Sean Mandell: LA-based entertainment reporter recaps the big winners from the 2025 Oscars

Anora was the big winner at today's Oscars - triumphing despite a low budget.

The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress.

Creator Sean Baker won for director, editing and original screenplay, tying with Walt Disney for the record of four wins in one night.

LA-based entertainment reporter Sean Mandell says it's a true independent film. 

"It was made for $6 million - which sounds like a lot of money, but to make a movie, it's not a lot of money at all."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We'll get to Donald Trump and what he said at
the White House little later on. Right now, the oscars
are over. They finally wrapped up, and Anora was the
big winner Best Director, Best Actress, Best Picture. His producer
Samantha Queen, we made this very.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Little money, but all of our hearts to all of
the dreamers and the young filmmakers out there. Tell the
stories you want to tell, Tell the stories that move you.
I promise you you will never regret it.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Adrian Brody took out Best Actor for his role in
The Brutalist. Sean Mandela is at lay at laway our
la entertainment reporter. Sean, good evening, good evening, How are
you good? Thank you? I take it you've watched the
whole thing. Was this as expected?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
It was as I was expecting it in the last
couple of days, I will say, but definitely I think
the big winners, as you mentioned, and Noora the big
winner of the evening, comes out as a little bit
of an upset, beating The Brutalist, which had up until
these sort of final days been Percy as the front

(01:00):
runner in Best Picture, and also Demi Moore losing out
in Best Actress category. To Mikey Madison from Anora that
was something that was they were beginning to be signs
that that was the way the race was going to go.
But Demi was still very much the front runner by

(01:21):
all conventional logic going into this evening. And another big
shocking moment is that director, writer, director, editor of Anora
Sean Baker, who is a longtime independent filmmaker. This film
is a true independent film made for six million dollars,
which sounds like a lot of money, but to make
a movie, it is not a lot of money at all.

(01:44):
And he came home with four oscars in one night,
the record for the most number of oscars taken home
by one person in one evening.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Ever, Wow, who was who looked the best? This most
important thing about the Oscar, isn't it?

Speaker 3 (02:01):
That is really the most important thing I have to say.
I think Demi Moore absolutely stunning. God looked just gorgeous,
modern but still classic Hollywood. I thought Ariana Grande gave
a very perfect, you know, pitch perfect I look for

(02:22):
Glinda in Wicked, but also still very red carpet appropriate
without it being too cost to me. So I thought
she looked great. Coleman Domingo among the gentlemen, always knows
how to make a splash on the red carpet. Definitely
a little bit more out there, if you will, But
in terms of it, he wore a red tuxedo ensemble.

(02:44):
But the tailoring, the look is always exquisite, so I
always got to shout it out to him.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Brilliant, Sean, Thank you for that. Sewan Mandela La entertainment
reporter on the Oscars results. Anora is the film about
a six worker in New York for the Poundy. You've
got to see because it's one of the most number
of oscars today. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
listen live to news Talks it Be from four pm weekdays,
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