Mikey Madison Is Shocked as She Beats Front-Runner Demi Moore for Best Actress in Biggest Oscars Upset of the Night

Mar. 15, 2025

Kevin Winter/Getty

Mikey Madisonhas taken home the gold.

During the 2025Oscarsceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 2, the 25-year-oldAnorastar seemed stunned as she nabbed her first-ever Academy Award, in a surprising win over frontrunner and fellow first-time nomineeDemi Moore.

She went on to shout out her team, those behind the film, her family in attendance, the sex-worker community and her fellow Best Actress nominees:Cynthia ErivoforWicked,Karla Sofía GascónforEmilia Pérez, Moore forThe SubstanceandFernanda TorresforI’m Still Here.

“This is a dream come true; I’m probably gonna wake up tomorrow,” Madison added, referencing how this felt like a dream, before thanking herAnoradirectorSean Baker: “I adore you. This is all because of you.”

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Mark Eydelshteyn and Mikey Madison inAnora(2024).NEON

NEON

Madison leads writer-director Baker’sAnorain the titular role, a sex worker experiencing a whirlwind Cinderella story. The breakthrough star earned nods at multiple precursor ceremonies, eventually winning at this year’sBAFTA Awardsceremony.

She recently spoke with PEOPLE in an exclusive interview for the2025 Oscar Portfolioand said she’s “definitely” been getting some exciting offers since the film debuted last year to great acclaim.

“There are some things that I am really excited about and have my fingers crossed,” shared the L.A. native and first-time Oscar nominee.

Demi Moore inThe Substance(2024).MUBI/YouTube

MUBI/YouTube

The other nominees were incredibly deserving and delivered great performances this year.

Moore’s performance as actress Elisabeth Sparkle inThe Substance,Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror satire hit, earned wins throughout awards season, including at theGolden Globes,Critics Choice Awardsand more.

In herGlobes acceptance speech, the 62-year-old actress said she was “in shock,” “humbled” and “grateful” upon winning, explaining, “I’ve been doing this a long time, like over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor.”

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande inWicked(2024).Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

Erivo, 38, netted her third nomination with the Academy (making theHarrietstar the only previous nominee in the category), as well as nods from several other voting bodies, for her work asWicked’s Elphaba a.k.a. the so-called Wicked Witch of the West.

DirectorJon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical will continue withWicked: For Good,flying into theaters Nov. 21.

Emilia Perez.Shanna Besson/PAGE 114

Shanna Besson/PAGE 114

For her performance as the titular Mexican kingpin-turned-activist inEmilia Pérez, Gascón, 52, made history at the Oscars and other awards as thefirst openly transgender performernominated.

After theJacques Audiard-directed musical-thriller led this year’s list of Oscar nods, old social-mediapostsfrom the Spanish star resurfaced, causing her todeactivateher X account, give severalstatementsandinterviewsaddressing thecontroversyand laterapologize, vowing silence.

Selton Mello and Fernanda Torres (above) inI’m Still Here(2024).Alile Onawale. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Alile Onawale. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Torres, 59, made Oscars history as only the second Brazilian actress to be nominated for best actress — after her mother,Fernanda Montenegro, who was the first in 1999.

An award winner in her native country for decades of powerful performances, she leads the Walter Salles-directedI’m Still Here, about Brazil’s 1971 military dictatorship, as the real-life Eunice Paiva.

Earlier in the evening, the film won Best International Feature.

source: people.com