Sex worker drama ‘Anora’ claims top prizes at Academy Awards

March 3, 2025 , 12:15 PM

By Lisa Richwine

(March 3, 2025, REUTERS) – “Anora,” the story of a sex worker who gets a chance at a new life when she marries a wealthy client on a whim, won five Academy Awards on Sunday, including the coveted best picture Oscar.

The movie’s 25-year-old star, Mikey Madison, was named best actress. The film also won best director for Sean Baker and trophies for original screenplay and editing.

Madison scored an upset over Demi Moore, who had been favored to win best actress for her role in “The Substance.”

“I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me,” Madison said on stage.

“To be here standing in this room today is really incredible.”
She said she wanted to “thank and honor the sex worker community.” She said, “I will continue to be an ally.”

“Anora” emerged as the winner in an unpredictable Oscars race that included papal thriller “Conclave,” Jewish immigrant story “The Brutalist” and blockbuster musical “Wicked.”

Adrien Brody claimed his second Academy Award, winning the best actor trophy for his role as a Jewish immigrant and architect who chases the American dream in “The Brutalist.”

Zoe Saldana was named best supporting actress for her role as the fixer for a Mexican drug lord in the Spanish-language Netflix NFLX.O musical “Emilia Perez.”

Kieran Culkin, who started acting as a child, received the best supporting actor award for playing one of two cousins who travel to Poland to study their family’s roots in “A Real Pain.”

Winners of the gold Oscar statuettes are chosen by the roughly 11,000 actors, producers, directors and film craftspeople who make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DOCUMENTARY A WINNER

“No Other Land,” a film showing the alliance that develops between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist amid their peoples’ conflict on the occupied West Bank, won the documentary feature film Oscar on Sunday.

The prize for best animated feature went to independent film “Flow,” the first movie from Latvia to win an Oscar. Brazilian movie “I’m Still Here” received the best international feature award.

Nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the Oscars celebration with a “Wizard of Oz”-themed medley including the showstopping hit “Defying Gravity” from their film “Wicked.”

Grande, Saldana, Selena Gomez and other stars wore shiny and sculptural gowns. Timothee Chalamet chose a canary yellow tuxedo, prompting a jab from the Oscars host, comedian Conan O’Brien.

“You will not get hit on your bike tonight,” O’Brien said.

Midway through the show, O’Brien brought a group of Los Angeles firefighters to the stage and thanked them for their work during the January wildfires. He also invited them to deliver a few jokes.

“It’s great to be back with Conan,” said Pasadena Fire Captain Jodi Slicker.

“Usually when he calls, he’s stuck in a tree.”

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Mary Milliken and Howard Goller)

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