This year’s 97th Academy Awards was a night of history and breaking of boundaries. Beyond a celebration of cinematic achievement, the event stood as a landmark moment for representation, diversity, and fresh talent. From long-overdue recognitions to pioneering wins, the Oscars 2025 illustrated that Hollywood is evolving to welcome new voices and viewpoints.

Let’s take a closer look at the night’s most significant “firsts.”

Mikey Madison wins Best Actress in her first Oscars nomination

Mikey Madison, at just 25 years old, earned her first Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as a stripper in Anora. She played Ani, an exotic dancer who impulsively marries Ivan, the son of a Russian oligarch, who does not take the marriage well.

“Wow, this is very surreal. Forgive me, I'm nervous I'm going to read off a paper. Thank you so much to the Academy, I grew up in Los Angeles but Hollywood always felt so far away from me so to be here standing in this room today is really incredible,” she uttered.

“I also just want to again recognize and honor the sex worker community. I will continue to support and be an ally. All of the incredible people, the women that I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community, has been one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience,” she added.

Mikey ended her Oscars 2025 acceptance speech by giving a shout-out to the other nominees, stating, “I also just want to recognize the thoughtful, intelligent, beautiful, breathtaking work of my fellow nominees. I'm honored to be recognized alongside all of you. This is a dream come true.”

She triumphed over fierce competition, including Demi Moore (The Substance), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez).

Zoe Saldaña becomes the first Dominican-American Oscar winner

Zoe Saldaña took home the title by becoming the first American of Dominican descent to win an Academy Award. She earned the Best Supporting Actress accolade for her remarkable performance in Emilia Pérez, a musical that showcased her exceptional talents in both singing and dancing.

In her poignant acceptance speech, she paid tribute to her immigrant roots, emphasizing the importance of diversity in the industry. “My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award,” stated the actress.

“I know I will not be the last. I hope the fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish—my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted,” she added.

The French musical crime comedy film led the pack with 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and multiple acting nods. It marked Zoe’s first Oscar nomination and first win.

Paul Tazewell as the first Black Man to win Best Costume Design

Paul Tazewell broke new ground as the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Costume Design. His intricate and dazzling work on Wicked, the Broadway musical adaptation, was recognized as an extraordinary achievement. Overcome with emotion, he expressed gratitude to the Academy, acknowledging the significance of this win for representation in the industry.

“This is absolutely astounding. Thank you, Academy, for this very significant honor. I’m the first Black man to receive the Costume Design award for my work on Wicked. I’m so proud of this,” he expressed, his voice filled with emotion as he accepted the award. The crowd erupted in joy for his momentous achievement.

Latvia wins its first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

Latvia celebrated its first-ever Oscar win with Flow, which took home Best Animated Feature. Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, the film tells the story of a solitary black cat navigating a flood-ravaged world with a unique ensemble of animals including a golden retriever and a capybara.

The film’s success signified an important step for independent animation, highlighting Latvia’s growing influence in global cinema. 

Director Gints also credited a part of this success to the “innocence” of the animals. He said, “This just shows that we can connect with these types of characters, because we have a lot more in common than we might think.”

Kieran Culkin's first Oscar win

After years of delivering standout performances, Kieran Culkin finally took home his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the comedy-drama A Real Pain. This marked his first nomination and win, making the moment all the more special.

His acceptance speech was both heartfelt and humorous, sharing a personal anecdote about a promise his wife made him: she would agree to give him four children if he ever won an Oscar. As the cameras panned to his wife Jazz Charton, she nodded and mouthed, “I do,” drawing applause from the audience.

BLACKPINK’s Lisa becomes the first K-Pop idol to perform at the Oscars

In another historic moment, Lisa from BLACKPINK became the first-ever K-pop idol to perform at the Oscars. She delivered a stunning rendition of “Live and Let Die” by Wings as part of the tribute to the James Bond franchise alongside British singer Raye and American rapper Doja Cat. Her performance electrified the audience, further cementing K-pop’s global impact on entertainment.

Recently, Lisa teamed up with Doja Cat and Raye for her single "Born Again," which debuted on February 7. Following that, the K-Pop sensation released her inaugural solo album ALTER EGO on February 28.

Conan O’Brien makes his Oscars hosting debut

For the first time in his career, comedian and former late night stalwart Conan O’Brien took the stage as the Oscars host. His monologue was a show-stealer, featuring hilarious segments with John Lithgow and Adam Sandler. Conan’s wit and charm brought a fresh, engaging energy to Hollywood’s biggest night.

Before the announcement of the 2025 Oscars winners, Conan struck a more serious tone to recognize the devastating ordeal caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year. He also honored the countless behind-the-scenes workers in Hollywood. He acknowledged their resilience and dedication in bringing “the magic, the madness, the grandeur, and the joy of film” to life, even through adversities like the recent L.A. wildfires.

A night of first-time Oscar nominees

This year, we saw a lot of first-time Oscar nominees across various categories, highlighting fresh talent in the industry. Among the breakout stars making their grand entrance were Yura Borisov (Anora), Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), and pop star Ariana Grande who made her significant debut in the film industry by portraying the character of Glinda in Wicked.

Veteran actors also finally received long-overdue recognition with first-time Oscar nominations going to Demi Moore (The Substance), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice).

Other first-time nominees include Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) and Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here). The 2024 film Emilia Pérez also set a narrative with Karla Sofía Gascón becoming the first transgender woman ever nominated for an acting category, earning a Best Actress nomination for her role as the film’s title character.

Well, this one is technically not the first, but Sean Baker's unprecedented quadruple win was epic!

Sean Baker’s Anora stole the spotlight with five total wins, the most of the night, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress. Sean is only the second person in Oscars history to win four Oscars in a single night, solidifying his place in Hollywood. Who was the first? Well, it's Walt Disney, and he did it 71 years ago!

In his Best Director speech, Sean passionately advocated for the preservation of the theatrical movie experience, urging the industry to continue prioritizing cinema on the big screen.

“Where did we fall in love with the movies? At the movie theater. Watching a film in a theater with an audience is an experience. We can laugh together, cry together, scream in fright together, perhaps, sit in devastated silence together. And in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever,” he said.

Lead photos from AFP (Zoe and Lisa) and @officialmikeymadison