The Best Oscars Moments of 2025 Capturing the Magic of Hollywood

Get ready to relive the glitz, glamour, and surprises of the 2025 Oscars! From stunning red carpet looks to jaw-dropping wins, this year’s Academy Awards were packed with unforgettable moments. From predicted wins (or snuffs, depending on who you’re talking to) to loved-up couple moments, the 2025 Oscars delivered excitement from start to finish. 

In this blog, we’ll spotlight the best Oscars moments that had everyone talking. We’ll take you through the most talked-about highlights, from show-stopping performances to hard-hitting speeches and hopefully help you formulate your very own list of best Oscars moments from last night’s ceremony.

Keep reading to discover the highlights of the night!

THE BEST OSCARS MOMENTS FROM THE 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Conan O’Brien wins award for Best Host in everyone’s eyes

It was always going to take someone remarkable to host the 2025 Oscars, especially given the chaos and general WTF feeling the past year has brought on. And who better to take on the challenge than Conan O’Brien, two-time Emmys and talk-show host? 

O’Brien kicked off with a hilarious audience bit alongside Adam Sandler, teased Timothée Chalamet’s yellow suit and age, and wrapped up with a musical number featuring a Dune sandworm playing “Chopsticks.” It was absurd, funny, and quintessentially Conan.

Adam Sandler “storms out” after being teased

Speaking of Adam Sandler, the 58-year-old actor made a surprise appearance among the audience, standing out in his electric-blue zip-up hoodie and basketball shorts. O’Brien was quick to pull him up on his out-of-place attire as part of his opening schpiel and the audience revelled in the comical, back-and-forth. 

Adam then delivered his own performance, reiterating ‘You know what, I like the way I look, because I’m a good person.’ before heading to the front to hug Timothée while shouting ‘CHALAMETTTTT’.

Cynthia and Ariana ‘defied gravity’ with their show-stopping opening number

One of the best Oscars moments came when Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo took the stage for a stunning tribute to Oz. While they of course performed “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, they also paid homage to the past, channeling iconic versions of L. Frank Baum’s world. Grande kicked things off in a sparkling red gown, singing “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Then Erivo took over with “Home” from The Wiz. The performance was a magical journey through Oz’s cinematic history, capped off with Erivo’s powerhouse vocals and a later tribute to Quincy Jones by Queen Latifah.

Halle Berry and Adrian Brody recreate their iconic 2003 kiss

One of the best Oscars moments of the night was getting to relive the kiss from the 2003 Academy Awards between Adrian Brody and Halle Berry, when she ran up to him on the red carpet, threw her arms around him and passionately kissed him to everyone’s disbelief. 

Berry told Vanity Fair that she “had to pay him back” and reassured us all that Brody’s girlfriend was, in fact, fine with it.

Anora dominates the night

Amid the rollercoaster of this year’s Best Picture race, Anora emerged as the clear winner, and what a ride it was! The sex worker drama turned its six nominations into five wins, sweeping the major categories and awarding Mikey Madison her first Oscar for Best Actress. Director Sean Baker celebrated the film’s low-budget roots, shouting “long live independent film” as he made a powerful statement for the industry—definitely one of the best Oscars moments of the night.

In his Best Director speech, Baker made a passionate plea for preserving the theatrical experience, calling out the many cinema closures since the pandemic and urging filmmakers to continue creating films for the big screen.

Ariana WOWs in Schiaparelli 

If you were patiently waiting for Ariana to arrive at the 2025 Oscars and blow everyone’s minds with another Glinda-inspired look, you weren’t the only one! 

Dressed in a stunning Schiaparelli gown with a massive peplum and a soft gauzy skirt, she owned the red carpet. Her hair was pulled back, and her look was elegantly simple with minimal jewelry. Definitely one of the best Oscars moments, Ariana was the picture of grace and style.

She also shared a heartfelt post on Instagram after her nomination, thanking the Academy and reflecting on her childhood love for The Wizard of Oz. Ariana expressed deep gratitude for her Wicked family and director Jon M. Chu, touching fans with her emotional words.

The night’s James Bond tribute didn’t land quite as producers had hoped

The 2025 Oscars featured a James Bond tribute that left many viewers scratching their heads, calling it one of the “worst” moments of the ceremony. The segment, honoring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, included a dance by Margaret Qualley and performances by Doja Cat, Raye, and Lisa. Despite the star power, viewers were confused by the lack of relevance, especially since there was no new Bond movie or announcement about the next actor to play 007.

Many felt the tribute was pointless, with some even suggesting it should’ve been replaced by performances of the Best Original Song nominees, making it, unfortunately, one of the best Oscars moments to skip.

Demi Moore proved no loss can dim her shine

Despite losing to Mikey Madison in the Best Actress category, Demi Moore’s red carpet appearance proved that it takes more than a category loss to dim her shine. In fact, the SAG award winner didn’t get disheartened after her loss and celebrated the evening with her three daughters, Rumer Willis, Scout Willis, and Tallulah Willis.

Wowing crowds in Giorgio Armani Privé, Moore radiated old Hollywood glamour in the jewelled silver gown.

‘No Other Land’ filmmakers call out American foreign policy

It wasn’t surprising when No Other Land won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, given its powerful exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the acceptance speeches from directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham made waves as they addressed the situation with raw honesty, making it one of the best Oscars moments.

Adra boldly called for an end to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, while Abraham condemned the destruction of Gaza. Their impassioned words were not only eloquent but also deeply personal, given their backgrounds and experiences documenting the ongoing conflict, entering a charged political debate in the process.

@trtworld

“We live in a regime where I am free, under civilian law and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life” ‘No Other Land’, a documentary about Palestinian activists resisting the demolition of their homes by the Israeli military in occupied territories, won the Oscar for Best Documentary on March 2. During their acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, Palestinian and Israeli directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham urged the international community to end the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and push for a political solution for both peoples. Filmed between 2019 and 2023, the documentary has received widespread acclaim but has yet to secure theatrical distribution in the US

♬ orijinal ses – TRT World

Kieran Culkin might become a father…again

Kieran Culkin’s win for Best Supporting Actor in A Real Pain was one of the best Oscars moments of the night. Known for his offbeat, often profane speeches, it was clear his acceptance would be memorable. After a brief mute due to a potty-mouthed shoutout to Succession co-star Jeremy Strong, Culkin quickly thanked everyone before turning to his wife. He referenced a past Emmy joke about wanting a third child, and then joked about wanting a fourth. Holding up his Oscar, he told his wife she’d consider it if he won, causing the crowd—and his wife—to burst into laughter.

@gma

Kieran Culkin says his wife owes him a fourth kid for winning an Oscar: “She said, I will give you four when you win an Oscar. I held my hand out, she shook it and I have not brought it up once until just now.” #oscars #oscars2025 #kierankulkin

♬ original sound – Good Morning America

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