97th Academy Awards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 97th Academy Awards |
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Official poster
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| Date | March 2, 2025 |
| Site | Dolby Theatre Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Conan O'Brien |
| Preshow hosts | Julianne Hough Jesse Palmer |
| Produced by | Raj Kapoor Katy Mullan |
| Directed by | Hamish Hamilton |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Anora |
| Most awards | Anora (5) |
| Most nominations | Emilia Pérez (13) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC Hulu |
| Duration | 3 hours, 50 minutes |
| Ratings | 19.69 million 9.1% (Nielsen ratings) |
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony was a big event where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) gave out awards for the best movies of 2024. This exciting show happened on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. People often call these awards the Oscars.
During the ceremony, Oscars were given out in 23 different categories. The show was broadcast live in the United States on ABC and Hulu. Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan produced the event, and Hamish Hamilton directed it. Famous comedian Conan O'Brien hosted the show for the very first time.
Before the main event, the Academy also held its 15th Governors Awards ceremony on November 17, 2024. This special event took place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood. Later, on April 29, 2025, the Academy Scientific and Technical Awards were presented by host Diego Luna at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
The movie Anora was a big winner, taking home five awards, including the top prize for Best Picture. Other films that won multiple awards included The Brutalist with three awards, and Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, and Wicked each winning two awards. Many other films won one Oscar. The TV broadcast of the ceremony was watched by 19.69 million people in the United States.
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Oscar Winners and Nominees
The list of movies and people nominated for the 97th Academy Awards was announced on January 23, 2025. Actress Rachel Sennott and actor Bowen Yang shared the news from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The movie Emilia Pérez received the most nominations, with thirteen in total. This was a record for a non-English language film at the Oscars. The Brutalist and Wicked were tied for second with ten nominations each. The winners were then revealed during the main awards ceremony on March 2.
For the first time ever, two films, Emilia Pérez and I'm Still Here, were nominated for both Best Picture and Best International Feature. I'm Still Here also made history as the first Portuguese-language film to be nominated for Best Picture. Sean Baker had an amazing night, winning four awards for producing, directing, screenwriting, and film editing. He was the first person to win four awards for a single film.
Some other notable winners and nominees included:
- Best Actor winner Adrien Brody gave the longest acceptance speech in Oscar history.
- Best Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón became the first openly transgender performer to be nominated for an acting award.
- Best Supporting Actress winner Zoe Saldaña was the first Dominican American to win an Oscar.
- Best Costume Design winner Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win in that category.
- Best Animated Feature winner Flow was the first independently made animated film to win this award and the first Latvian film to win an Oscar.
- Best Documentary Feature winner No Other Land became the first Palestinian film to win an Oscar.
Award Winners
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Here are the winners in each category, listed first and in bold letters:
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Governors Awards
The Academy also held its 15th annual Governors Awards ceremony on November 17, 2024. These special awards honor people for their amazing contributions to film over their careers.
Honorary Awards
- To Quincy Jones, for his incredible talent and long-lasting impact on movie music. (This award was given after he passed away.)
- To Juliet Taylor, for her huge influence on choosing actors for films.
Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
- Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received this award for helping to shape the movie industry.
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- Richard Curtis was honored for his great storytelling and his many efforts to help others.
Movies with Many Nominations and Wins
Some movies were nominated for, and won, multiple awards. Here's a quick look:
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Presenters and Performers
Many famous people helped present the awards or performed music during the show. Here are some of them:
| Name | Role | Performed |
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| Michael Bearden | Conductor Musical director |
Orchestral music |
| Ariana Grande Cynthia Erivo Los Angeles Master Chorale |
Singers | "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz "Home" from The Wiz "Defying Gravity" from Wicked |
| Conan O'Brien | Host | "I Won't Waste Time" during the opening |
| Margaret Qualley Lisa Doja Cat Raye |
Singers | Songs from James Bond movies |
| Los Angeles Master Chorale | Singers | "Lacrimosa" during the "In Memoriam" segment |
| Queen Latifah | Singer | "Ease on Down the Road" during the tribute to Quincy Jones |
About the Ceremony
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In October 2024, the Academy chose Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan to produce the Oscars show again. They had done a great job the year before. The Academy leaders said that Kapoor and Mullan's love for movies and their skill in live TV made them perfect for the job. In November, comedian and former talk show host Conan O'Brien was picked to host. He had hosted the Emmy Awards before, and the producers thought he was very witty and funny.
The show faced some challenges because of the Southern California wildfires. These fires affected many people, including Academy members. Because of this, the voting period for nominations was extended. The announcement of the nominees was also delayed. A special luncheon for nominees was canceled, and the Scientific and Technical Awards gala was moved to a later date.
At the start of the broadcast, a video tribute to Los Angeles was shown. It featured clips from famous movies like Barbie and The Wizard of Oz. After this, Ariana Grande sang "Over the Rainbow". During the show, a QR code appeared on screen. It linked to resources for fire relief efforts, so viewers could help. Host Conan O'Brien also brought firefighters and first responders onto the stage to thank them for their bravery during the wildfires.
For the first time, the Oscars show was available to stream live on Hulu. However, some viewers had technical problems with the stream.
Some new things were tried during the show. For example, the awards for Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography were presented by five actors who had been in the nominated films. Also, none of the songs nominated for Best Original Song were performed live. Instead, the show featured special segments about the songs and the people who created them.
Many talented people worked behind the scenes to make the ceremony happen. Michael Bearden was the musical director. Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley designed a new stage. Amelia Dimoldenberg reported from the red carpet for the Oscars' online channels. Choreographer Mandy Moore helped create a musical tribute to James Bond movies.
Changes to Best Picture Rules
In June 2023, the Academy announced new rules for films to be considered for Best Picture. Starting with the 97th awards, movies had to be shown in more theaters. This change was made to encourage more people to see films in movie theaters. It also aimed to help movies reach a wider audience around the world.
The new rules meant that films needed to play in theaters for a week in major cities like Los Angeles or New York. They also had to be shown in 10 of the top 50 US markets. This expanded showing had to happen within 45 days of the film's first release. These changes were partly a response to the rise of streaming services like Netflix.
More rule changes were approved in April 2024. Drive-in theaters could no longer be used to meet the requirements. For the Best Original Score award, up to three composers could now receive individual Oscar statues. Also, the list of films considered for this award grew from fifteen to twenty. For screenplay awards, films now had to submit their final script. Animated films could also be considered for Best International Feature Film if they met all the rules. Finally, winners of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award now receive an Oscar statue instead of a special bust.
Box Office Success of Nominated Films
When the nominations were announced, nine of the ten films up for Best Picture had earned a lot of money at the box office in the US and Canada. Together, they made about $900 million. Wicked was the highest-earning film among the Best Picture nominees, making $466 million. Dune: Part Two was second with $283 million. Other films like A Complete Unknown and Conclave also did well. The box office numbers for Emilia Pérez were not available because its distributor, Netflix, does not share those figures.
What People Thought of the Show
Many critics shared their opinions about the 97th Academy Awards. Owen Gleiberman, a film critic for Variety, said the show was "brisk and elegantly executed." He felt it was well-designed and allowed the winners to shine. Brian Lowry from TheWrap thought the show did a good job balancing serious moments, like honoring firefighters, with fun parts, thanks to host Conan O'Brien. Judy Berman from Time praised Conan O'Brien's hosting, saying he was funny and showed a real love for movies.
However, not everyone loved the show. Kelly Lawler of USA Today found it "inoffensive and somewhat bland," saying it lacked passion. Daniel Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter thought it was an "uneven mess" at times. He didn't like that the nominated songs weren't performed live, which made the show longer. Adam Graham, a film critic for The Detroit News, felt the show didn't have the usual "movie star razzle dazzle" and seemed like "reheated leftovers."
TV Viewership and Awards
The TV broadcast on ABC was watched by an average of 19.69 million people in the United States. This was a small increase from the previous year's ceremony. The show also did well with younger adult viewers. These numbers included people who watched on ABC, streamed on Hulu, or viewed it on other devices. In July 2025, the broadcast was nominated for six awards at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, which recognize excellence in television.
"In Memoriam" Segment
The annual "In Memoriam" segment honored people from the film industry who had passed away. Morgan Freeman presented this part of the show. The Los Angeles Master Chorale performed "Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem during the tribute.
- Maggie Smith – actress
- Gena Rowlands – actress
- Dabney Coleman – actor
- Lourdes Portillo – documentary filmmaker
- Dick Pope – cinematographer
- Phyllis Dalton – costume designer
- David Seidler – writer
- Roger Corman – director, producer
- Jeff Baena – director, writer
- Dianne Crittenden – casting director
- Bob Newhart – actor
- Kris Kristofferson – actor, songwriter
- Marshall Brickman – director, writer
- Robert Laemmle – exhibitor
- M. Emmet Walsh – actor
- K. C. Fox – set decorator
- Anthea Sylbert – costume designer, producer
- Josh Welsh – executive
- John F. Burnett – film editor
- Fred Roos – producer
- Jeannie Epper – stunt performer
- Christopher Newman – production sound mixer
- Nancy St. John – visual effects supervisor
- Paula Weinstein – producer
- Teri Garr – actress
- Cheng Pei-pei – actress
- John Amos – actor
- Robert Towne – director, writer
- Bill Cobbs – actor
- Lisa Westcott – makeup artist
- Barry Michael Cooper – writer
- Leonard Engelman – makeup artist
- Bud S. Smith – film editor
- Lynda Obst – producer
- Adam Somner – assistant director
- Roger Pratt – cinematographer
- Charles Shyer – director, writer
- Joan Plowright – actress
- Anouk Aimée – actress
- Donald Sutherland – actor
- Leo Chaloukian – sound executive
- Albert S. Ruddy – producer
- Art Evans – actor
- Colin Chilvers – visual effects
- Jim Tauber – executive
- Richard M. Sherman – songwriter
- Jan A. P. Kaczmarek – composer
- Louis Gossett Jr. – actor
- Tim McGovern – visual effects supervisor
- Ray Chan – production designer
- Will Jennings – songwriter
- Jon Landau – producer
- Fumi Kitahara – publicist
- Shelley Duvall – actress
- David Lynch – director, writer
- James Earl Jones – actor
- Gene Hackman – actor
After this tribute, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey introduced a musical tribute to Quincy Jones. Queen Latifah performed the song "Ease on Down the Road" from the movie The Wiz during this special moment.
See also
In Spanish: 97.ª edición de los Premios Óscar para niños
- List of submissions to the 97th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature
- List of submissions to the 97th Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature
- List of submissions to the 97th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
