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  • ‘Lorne’ Exclusive Interview: Director Morgan Neville

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    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary from Oscar winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) called ‘Lorne’, which chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

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    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Morgan Neville about his work on ‘Lorne’, the style of the documentary, making it funny, his unprecedented access to ‘Saturday Night Live’, the show’s darkest period, conducting the interviews, what he learned about Lorne from making the movie, and the future of the long running show.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the film plays almost like an ‘SNL’ parody of a celebrity biopic with animated sequences and Chris Parnell’s narration. Was that what you set out to do from the beginning or did you have to pivot when you realized you might not get what you need from Lorne Michaels himself?

    Morgan Neville: I think my intent in the beginning was, I want this to be funny. I didn’t know how exactly. But beyond that, I don’t entirely have a plan about what the film is going to be. I know it had all these great ingredients. I know Lorne’s story is interesting. He’s a fascinating character who rarely does interviews or shows people into his life. I know the show is fascinating. I knew there were lots of interesting things, but I didn’t know how it would fit together. When we started shooting, what you see in the beginning of the film is my first day of shooting, where the cameras come out, and then Lorne vanishes. I felt like one of the themes of the film is basically the theme of me making the film. You go from somebody who really doesn’t seem like he wants a film made about him to somebody who has made his peace with it and is willing to give us a glimpse inside. That was my experience of making the film. So, the idea of bringing Chris Parnell in is a way of channeling ‘SNL’, but also the ‘TV Funhouse’. I mean, it’s also something that I’ve done with a lot of my films. I want the subject of the film to help me decide how to tell the story, so it feels like the telling of it is related to the subject. So, I just kept thinking, well, what is the ‘SNL’ version of a documentary about Lorne? Not to say that because it’s funny that there’s no substance there. Because one thing I’m also proud of is how the emotion sneaks into the film quietly, in a way you’re not expecting. Lorne, in the beginning, is like, “Why is this guy even here? Why is he torturing this poor crew?” But then you understand a lot more about what makes him tick and he opens in that way.

    MF: The movie is very funny. Can you set out to make a funny documentary, or is that a result of the subject you are focusing on?

    MN: I think humor is one of the great under discussed things in documentary film. I think some of my favorite documentaries are funny in different ways. That could be anything from the films that inspired me to make documentaries, like ‘Sherman’s March’, ‘Roger & Me’, and ‘The Atomic Cafe’. I mean, all the documentaries that got me excited, that are funny in different ways. Even in films I’ve made, like, ‘Best of Enemies’ or ‘Won’t you be my Neighbor?’ There are some big laughs in those films, too. But I think humor is such a great way of letting the audience exhale and open themselves up in a way if they’re laughing. They’re way more receptive to what you might want to share with them. So, I love that, and why can’t documentaries be comedies sometimes? So, this was me intentionally in the beginning saying, “I do want this to be a funny film.” Because it’s a film, most people who are going to watch it are comedy fans. I’ve seen a lot of documentaries about comedy that are really depressing. There are a lot of dark stories in comedy. But I always wanted to remember the comedy part of it, too. ‘Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces’ was the first comedy documentary I did that was purely comedy, and this is the second. With both, I tried to balance the funny with some weight or gravitas at the same time.

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about the unprecedented access that you had to Lorne and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and what did you learn about him as a person from your access?

    MN: I think people think of Lorne as sitting on a throne, deciding who makes it in comedy and who doesn’t make it, and that he is just sitting there, flipping his finger, and deciding the fate of people. I think Lorne sees himself as beleaguered, in the trenches, and worrying about next week’s show and making 100 phone calls to sponsors, network people, affiliates, agents, studios, and cast members to just keep all the plates in the air. So, it’s funny that everybody thinks Lorne is just sitting pretty. I think Lorne feels like he’s just barely making it, because I asked everybody in the film, “At what point do you think Saturday Night Live became a show that was not going to disappear?” Some people said, “Well, when the show reinvented itself after 1995 with Will Ferrell and that amazing cast, or maybe after 9/11, when it became a place where people came together and mourned and laughed together for the first time.” I asked Lorne that question, and he said, “Maybe this year.” You know, fifty years in! So, I think Lorne’s the last person to pat himself on the back and feel like, job well done, we don’t have to worry anymore. I think Lorne is thinking about, “When this cast gels, where’s it going to be in two years?” He’s thinking about things like that. “Oh, this writer I have who might want to leave, maybe I can get him to work on a TV show, and I can get him a development deal.” He’s constantly pulling levers to keep everything kind of bubbling along and that’s something, People don’t see him sweat, but I think he feels like he’s in the thick of it. I think it’s maybe part of why he made the film, is for people to understand that producing is a real job. It’s not just sitting back and collecting checks. It’s a lot of invisible things that people just don’t understand.

    MF: You mention in the film that the closest Lorne came to losing control of the show was in the mid- ‘90s, which culminated in the firing of Norm MacDonald. In discussing it with Lorne, did he express any regret in how that went down and being unable to protect Norm in the same way he has protected so many ‘SNL’ performers before and after?

    MN: I don’t think so. I love Norm’s comedy. But, let’s face it, Norm was asking for it and in the funniest way possible. Norm was warned again and again and again. So, I think Norm enjoyed poking the bear, and I don’t think Norm felt like Lorne was to blame for any of that. I think the other person in that equation was Jim Downey, the legendary writer who started in season two, and was on and off the show for decades, who I interviewed in the documentary. Jim, at that time, was running ‘Weekend Update’ with Norm, and the two of them were thick as thieves, and they were the ones who were enjoying poking the bear. When Norm got fired, Jim got fired too, but Lorne quietly got Jim back the next year. I think Lorne both felt a loyalty to Jim, and really wanted to protect Jim. Norm was going to be fine. Lorne told the bosses, “Okay, I’ll let them go,” and then quietly rehired Jim, and helped Norm land his next thing. Again, it’s something that made Lorne incredibly unhappy to have to go through, but he is the king of the long game. You may lose the battles, but he always wins the war.

    John Mulaney in 'John Mulaney: Baby J' Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney in ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’ Photo: Netflix.

    MF: Of all the interviews you conducted, who had the most insight into Lorne and was there anyone you wanted to interview but were unable to?

    MN: I mean, the only person I really wanted to interview who said no was Dan Aykroyd, and he had said he was just talked out from doing documentary interviews, which is fine. I get it. But at the same time, for a film like this, you could interview so many people, and I interviewed even more than I normally like to. I normally don’t like to interview a ton of people for a film because I want there to be a smaller chorus of voices. But even here, I could have interviewed another fifty people for this film easily. So, I wanted people from different chapters of his life, people like Howard Shore, who he met at camp as a 14-year-old to Rosie Shuster, his first wife he met in high school who became one of the original writers on ‘Saturday Night Live’. But one of my favorites was John Mulaney because he is both, such a great talker, but also a real student of Lorne’s. They’re friends, but I think John has studied Lorne, and I think when they’re together, John constantly peppers Lorne with questions, and he’s collecting as much information about Lorne as he can. So, I think he was ready to talk. I think he loved talking about Lorne. I think we did, like, a two-hour interview, and I said, “Well, I think that’s good,” and he was like, “Well, let’s keep going.” So we went for another hour, and then when we did the round table, he said, “Oh, I want to do that.” So, I got him together with Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Fred Armisen. But I think Mulaney was probably the MVP of talking about Lorne.

    MF: Finally, I get the sense from the film that Lorne Michaels is ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’ is Lorne Michaels, and that there is no retiring for him. He’ll leave the show when he must and it may go on for a while, but that will be the end of the show as we currently know it. What is your sense of the future of the series and how long do you think it will go on without Lorne Michaels at the helm?

    MN: I think Lorne is not going to run the show for another fifty years, but he wants it to continue, and I think it will continue, just because, for no other reason, the IP of ‘SNL’ is very valuable, and people still watch and will continue to watch. It’s one of the last places where we come together to watch things. You know, it’s like sports and ‘Saturday Night Live’. There aren’t a lot of places where we all come together to watch things. So, I think there are a lot of reasons why it will continue. I just don’t think it’ll be the same, because, in part, Lorne’s not doing it, but also because I can’t imagine it continuing to be as wasteful as it is. I mean, Lorne says that in the film. It’s made wastefully, but that’s because by being wasteful, you get to discover more things. He’s producing way more than he needs for a week. So, if you’re able to throw out a third of all your work every week and just pick the best two thirds, it makes it better. But it’s also kind of crazy to know you’re going to throw out a third of all your work every week. I also don’t think there’s one person to fill Lorne’s shoes, which are impossible to fill. But I think the thing about Lorne is he’s managing two different ways. He’s managing down, which is him with the writers and the cast, and all of that, which he’s great at. You hear all those stories of how he works with cast members. But the other part of his job is he’s managing up. So, dealing with the network people, and the sponsors, and affiliates, and studios, and all of that, in a way that is invisible, and is a very different skill than dealing with writers. So, you know, part of me feels like it would take at least two people to do his job.

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Lorne’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary ‘Lorne’, which was directed by Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) and chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

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    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville accomplishes the near impossible by capturing the illusive Lorne Michaels in the new film ‘Lorne’. The documentary, which is very funny, is almost an ‘SNL’ parody of celebrity biopics with pitch perfect narration from alum Chris Parnell and TV Funhouse style animation.

    Neville was given unprecedented behind the scenes access to Michaels and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and lifts the curtain to show how the sausage is really made. With interviews from ‘SNL’ alum like Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Kristen Wiig and Mike Myers, the movie explores Michaels’ career, the history of the show, and how ‘SNL’ is really made.

    Story and Direction

    'Saturday Night Live's Studio 8H.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H. Photo: NBC.

    Director Morgan Neville is no stranger to documenting famous people, as his last film, ‘Man on the Run’ was centered on Paul McCartney. But the opening scene of ‘Lorne’ makes one think that Neville has finally met his match in Lorne Michaels. The ‘SNL’ creator seems surprised and annoyed that he even agreed to having a documentary crew follow him around, and virtually disappears once the movie begins.

    This forces Neville to pivot quickly and results in a movie that is closer to an ‘SNL’ parody of a documentary, which makes for a very funny movie. Some of the techniques that Neville uses to offset the loss of his subject include focusing on interviews with ‘SNL’ cast and alum instead and incorporating cartoons and narration. Those choices, whether out of desperation or not, transform the film from a standard celebrity documentary to a truly funny and entertaining experience on its own terms.

    But despite his best efforts, the film eventually does breakdown Michaels’ defenses and gives an honest and in-depth look behind the curtain at the man that created a comedic industry. In fact, Neville’s access to ‘Saturday Night Live’ was astounding and gives a rare never-before-seen look at exactly how the show is really made with glimpses into the writer’s room, pitch meetings, guest meetings, rehearsals, and finally choosing the sketches for that episode.

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    In addition to chronicling how the show is made week to week, the film also goes through Michaels’ personal history, the beginnings of his career, how he created the show, ‘SNL’s ups and downs including his exit in 1980, his return in 1985, almost losing the show in the 90s, and the various cast changes, as well as his film career, which includes writing ‘Three Amigos’ and producing ‘Wayne’s World’.

    Morgan Neville is the best documentarian working today and has made some of the finest documentaries in recent years including the Oscar winning ‘20 Feet from Stardom’, ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’, and ‘Man on the Run’. But ‘Lorne’ might be his best work yet, cracking the code on one of the most important figures in entertainment history.

    Celebrity Interviews

    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix's Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix’s Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.

    While reluctant at first, Lorne Michaels does eventually sit down for several interviews and is surprisingly open, despite his reputation for being guarded. However, his insight into his past and the inner workings of the show are delivered cryptically and in a very Lorne Michaels way. But we do get a rare look at his lakeside hideaway retreat in an undisclosed area of Maine, as well as his rigorous late-night schedule.

    You really come to understand that Michaels is a creature of habit, basically living the same schedule for fifty years, even eating at the same handful of New York restaurants and ordering the same meals for decades. People often wonder why ‘SNL’ has such a strange schedule, working late into the night and into the early morning most days. It’s because of Lorne, that’s his schedule, the show just adopted it.

    Neville assembles a fantastic group of Lorne’s friends and former ‘SNL’ cast members including Steve Martin, Paul Simon, John Mulaney, Tina Fey, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, and Mike Myers.

    John Mulaney had the most insight about Lorne, while Tina Fey acted like she didn’t really know him at all. But the most fascinating exchange was watching an intimate dinner between Michaels and friend Steve Martin.

    My one critique is I do wish Neville had interviewed more of the earlier cast members, as there seemed to be a focus on only cast members from the last 25 years. Where was Chevy Chase and Bill Murray? Where was Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler? What about Will Ferrell? But this may just be a result of who was available and not by design.

    Final Thoughts

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Lorne’ is a brilliant documentary that delivers a rare look at an almost mythic figure in popular culture and gives true insight without damaging the myth. At the same time, for fans of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or comedy in general, the movie is a must see that really dissects how the series became an institution and why it is still going strong after fifty years.

    ‘Lorne’ receives a score of 90 out of 100.

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    • Lorne Michaels as Himself
    • Tina Fey as Herself
    • Maya Rudolph as Herself
    • John Mulaney as Himself
    • Andy Samberg as Himself
    • Bill Hader as Himself
    • Fred Armisen as Himself
    • Conan O’Brien as Himself
    • Chris Rock as Himself
    • Jimmy Fallon as Himself
    • Seth Meyers as Himself
    • Kristen Wiig as Herself
    • Mike Myers as Himself
    • Steve Martin as Himself
    • Paul Simon as Himself
    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Conan O’Brien Returning to Host the Oscars

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Host Conan O’Brien will return for next year’s Oscars ceremony.
    • O’Brien has experience with shows such as the Emmys, ‘The Simpsons’ and his own late night output.
    • The 2026 ceremony will be held on March 15th next year.

    Well, that didn’t take long.

    Clearly looking to avoid the protracted search and endless speculation about who would host the 2025 Oscars, the heads of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have moved quickly to confirm that this year’s host, comedian and talk show veteran Conan O’Brien, has already been confirmed to return for 2026.

    Yes, forget making any guesses as to whether Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman or any number of other big names (longtime Oscar host Billy Crystal accepting a giant payday to come back for one more ceremony?), this time the Academy wanted to make it clear: Conan is the man. Again.

    It follows the well-received ceremony of earlier this month, which saw ‘Anora’ score five Oscars (including a record four in one night for one person on one movie for writer/director/producer/editor Sean Baker) and a running time that, while it was overlong, still managed to be entertaining.

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    You can find our recap here.

    A lot of that credit goes to O’Brien, the writing team assembled to work with him and the producing side of things, so it’s perhaps not surprising that Emmy-winning producing team Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are also returning to lead the show for the third consecutive year.

    And on a pure ratings level it was also a success, as the ceremony, held on March 2nd, delivered the highest viewership numbers in five years. The broadcast drew 19.69 million viewers and had a dominant presence on social media, racking up 104.2 million interactions, surpassing both the Grammys and the Super Bowl in online engagement.

    Related Article: Oscars 2025: ‘Anora’ Wins and Conan Works in Solid Academy Ceremony

    Conan O’Brien: The Basics

    Conan O’Brien in 'Conan. Photo: TBS.
    Conan O’Brien in ‘Conan. Photo: TBS.

    If this year’s Oscars wasn’t enough of an introduction to wider audiences as to O’Brien’s style, here’s a quick briefing…

    Conan began his late-night hosting career in 1993, taking over for David Letterman on NBC’s ‘Late Night.’ After an ill-fated, year-long tenure at ‘The Tonight Show’ after replacing Jay Leno in 2009, O’Brien later moved to TBS for ‘Conan,’ which he hosted from 2011 to 2021.

    In recent years, he transitioned from anchoring a late night talk show to hosting a hit podcast, ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,’ and presiding over a podcasting empire under the banner of Team Coco.

    A former writer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Simpsons,’ he has garnered 31 Emmy nominations, five of which resulted in wins.

    In terms of awards shows, O’Brien has also hosted the Emmy Awards a couple of times, and also served as emcee of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 1995 and 2013. He was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010, and is the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

    Conan O’Brien as Oscars host: Conan, the Academy and the TV Bosses Speak

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    O’Brien was typically quippy about his return engagement:

    “The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech.”

    It’s a reference to ‘The Brutalist’ Best Actor winner Adrien Brody, whose speech, which ran to around five minutes and 40 seconds, has ranked as the longest in Academy history.

    Kramer and Yang were more straightforward in their own press release:

    “We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars! This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way. Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”

    Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich had this to say:

    “Conan’s unique comedic style perfectly captured the moment, and I’m excited to have his talents back onstage next year to helm another indelible performance.”

    Finally, this was the comment from Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan:

    “We are both so honored to be returning in our roles for the 98th Oscars. We can’t wait to work with Conan and his entire team as we continue to explore even more special and heartfelt opportunities to celebrate next year’s nominees and the impact of film around the world.”

    When will the 98th Oscars be on TV?

    The 98th Academy Awards, held once again at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, are set to air live on ABC on March 15th next year, starting at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy; Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy; Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    List of Conan O’Brien Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Conan O’Brien Movies On Amazon

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  • Oscars 2025 Recap: Conan O’Brien, Mikey Madison and More

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • The 2025 were a big night for indie movies.
    • Conan O’Brien proved to be a sure-handed host.
    • A Bond music tribute felt like flabby padding.

    Following last year’s decent if unspectacular return to Oscar standard behavior, the 2025 ceremony was one heralded with some trepidation. There was a new host (comedian and talk show veteran Conan O’Brien), the need to pay tribute to Los Angeles in the wake of the devastating wildfires and speculation as to whether many of the categories would break the way they have in other awards shows.

    As it turned out, it was a giant night for one movie which, while it had certainly been seen as a major contender, hadn’t been performing that way elsewhere. Some history was made and while the speeches had a political flavor at times, the show itself largely eschewed politics (beyond one smart gag about a certain sitting president and his attitude to Russia).

    All said and done, despite a hefty running time (three hours and 45 minutes all told), this year’s Academy Awards is likely to be seen as largely a success. Read on for more of our thoughts…

    Related Article: ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Wicked’ Among the Big Prize Winners at the 2025 Academy Awards

    A ‘Wicked’ Overture Wows

    (L to R) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    (L to R) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the long-running stage musical may only have picked up a couple of trophies on the night (more on one of them below), but following a middling montage celebrating movies set in Los Angeles, the movie’s stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, kicked off the show properly with a blast of nostalgia and then smart use of ‘Wicked’s standout song.

    The pair began with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before segueing into “Defying Gravity” and the stylish presentation combined with powerhouse pipes proved to be just the right mix of celebration and spectacle.

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    Conan Crushed It

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    There were the usual concerns in some quarters when Conan O’Brien was announced as this year’s Oscars host –– would he be too intellectual for audiences, was he enough of a “name”? As it turns out, he might just have scored a regular gig (assuming he wants this much pressure every year). Because by all estimations, he was a stellar emcee for the night.

    Opening with a ‘Substance’ gag that was fairly expected but still played well, O’Brien’s monologue set the right tone: witty, entertaining and as usual, full of his trademark self-deprecating humor.

    From threatening long-winded speeches with ‘Conclave’ star John Lithgow looking sad and disappointed to ejecting a tracksuit-clad, cheery Adam Sandler from the audience, he was assured and calm.

    Adam Sandler during the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Adam Sandler during the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    There were also solid gags about Timothée Chalamet’s yellow suit and bike safety, and a funny bit about promising to show stars’ early headshots if they rambled (Chalamet again, with an ultrasound image).

    Later in the show there was the crack at Trump via a mention of ‘Anora’ (“I guess Americans are excited to see somebody finally stand up to a powerful Russian”) and a promise that the show was not made using A.I. (“We would never do that; we used child labor — hey, they’re still people!”)

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    Yet despite a funny musical number (featuring a dancing Deadpool and a ‘Dune’ sandworm on piano) about not wasting the audience’s time, the show still ran very long, though that was more on the producers than the host. Which bring us to…

    Troubled Tributes

    Margaret Qualley performs onstage during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Margaret Qualley performs onstage during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Perhaps the most egregious example of padding was the choice of the tribute to the music of James Bond. Introduced by former ‘Die Another Day’ star Halle Berry, it was a mishmash of performance art (Margaret Qualley showing off her well-honed dancing abilities) and karaoke night for the likes of Doja Cat and Lisa from Blackpink.

    It’s a little ironic that the celebration of the venerable espionage franchise comes just as it has been fully swallowed up its corporate overlords at Amazon.

    Morgan Freeman onstage during the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Morgan Freeman onstage during the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    On a better note, Morgan Freeman kicked off the In Memoriam section with a warm remembrance of old friend Gene Hackman (who died recently at the age of 95), but the section still managed to leave off one or two notable names, including ‘Candyman’s Tony Todd. The inability to include Michelle Trachtenberg given her recent passing is perhaps excusable, but Todd died in November.

    Also given special memorial treatment was music icon Quincy Jones, but despite a classy intro from Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, the choice of “Ease on Down the Road” from ‘The Wiz’ was a vaguely confounding one.

    Still, if the opening montage fell flat, the respect for First Responders (who have been more a staple of recent award shows than Karla Sofía Gascón) worked much better. Initially seeming like a now-traditional wave-and-accept-applause moment, O’Brien and his writing team turned it around by having fire officers and others read out jokes he thought were too mean, including LAFD Captain Eric Scott kicking off the bit with, “well, our hearts go out to all of those who have lost their homes… and I’m talking about the producers of ‘Joker 2.’ ”

    ‘Anora’ Adored

    Sean Baker poses backstage with his Oscars® during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Etienne Laurent / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Sean Baker poses backstage with his Oscars® during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Etienne Laurent / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    If last year was all about big-budget blockbusters with “Barbenheimer,” 2025 was the year indies struck back.

    Sean Baker’s ‘Anora,’ whose combined budget ($6 million) and box office ($40.9 million worldwide) would barely cover some of the salaries for some of the giant movies, went on to take five statuettes, including Best Picture, Best Director for Baker (who also scored Best Original Screenplay and Editing) and Mikey Madison named Best Actress.

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    Baker became the first person since Walt Disney in 1954 to win four Oscars in one night (and the first for one movie they have personally directed), and showed that the Academy was ready to root for the little guys again.

    Madison’s win was something of a surprise itself –– while she’d been going toe-to-toe with ‘The Substance’ star Demi Moore all awards season –– there had been a narrative of Moore’s legacy forming around the Best Actress gong. Yet it was Madison who ended up taking the stage for a teary, heartfelt speech.

    Speeches get Subjective

    Mikey Madison accepts the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Mikey Madison accepts the Oscar® for Actress in a Leading Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Madison wasn’t the only winner to express her feelings. While the Oscar stage is no stranger to strong emotion, there was the usual blend of politics and heart-string plucking.

    Baker used his various triumphs as a combined rallying call to support movies big and small and for seeing films in theaters in this age of shrinking windows and streaming dominance.

    Best Documentary Feature ‘No Other Land’s Palestinian co-director Basel Adra called for an end to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, while his Israeli collaborator Yuval Abraham insisted that there can be peaceful solution to the war in Gaza that honors both Palestinian and Israeli people, adding that “the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path. Can’t you see that we are intertwined? That my people can be truly safe and Basel’s people can be truly free?”

    There were shoutouts to sex workers and immigrant children, while Team ‘Brutalist’ (especially composer Daniel Blumberg) seemed surprised and overawed by their wins, giving real, nervy speeches.

    Kieran Culkin accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
    Kieran Culkin accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

    And then there was the comedic speech of the night, with predicted Best Supporting Actor winner, ‘A Real Pain’s Kieran Culkin proving once more to be anything but on stage. He was enthusiastic and funny, and got further laughs by pointing out to his wife, Jazz Charton that they’d talked about having more children after his Emmy win, and that she’d mentioned she’d only consider a fourth child if he won an Oscar. Whoops!

    Culkin wrapped up his moment in the spotlight with:

    “You remember that, honey? You do? Then, I just have this to say to you, Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith. No pressure. I love you. I’m really sorry I did this again. And let’s get crackin’ on those kids. What do you say? I love you!”

    Best reaction to that? Culkin’s former ‘Succession’ co-star J. Smith Cameron, who played the long-suffering Gerri Kellman to his foul/motormouthed Roman Roy, offering the perfect tweet:

    Presenting Popularity

    Ben Stiller presents the Oscar® for Production Design during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Ben Stiller presents the Oscar® for Production Design during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    For the most part this year, the presenters did not embarrass themselves and the bits were relatively painless.

    We got Ben Stiller slowly being swallowed by scenery to introduce Best Production Design, June Squibb admitting she’s being played by ‘Nosferatu’ star Bill Skarsgård in prosthetics whenever she’s at an event and Robert Downey Jr. following Conan’s comedic lead and then going sentimentally honest handing out Best Supporting Actor.

    Some awards, such as Best Costume Design were presented by the stars of the nominees’ movies, and that proved to be a mixed bag, since they worked on an emotional level, but tended to drag a little. Thank goodness then, for John “I love a roomy cassock” Lithgow and ‘Wicked’s Bowen Yang bringing the funny.

    Mick Jagger presents the Oscar® for Original Song during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Mick Jagger presents the Oscar® for Original Song during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    A highlight? Rock icon Mick Jagger taking the stage to present Best Original Song, full of jokes about how Bob Dylan was asked to do his job first (which was true; the Academy offered the subject of ‘A Complete Unknown’ to host and perform, and he turned them down).

    Was this the start of a stealth campaign to get Jagger a belated, throwback Oscar for ‘Freejack’? Your guess is as good as ours. And our guess is, “maybe?”

    History Happens

    Paul Tazewell poses backstage with the Oscar® for Costume Design during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Paul Tazewell poses backstage with the Oscar® for Costume Design during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Sean Baker wasn’t the only filmmaker making history on Oscar night. ‘Wicked’ costume maestro Paul Tazewell became the first black person to win his category, making emotional note of the fact.

    And while we all knew she would scoop her trophy (despite, er, being much more a lead than a supporting turn), Zoe Saldaña was gracious in victory and was clearly moved by becoming the first American of Dominican descent to win an Oscar as one of two for ‘Emilia Pérez.’

    ‘Flow’ surprised in the Animated Feature category, and became the first Latvian Oscar winner. “Ball’s in your court, Estonia,” quipped O’Brien after the team left the stage.

    When Harry Reunited with Sally

    (L to R) Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal present the Oscar® for Best Picture during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    (L to R) Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal present the Oscar® for Best Picture during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Proving that stars don’t have to just recreate classic scenes for Super Bowl commercials, ‘When Harry met Sally’ leads Billy Crystal (no stranger to Oscar hosting, he quipped “I used to work here,” following Ryan’s question of how long ago with “nine tuxedos…”) and Meg Ryan came on stage to give out Best Picture.

    They were a classy, classic wrap to a successful event, which ended with ‘Anora’s Best Picture triumph.

    Conan O'Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien hosts the live ABC telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Richard Harbaugh / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    List of Best Picture Nominees:

     

  • Final Oscar Predictions for the 97th Academy Awards

    (Far Left) Mikey Madison as Ani in 'Anora'. Photo: Courtesy of NEON. (Left Center) Adrien Brody in 'The Brutalist'. Photo: A24. (Center Right) Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger's 'Conclave', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. (Far Right) Zoe Saldaña in 'Emilia Pérez'. Photo: Netflix.
    (Far Left) Mikey Madison as Ani in ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON. (Left Center) Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24. (Center Right) Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. (Far Right) Zoe Saldaña in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

    The 97th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 2nd  and with it will come the end of the 2025 award season.

    Conan O’Brien is set to host for the first time, with scheduled presenters including last year’s winners Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, as well as former Oscar winners Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg, and Goldie Hawn.

    Nominated films include two of the biggest blockbusters of last year, ‘Wicked’ and ‘Dune: Part Two,’ as well as critically acclaimed movies like ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘Anora,’ ‘Emilia Perez,’ and ‘A Complete Unknown.’

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    With early frontrunners for Best Picture like ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ suffering major controversies, the award is now completely up for grabs with recent BAFTA and SAG winner ‘Conclave’ and PGA winner ‘Anora’ taking the lead.

    And while Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin seem like locks for their respective supporting categories, Demi Moore still has some competition from BAFTA winner Mikey Madison and Golden Globe winner Fernanda Torres in the Best Actress race, and Adrien Brody will have to fend off SAG Award winner Timothée Chalamet, if he wants to take home is second Best Actor Oscar.

    Below are our predictions for who will win Oscars on Sunday at the 97th Academy Awards. We are only breaking down our predictions for the six major categories, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

    Let’s Begin!

    BEST PICTURE

    (L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in 'Anora'. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
    (L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.

    Without a doubt, this has been one of the strangest award seasons of all time.

    ‘Wicked’ began the season as a possible frontrunner, but after losing the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy to ‘Emilia Perez’, quickly saw its chances fade away. ‘Perez’ and ‘The Brutalist’, after its Golden Globe win for Best Morion Picture – Drama, seemed to be the two films that would battle it out for Oscar gold, but both movies have since suffered controversies that have affected their campaigns.

    ‘The Brutalist’ was revealed to have used AI to adjust some of the audio performances of the cast, while ‘Emilia Perez’ has suffered from recently discovered problematic social media posts from star Karla Sofía Gascón, which has basically ended her Oscar campaign. While both films will likely still take home some Oscars, Best Picture now seems a long shot for both.

    At this point, ‘Conclave’ and ‘Anora’ seem to now be the frontrunners for Best Picture. ‘Conclave’ won the BAFTA for Best Picture, as well as the Outstanding Performance by a Cast from the SAG Awards. But ‘Anora’ has won the all important Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures award from the Producers Guild, putting both films in a race for the Oscars.

    But it is worth mentioning that the Academy uses a preferential ballot for Best Picture, meaning that it is not the film with the most #1 votes that wins, but instead the movie with the most #1 and #2 votes combined. So the question really isn’t who people will vote for in the top spot, but more, who will get the most #2’s, # 3’s and #4’s. With the PGA win, and Sean Baker likely taking Best Director (more on that below), I’m putting my money on ‘Anora’ to win the gold when its all said and done.

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: ‘Anora’

    Who Could Win: ‘Conclave’

    Who Should Win: ‘Anora’

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    BEST DIRECTOR

    (L to R) Sean Baker and DP Drew Daniels on the set of 'Anora'. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
    (L to R) Sean Baker and DP Drew Daniels on the set of ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.

    Early in the season it looked like Brady Corbet for ‘The Brutalist’ or Jacques Audiard for ‘Emilia Pérez’ would be the frontrunners, that quickly changed after their films’ respective controversies.

    ‘Wicked’s Jon M. Chu won Best Director at the Critics Choice Awards, but unfortunately, he was not nominated in this category.

    But after winning both Best Director at the Independent Spirit Awards and the all important Outstanding Directing – Feature Film from the Directors Guild, it now looks like Sean Baker is the frontrunner for Best Director.

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: Sean Baker

    Who Could Win: Brady Corbet

    Who Should Win: Sean Baker

    BEST ACTOR

    Adrien Brody in 'The Brutalist'. Photo: A24.
    Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.

    Winning almost every major award this season, Adrien Brody is still the frontrunner to take home his second Oscar for ‘The Brutalist’.

    However, while the AI controversy hasn’t completely destroyed his chances of winning, it has definitely hurt his otherwise perfect run, having recently lost Best Actor at the SAG Awards to Timothée Chalamet for ‘A Complete Unknown’. Also, keep in mind that the Oscars will be the first awards this season where the final votes will be tallied after ‘The Brutalist’s controversy took place.

    Chalamet gave my favorite performance last year, and while I really hope he wins, I think Brody will still pull it out. Chalamet has only won SAG, and with Brody’s Golden Globe, BAFTA and Critics Choice wins, he’s definitely still the one to beat.

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: Adrien Brody

    Who Could Win: Timothée Chalamet

    Who Should Win:Timothée Chalamet

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    BEST ACTRESS

    Demi Moore in 'The Substance'. Photo: Mubi.
    Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’. Photo: Mubi.

    Demi Moore has won every important award this season including Best Actress form the Golden Globes, Critics Choice and SAG, which firmly puts her in the frontrunner position.

    However, Mikey Madison has won Best Actress from BAFTA and the Independent Spirit Awards, so she is hot on Moore’s heals.

    But its also important to note that the Oscar ceremony will be the first time all season that ‘I’m Still Here’s Fernanda Torres will be competing in the same category has Moore and Madison, and Torres did win Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama at the Golden Globes.

    However, much like Karla Sofía Gascón, Torres has also had her fair share of controversy from questionable actions in her past, that could affect her chances of winning.

    That said, I still think nostalgia for Moore’s overall career will give her the win on Sunday.

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: Demi Moore

    Who Could Win: Mikey Madison

    Who Should Win: Mikey Madison

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    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    (L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in 'A Real Pain'. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    This is the easiest category to predict. Kieran Culkin has dominated this category all season winning every Best Supporting Actor award along his way including the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG, so I see no reason that his winning streak won’t continue all the way to the Oscar stage,

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: Kieran Culkin

    Who Could Win: Kieran Culkin

    Who Should Win: Edward Norton

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    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in 'Emilia Pérez'. Photo: Netflix.
    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

    In another locked category, the ‘Emilia Pérez’ controversies do not seem to be affecting Zoe Saldaña’s chances of winning Best Supporting Actress. Saldaña has won every major award including Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG, and I think sh’e most likely to win again on Oscar night.

    However, if ‘Conclave’ goes big and wins best picture, don’t count out a nostalgia win for veteran actress Isabella Rossellini … and we know the Oscars love to surprise us.

    Nominees:

    Who Will Win: Zoe Saldaña

    Who Could Win: Isabella Rossellini

    Who Should Win: Ariana Grande

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    Don’t forget to watch the 97th Academy Award ceremony Sunday, March 2nd on ABC.

    Conan O'Brien to host the 97th Academy Awards on ABC and Hulu March 2nd. Credit/Provider: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Conan O’Brien to host the 97th Academy Awards on ABC and Hulu March 2nd. Credit/Provider: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Related Article: Who Will Be Nominated for an Oscar at the 2025 Academy Awards?

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  • Oscar Nominations 2025

    The 97th Oscars will air live on March 2nd on ABC and Hulu.
    The 97th Oscars will air live on March 2nd on ABC and Hulu.

    Preview:

    • ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’ are in contention for Oscars.
    • ‘Wicked’ made the cut for Best Picture and other categories, though Jon M. Chu missed out on a directing nod.
    • The ceremony happens on March 2nd.

    The 97th Academy Awards will be upon us before we know it, and actors Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott announced the Oscar nominees for the various categories Thursday morning.

    As a result of the wildfires that have plagued Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, the Academy has extended its voting period, though it’s notable that more decisions still have to be made about final producer credits than in other years.

    And the show’s producers have also recently said that the ceremony will honor Los Angeles, which faces an ongoing fire danger situation, while doing away with having the original songs performed live, raising eyebrows since Ryan Gosling and the “I’m Just Ken” team from ‘Barbie’ was one of the showstoppers last year.

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    On the whole, the nominations are much as expected –– a lot of love for ‘Anora,’ ‘The Brutalist,’ ‘A Complete Unknown’ and ‘Wicked,’ even if the latter missed out on some key categories, including director and adapted screenplay.

    ‘Emilia Pérez’ is this year’s Academy darling, with 13 nominations (an all-time record for a movie not in the English language), followed by ‘The Brutalist’ (seemingly unaffected by the recent batch of headlines about AI use to tweak some of the movie’s dialogue) and ‘Wicked’ with 10 apiece.

    The Best Director list as usual skewed male, with just ‘The Substance’s Coralie Fargeat making the cut in her category.

    Animated charmer ‘Flow,’ meanwhile, scored in its own category and made the International Film list.

    Related Article: Who Will Be Nominated for an Oscar at the 2025 Academy Awards?

    List of Nominees:

    BEST PICTURE

    Adrien Brody in 'The Brutalist'. Photo: A24.
    Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.

    BEST DIRECTOR

    (L to R) Director James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet on the set of 'A Complete Unkown'. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Director James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet on the set of ‘A Complete Unkown’. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
    • Sean Baker, ‘Anora’
    • Brady Corbet, ‘The Brutalist’
    • James Mangold, ‘A Complete Unknown’
    • Jacques Audiard, ‘Emilia Pérez’
    • Coralie Fargeat, ‘The Substance’

    ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

    Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in 'The Apprentice'. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.
    Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

    ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

    Demi Moore in 'The Substance'. Photo: Mubi.
    Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’. Photo: Mubi.

    ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

    (L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in 'A Real Pain'. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in 'Emilia Pérez'. Photo: Netflix.
    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

    ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

    (L to R) Ethan Herisse stars as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in director RaMell Ross’s 'Nickel Boys', from Orion Pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Orion Pictures. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Ethan Herisse stars as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in director RaMell Ross’s ‘Nickel Boys’, from Orion Pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Orion Pictures. © 2024 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    • ‘A Complete Unknown,’ Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks
    • ‘Conclave,’ Screenplay by Peter Straughan
    • ‘Emilia Pérez,’ Screenplay by Jacques Audiard; In collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius and Nicolas Livecchi
    • ‘Nickel Boys,’ Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
    • ‘Sing Sing,’ Screenplay by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield

    ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

    Paramount Pictures’ 'September 5', the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Paramount Pictures’ ‘September 5’, the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    • ‘Anora,’ Sean Baker
    • ‘The Brutalist,’ Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
    • ‘A Real Pain,’ Jesse Eisenberg
    • ‘September 5,’ Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; Co-Written by Alex David
    • ‘The Substance,’ Coralie Fargeat

    CINEMATOGRAPHY

    (L to R) Producer Chris Columbus, director Robert Eggers and director of photography Jarin Blaschke on the set of their film 'Nosferatu', a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Producer Chris Columbus, director Robert Eggers and director of photography Jarin Blaschke on the set of their film ‘Nosferatu’, a Focus Features release.
    Credit: Aidan Monaghan / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.

    ORIGINAL SONG

    Selena Gomez as Emilia Pérez in 'Emilia Pérez'. Photo: Netflix.
    Selena Gomez as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

    COSTUME DESIGN

    Ariana Grande is Glinda in 'Wicked', directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    SOUND

    Roz (Lupita N’yongo) in DreamWorks Animation’s 'The Wild Robot', directed by Chris Sanders. © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.
    Roz (Lupita N’yongo) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Wild Robot’, directed by Chris Sanders. © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

    ORIGINAL SCORE

    Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger's 'Conclave', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
    Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

    LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

    ANIMATED SHORT FILM

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

    DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

    INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

    Fernanda Torres in 'I'm Still Here'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    Fernanda Torres in ‘I’m Still Here’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

    'Flow' opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on November 22nd.
    ‘Flow’ opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on November 22nd.

    MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

    (L to R) Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan in 'A Different Man'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Adam Pearson and Sebastian Stan in ‘A Different Man’. Photo: A24.
    • ‘A Different Man,’ Mike Marino, David Presto and Crystal Jurado
    • ‘Emilia Pérez,’ Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini
    • ‘Nosferatu,’ David White, Traci Loader and Suzanne Stokes-Munton
    • ‘The Substance,’ Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli
    • ‘Wicked,’ Frances Hannon, Laura Blount and Sarah Nuth

    PRODUCTION DESIGN

    The Emerald City in 'Wicked', directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    The Emerald City in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    • ‘The Brutalist,’ Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia
    • ‘Conclave,’ Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter
    • ‘Dune: Part Two’ Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
    • ‘Nosferatu,’ Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová
    • ‘Wicked,’ Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

    FILM EDITING

    (L to R) Sean Baker and DP Drew Daniels on the set of 'Anora'. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
    (L to R) Sean Baker and DP Drew Daniels on the set of ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
    • ‘Anora,’ Sean Baker
    • ‘The Brutalist,’ David Jancso
    • ‘Conclave,’ Nick Emerson
    • ‘Emilia Pérez,’ Juliette Welfling
    • ‘Wicked,’ Myron Kerstein

    VISUAL EFFECTS

    Xenomorph in 20th Century Studios' 'Alien: Romulus.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Xenomorph in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Alien: Romulus.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    When and where can I watch the 2025 Oscars?

    The 2025 Academy Awards ceremony, to be hosted by Conan O’Brien, will be broadcast on the ABC network on March 2nd, 2025.

    The 97th Oscars will air live on March 2nd on ABC and Hulu.
    The 97th Oscars will air live on March 2nd on ABC and Hulu.

  • Conan O’Brien to Host the 97th Oscars

    Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscar ceremony. Photo: Team Coco.
    Conan O’Brien will host the 2025 Oscar ceremony. Photo: Team Coco.

    Preview:

    • Conan O’Brien will host next year’s Oscars ceremony.
    • The announcement comes after a lengthy search.
    • O’Brien has experience with shows such as ‘The Simpsons’ and his own late night output.

    Each year –– aside from when a previous host such as Jimmy Kimmel agrees to return –– there is the seemingly long slog for the team behind the Academy Awards in finding a suitable host for the televised ceremony of handing out trophies to some of the best movies and performances of the past year.

    Now we finally know who has the job: Conan O’Brien, a man who is best known for his comedy career, his relatively short-lived stint in primetime late-night TV and his resurgence after that.

    Conan began his late-night hosting career in 1993, taking over for David Letterman on NBC’s ‘Late Night.’ After an ill-fated, year-long tenure at ‘The Tonight Show’ after replacing Jay Leno in 2009, O’Brien later moved to TBS for ‘Conan,’ which he hosted from 2011 to 2021.

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    In recent years, he transitioned from anchoring a late night talk show to hosting a hit podcast, ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,’ and presiding over a podcasting empire under the banner of Team Coco.

    A former writer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Simpsons,’ he has garnered 31 Emmy nominations, five of which resulted in wins.

    He’s an interesting choice –– certainly a proven talent in both writing and performing, but perhaps not as well-known as some previous hosts. Still, his job will be to make some initial jokes and keep the ceremony moving and we’re fascinated to see what he comes up with.

    Related Article: Oscars 2024: Ryan Gosling Sings, Emma Stone Surprises, and John Cena Naked

    Who else was considered for this year’s Oscar ceremony?

    Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman attend the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman attend the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    While the search for a new host is private, there are always leaks and speculation about who might take the stage, following a legacy that has included the likes of Kimmel, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Lewis, Hugh Jackman and Bob Hope.

    This year, while Kimmel was offered the chance to return, he turned it down, and comedian John Mulaney also reportedly passed on the job. There was also talk of Jackman coming back, this time alongside ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ co-star/pal Ryan Reynolds, but that has not worked out.

    AcaConan O’Brien as Oscars host: Conan and the Producers Speak

    Conan O’Brien in 'Conan. Photo: TBS.
    Conan O’Brien in ‘Conan. Photo: TBS.

    In his own, inimitable, self-deprecating style, O’Brien had this to say about the choice:

    “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.”

    Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang were more straightforward in their own press release:

    “We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year. He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise. His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best –– honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year.”

    Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich had this to say:

    “Conan is a preeminent comedic voice, whose decades-long success is marked by his distinctive humor and perspective. He joins an iconic roster of comedy greats who have served in this role, and we are so lucky to have him center stage for the Oscars.”

    Finally, this was the comment from Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan:

    “Conan has all the qualities of a great Oscars host –– he is incredibly witty, charismatic and funny and has proven himself to be a master of live event television. We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”

    When will the 97th Oscars be on TV?

    The 97th Academy Awards are set to air live on ABC on March 2nd next year, starting at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

    The 2025 Oscar ceremony will take place on March 2nd. Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
    The 2025 Oscar ceremony will take place on March 2nd. Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    List of Conan O’Brien Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Conan O’Brien Movies On Amazon

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