LOS ANGELES, March 3 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Adrien Brody has won his second Oscar, with the best actor win for the immigration story ‘The Brutalist’, about a Jewish-Hungarian architect who flees the horrors of the Second World War for a better life in the US, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Brody had won his first Oscar in 2003 for his role in Roman Polanski's ‘The Pianist’.
The Oscar for actress in a leading role has been won by US star Mikey Madison for playing a New York stripper in the comedy 'Anora.'
‘Anora’ also won the best film Oscar.
Accepting her first Academy Award, Madison called the experience "very surreal", and added: "I grew up in Los Angeles but Hollywood felt so far away."
Madison also said that she wanted to thank the "intelligent, beautiful and breathtaking work" of her fellow nominees.
US actress Zoe Saldana declared she is a "proud child of immigrant parents" as she gave a tearful acceptance speech after winning the best supporting actress Oscar.
Saldana, 46, was named the winner in the category over stars including Ariana Grande, Felicity Jones, Monica Barbaro and Italian stalwart Isabella Rossellini.
She won the Oscar – her first – for her role in Netflix's Spanish-language film ‘Emilia Perez’.
Saldana said: "My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands," she said, adding: "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. This is for my grandmother."
Earlier in the evening, ‘Succession’ star Kieran Culkin, 42, was named the winner of the best supporting actor category, beating Edward Norton, Guy Pearce and his ‘Succession’ co-star Jeremy Strong in the category as the 97th awards show got underway in Los Angeles.
He scooped the gong for "A Real Pain," the Jesse Eisenberg-directed film about two cousins who go to their grandmother's home country of Poland to trace their roots.
Culkin, who has also won a Bafta and a Golden Globe for the role, started his speech by hailing his fellow nominee Strong, saying: "I loved your work in The Apprentice."
Paying tribute to Eisenberg, he said: "Thank you for this movie, you are a genius, I will never say this again, so soak it up."
The event opened with a video showing well-known places in California and the Hollywood Hills sign in what appeared to be a tribute to the Los Angeles wildfires.
It ended saying: "We love LA."
Wicked star Ariana Grande opened the show singing ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ song ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’, and was later joined by her co-star Cynthia Erivo for a duet of ‘Defying Gravity’ from ‘Wicked’.
Another musical tribute saw singers Raye, Blackpink member Lisa, and US rapper and singer Doja Cat perform a dramatic James Bond tribute.
The performance was in honour of James Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli who were announced as winners of the Academy's Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award in 2024 and given Oscar statuettes at the Governors Awards.
The tribute followed the announcement last month that Amazon MGM Studios are taking creative control over the 007 character with a new venture that will see them co-own the franchise rights with Wilson and Broccoli.
US comedian Conan O'Brien, who is hosting this year, kicked off the ceremony with a recreation of a gruesome scene from body horror "The Substance," which stars Demi Moore.
"Wicked" picked up its first win of the night as American costume designer Paul Tazewell won the costume design Oscar.
Tazewell made Oscars history by becoming the first black man to win the prize and during his speech thanked "everyone in the UK" who helped on the musical production as he received a standing ovation from the attendees.
The Oscar for animated short film went to the Iranian film ‘In The Shadow Of The Cypress’, after the team behind it almost missed the ceremony because of visa issues, which they referenced in their speech.
British writer Peter Straughan won the Oscar for adapted screenplay for the papal drama ‘Conclave’, while the award for original screenplay went to ‘Anora’.
‘Kill Bill’ star Daryl Hannah referenced the war in Ukraine, saying "Slava Ukraini," the country's salute, as she presented the film editing award at the Oscars, which was won by ‘Anora’.
--BERNAMA-dpa
