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From red carpets to ruby slippers

β€œAnd the Oscar goes to…” is one of the phrases only the luckiest actors get to hear. Not every actor can get one of Hollywood’s most-prized awards. From the red carpet to red slippers, the 97th Academy Awards brought the glitz and glamour of movies back to audiences everywhere.

The night began by honoring a movie classic, β€œThe Wizard of Oz.” Ariana Grande, who played Glinda in β€œWicked,” opened the Oscars with a serenade of the classic 1939 song β€œSomewhere Over the Rainbow” in a bedazzled red dress with ruby slippers, paying homage to the ruby slippers Judy Garland wore as Dorothy Gale in β€œThe Wizard of Oz.” Grande’s voice was as soft and true as Garland’s vocals in the 1939 movie, sending trembles down the audience’s spines.

Grande left the center of the stage as Cynthia Erivo, who played Elphaba in β€œWicked,” entered to sing β€œHome,” a reference to β€œThe Wiz.” Grande joined Erivo for the beginning of β€œDefying Gravity,” a classic song from β€œWicked.” Erivo made the audience roar with applause as she ended her character’s signature song. Grande and Erivo will continue to showcase their mesmerizing voices in the second part of β€œWicked.”

After a magical opening, Conan O’Brien debuted as the host of the Oscars by climbing out of Demi Moore’s back in an edited clip from β€œThe Substance,” the movie for which Moore was nominated as Best Actress. It was a disturbing watch, even for Moore.

The movie that won the Oscar for Best Picture was β€œAnora,” a film that only cost $6 million to make, according to the New York Times. β€œAnora” won five Oscars, including Mickey Madison’s win as Best Actress. The Academy Award for Best Actor went to Adrien Brody for the film β€œThe Brutalist.” Zoe SaldaΓ±a won her first Oscar for her supporting role in β€œEmilia PΓ©rez.”

In her speech, SaldaΓ±a said, β€œI am floored by this honor. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and power in a woman like Rita. And talking about powerful women, my fellow nomineesβ€”the love and community that you have offered me is a true gift, and I will pay it forward. Thank you so much.”

Speaking of first Oscar wins, Kieran Culkin won the Oscar for his supporting role in β€œA Real Pain.” Latvia won its first Oscar for the animated feature β€œFlow.” Paul Tazewell also won his first Oscar for β€œWicked,” making him the first Black man to win an Oscar for costume design.

This year’s 97th Academy Awards brought music, laughs and several firsts for many actors in Hollywood. While not every person can be an Oscar winner, every person can enjoy and celebrate the magic of the movies.

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April 25, 2025

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