The Brutalist deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
All the stars presenting awards at this year’s Oscars
Saturday 1 March 2025 14:30 , Jacob Stolworthy
The 2025 Oscars has unveiled a new batch of presenters for the forthcoming ceremony.
The list of celebrity presenters announced Wednesday includes first-time Oscar nominee Selena Gomez; Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen, and Joe Alwyn.
Find the full list here:
Oscars announces Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller and Oprah as 2025 presenters
The 13 most confusing Oscar mistakes of all time
Saturday 1 March 2025 07:35 , Tom Murray
From awarding Rami Malek’s all-teeth performance as Freddie Mercury to Julianne Moore winning Best Actress for the wrong movie, the Oscars have always inspired confusion and frustration. Ahead of this year’s Academy Awards, Adam White explores the most egregious mistakes in recent Oscar history.
Daniel Day-Lewis over Bradley Cooper?! – the 13 most confusing Oscar mistakes
Why Anora deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Saturday 1 March 2025 06:31 , Tom Murray
The awards season staple features a star-making performance from 25-year-old Mikey Madison and a tone that oscillates between slapstick, romcom and bleak drama – and it’d be a worthy winner on Oscar night, writes Annabel Nugent.
Why Anora deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
How Brazil waited 25 years to avenge Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar
Saturday 1 March 2025 05:40 , Tom Murray
In 1999, Brazilians were left frustrated when Fernanda Montenegro, one of the country’s most famous and respected actors, was beaten to an Academy Award by the Shakespeare in Love star.
Now, almost three decades later, Montenegro’s daughter – the star of the celebrated drama I’m Still Here – could take home the Best Actress prize herself, writes Adam White.
Brazil waited decades to avenge Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar – Fernanda Torres might do it
Will the actors get political at this year’s Oscars?
Saturday 1 March 2025 04:34 , Tom Murray
In a world awash in war and fascism, Academy Award winners are having to navigate an impossible conundrum: do you talk about it all on stage, or ignore it entirely? Al Horner speaks to Hollywood insiders and Oscar winners Adam McKay and Graham Moore about the biggest elephant in the room this awards season.
Actors like to get political at the Oscars – this year many won’t dare
Who is presenting the Oscars?
Saturday 1 March 2025 03:37 , Tom Murray
Earlier this month, the Academy confirmed it would continue the tradition of having last year’s Best Actor, Best Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress winners (this time Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph) present their respective awards at the March show.
Other presenters include first-time Oscar nominee Selena Gomez;Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen, and Joe Alwyn.
Find the full list of presenters here:
Oscars announces Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller and Oprah as 2025 presenters
Video: Rob Lowe, Snow White and the mortifying night that nearly killed the Oscars
Saturday 1 March 2025 02:36 , Tom Murray
Why Conclave deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
Saturday 1 March 2025 01:40 , Tom Murray
Filled with dramatic popes and nuns backstabbing one another behind closed doors, Edward Berger’s surprisingly spicy thriller – starring Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini – should be rewarded on Hollywood’s biggest night, writes Lydia Spencer-Elliott.
Why Conclave deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture
What’s in the Oscars 2025 gift bag
Saturday 1 March 2025 00:39 , Tom Murray
Although every Oscars nominee won’t be a winner this weekend, they will each walk away with something special: A very pricey gift bag.
Organized by Los Angeles-based entertainment company Distinctive Assets Legendary, this year’s gift bags for nominees were given a special title: “Everyone Wins.”
The gift bag comes with a slew of luxury skincare products from Miage and a selection of Parisian-inspired Cosmetics and Hair Care products from L’Oréal Paris.
Nominees can also plan for a vacation after the awards ceremony, as they’ll receive a “four-night luxury all-villa resort stay from JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING, a five-night luxury wellness retreat” in Sri Lanka.
Find what else is included here:
What’s in the Oscars 2025 gift bag: LA wildfire relief and a luxury wellness retreat
How Timothée Chalamet became his generation’s best chance at acting greatness
Friday 28 February 2025 23:42 , Tom Murray
Accepting the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for Best Actor award last Sunday, Chalamet admitted he was “in pursuit of greatness.”
Mike Bedigan argues: he’s already there.
How Timothée Chalamet became his generation’s best chance at acting greatness
Video: The best actors to never be nominated for an Oscar
Friday 28 February 2025 22:48 , Tom Murray
Who will win and who should win?
Friday 28 February 2025 21:45 , Tom Murray
Will it be Demi Moore or Mikey Madison? Timothée Chalamet or Adrien Brody? And is Emilia Pérez really, truly dead in the water? Adam White predicts who will reign supreme in the show’s major categories.
Who will win and who should win at this year’s Oscars
How to watch the Oscars
Friday 28 February 2025 21:36 , Tom Murray
For the first time ever, the 2025 Oscars ceremony will air on ABC and be streamed live on Hulu at the same time. The annual awards show, which has aired on the broadcast network for a whopping 50 years, can be streamed by all Hulu subscribers starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Meanwhile, UK viewers can tune in on ITV1 and ITVX with a pre-show hosted by Jonathan Ross underway at 10:30pm GMT.
Read more:
The nominees in full
Friday 28 February 2025 21:13 , Tom Murray
The biggest contenders this year include Netflix’s divisive Emilia Pérez, Brady Corbet’s sweeping epic The Brutalist and pope drama Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes.
Meanwhile, actors were named ranged from Demi Moore (The Substance) and Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) to Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) and Ariana Grande (Wicked).
Find all the nominations below:
Oscar nominations 2025 – the complete list
