Oscars 2025: Anora wins best picture
Duration 2:05
Sean Baker's Palme d'Or-winning film Anora, starring Mikey Madison, avoids Hollywood cliches about sex work in favour of an authentic and sympathetic look at that world, and the real risks sex workers face, says CBC's Eli Glasner.
The latest
Anora, which follows the life of a sex worker who falls for the son of a Russian billionaire, swept nearly all of its categories.
Adrien Brody won best actor for his role in The Brutalist.
Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin took top acting honours for supporting performances.
Wicked, Emilia Pérez and Dune: Part Two picked up multiple wins.
Missed the show? Catch up below.
Updates
March 3
16 minutes ago
Anora blows the competitors out of the water
Jackson Weaver
Five total wins, and four straight to director Sean Baker, tying Walt Disney's record.
Anora now bears the honour of being among the lowest-grossing best picture winners ever. Adjusted for inflation, it's at least above the pandemic hampered, digitally-released CODA — though the film's comparative shoestring budget against a $38-million worldwide box office take still makes Anora director Sean Baker's biggest hit.
21 minutes ago
Anora's out in front
Jackson Weaver
If you're the awards-watcher type, this cements SAG as a pretty predictable bet: with Madison's win tonight, the SAGs have given their best actress award to the eventual Academy winner for 16 of the past 20 years.
It also means A nora pulls clearly into the lead for the night.
Many had the best actress category going to Moore for her role in The Substance, after her impassioned acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. Now, Anora has four trophies — and could still pull in one more.
22 minutes ago
The sound of surprise
Eli Glasner
Imagine hundreds of journalists saying 'WOW!' and 'OOOF!' at the same time. That was the sound backstage when Madison won the best actress award, which many thought would go to Demi Moore for her work in The Substance, and perhaps for her career in general.
26 minutes ago
Best actress: Mikey Madison
Rhianna Schmunk
Madison, 25, wins one of the night's top honours for her breakout performance as a sex worker romantically involved with the son of a Russian oligarch in Anora.
Find our full list of winners here.
28 minutes ago
There you have it
Jackson Weaver
Baker pulled in his third win of the night, continuing the run we've been eyeing since the ceremonies opened. Having won best original screenplay and best editing already, Baker is holding the entire film on his back in terms of wins right now.
It marks a gilded comeback story for Anora. After winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, it somewhat faded from the awards conversation as Emilia Pérez pulled ahead.
In his triumphant speech, Baker made an impassioned plea for the future of films on the big screen — potentially a subtle jab at Netflix and the general rise of streaming platforms.
This also really makes the best picture category seem more and more certain — if Anora wins it, Baker will tie that Walt Disney record of winning four personal Oscars in the same night.
41 minutes ago Jackson Weaver
After securing the Golden Globe about a month ago, Brody has been the steady frontrunner — that is, until Chalamet snagged the SAG a couple days ago.
It also brings The Brutalist up to three wins for the night — so far, the leader.
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