“And the Oscar goes to…!”
That’s the famous line that has every actor, director, audience member and TV watcher on the edge of their seats one night per year, when we find out who the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has decided to present with a shiny, golden statue for their cinematic achievements from the prior year.
And it’s that time again: the 2025 Academy Awards are upon us!
If you’re ready for all of the surprises, speeches, performances and hilarious moments that The Oscars are so well known for, check out this guide to watching the 2025 Oscars Ceremony live on March 2nd, 2025.
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When is the 2025 Academy Awards Ceremony?
The 2025 Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
How to Watch the Oscars 2025
You can watch the 97th Annual Academy Awards, a.k.a. the Oscars, on ABC (check local listings) and stream the event on Hulu.
Where Will the Oscars be in 2025?
The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California will once again welcome the Oscars. The storied awards show has been held at this venue since it first opened in 2001. Unlike the Critics’ Choice Awards, which had to be postponed due to the LA wildfires, the Oscars are set to take place in Los Angeles on March 2nd, with no indication that it will be pushed.
Who Is Hosting the Oscars?
Conan O’Brien, comedian and late-night host, will host the Oscars for the first time ever in 2025. He is taking over for Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted the ceremony four times, in 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024.
Top 2025 Oscars Nominees
Wondering if your favorite film from the last year made it on the nomination list of the most prestigious awards ceremony of the year?
You can find the full nomination list for this year’s Academy Awards here!
The film you’ll notice most on that list is the musical crime drama Emilia Pérez, which tops off the nomination list with 13, including Best Picture, Best Lead Actress (a historical nomination for trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón), Best Supporting Actress, Achievement in Directing and more.
In second place is another musical, Wicked, tied with The Brutalist, with 10 Oscar nominations each, some of which include Best Picture, Achievement in Film Editing and Original Score.
Who Is up for Best Actor/Actress at the 2025 Oscars?
Now, let’s take a look at which actors and actresses got nods for their performances in 2024 films, along with some 2025 Oscar predictions to go with them.
Best Actor Nominees & Predictions
The nominees for best actor come from films that couldn’t be more dissimilar but do have one thing in common: all of them are based on true stories, historical events or real people. Those are listed below.
- Adrien Brody – The Brutalist as László Tóth
- Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan
- Colman Domingo – Sing Sing as John “Divine G” Whitfield
- Ralph Fiennes – Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence
- Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice as Donald Trump
Experts are looking at Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) and Timothee Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) as the top contenders for this year’s Best Actor award. A Complete Unknown features many of the qualities the Academy tends to favor, like it being appealing to both critics and audiences, and of course, it being a biopic. Plus, Chalamet’s charm is second to none.
Brody, on the other hand, won the equivalent award at last month’s Golden Globes Awards, marking him as a strong candidate for The Oscar.
Best Actress Nominees & Predictions
Interestingly, none of the actors/actresses nominated for their respective category appeared in the same film. And rather than stories based on real events, the majority of top actress nominees came from musicals and fictional plots. Those are:
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked as Elphaba Thropp
- Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez as Emilia Pérez
- Mikey Madison – Anora as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva
- Demi Moore – The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle
- Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here as Eunice Paiva
While Karla Sofía Gascón seemed like a shoe in for this award due to Emilia Pérez being one of the most discussed — and nominated — films of the awards season, she has likely undone that for herself due to numerous questionable remarks in the media, both in general and more specifically about her co-nominee, Fernanda Torres from I’m Still Here.
That being said, Torres herself is a top contender, as is Demi Moore as she returns to the spotlight after years of quiet.
Watch Your Favorite Awards Shows on DIRECTV
Catch the Oscars and every other award show of the year on DIRECTV. Plus, you can watch many Oscar nominated movies On Demand before the show. Stay in the know with DIRECTV.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When are the 2025 Oscars?
You can watch the 2025 Academy Awards live on Sunday, March 2 at 8 p.m. ET.
What channel are the Oscars on?
The Oscars will be broadcast live on ABC and will also be streaming on Hulu.
Who is hosting the 2025 Oscars?
Late-night host and comedian Conan O'Brien will be hosting the Academy Awards for the first time.
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