The Oscars might be the biggest film awards in the world, and a matter of prestige for anyone who walks away with an honor, but it has courted more than their fair share of controversies. But looks like the Academy is not done getting bashed for its very existence, as its new rule, seemingly their step towards revolution, just left jaws hanging as it explained why Oscars never got it right for decades.

It has been announced that – wait for it – the Academy has implemented a new rule (focus is on the word “new”) that now makes it mandatory for voting to watch all the nominated films in a given category before they’re allowed to vote.

Wait WHAT! Weren’t they already doing it? For 97 years, voters assigned to choose the best from a pool of deserving candidates just blindly picked their choice?

Apparently, this step was taken to combat the very backlash that has dogged the Oscars since its inception in 2025. Till now, in many, many instances, movies have been chosen on the basis of the buzz they created or how popular they went on to be while ignoring diverse stories or contenders who don’t have the same level of fame as their peers. But now, will have to confirm they’ve watched all nominees, especially in categories like Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Feature, and Shorts (Animated, Live Action, Documentary). The plan is to apply this rule eventually to every category.

But the delay in the implementation of this mandatory rule only underlines the valid complaints held by cinema lovers and those deserving of the very award they weren’t even considered for. the 87th Academy Awards, which saw the beginning of #OscarsSoWhite? Selma, a powerful civil rights film about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., received only two nominations, and despite major acclaim, David Oyelowo (the lead actor) was not nominated for Best Actor, nor was director Ava DuVernay considered for nomination for Best Director. Also, The Lego Movie’s absence in the Best Animated Feature left many wondering if voters even watch the films before selecting the nominees.

Well, now you have your answer why Greta Gerwig was snubbed for Best Director, why Lupita Nyong’o’s widely celebrated performance in Us didn’t make a dent in the voters’ choices, or why the Oscars never seem to get it right.

Despite its almost 100-year-long run, the Academy Awards have riled up a number of controversies, whether it’s for the lack of diversity, for getting tangled in industry politics and sidelineing true talent, for its choice of nominees and winners, and/or its host that either have a problematic past or end up creating one on stage. But this time, the Oscars finally took what it obviously perceived to be a step in the right direction, only to royally tick off Jackie Chan fans. 

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it will now recognize Best Stunt Design, a category that will get its first nominees from 2027 films for the 100th Oscars in 2028.

“Since the early days of cinema, stunt design has been an integral part of filmmaking,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said in their statement. “We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion.”

For decades, stuntmen and stunt coordinators have rallied for this category at the Oscars, for it is their hard work that films like Mad Max: Fury Road, Inception, Matrix trilogy, The Dark Knight, and more stand out from their peers. But the frustrating part has always been the fact that these movies… correction – all these Oscar-winning movies nabbed awards in many categories and would have definitely been up for a Stunt Coordination Award or an equivalent if the Oscars had bothered to recognize the talent working day and night to bring mindblowing stunt scenes to life.

But now that the Academy has done it, Jackie Chan, who is an absolute legend when it comes to stunt work, can no longer be a leading contender since the actor, now in his 70s, has considerably toned down the danger level of his earlier stunts. It would be an understatement to say his fans are not happy.

Some are asking the right – but purely nostalgic – questions. Like, what would Chan’s shelves look like if this category had been there when he was dropping insane stunt scenes left, right, and center?

Of course, fans City Hunter, in which Chan had to make a jump from a high ledge onto a moving hoverboard. But he slipped and broke his collarbone. But even though he was rushed to the hospital for the painful injury, he returned to finish the scene while wearing a hidden shoulder brace. 

All the Oscars in the world might not be enough to honor the dedication the man has shown to his art as an actor and stuntman. There is no rectifying the fact that the Oscars sidelined him and many other talented stunt creators out there, but maybe, just maybe, recognizing those in the future will fix the past a little.

The Oscars have announced the rollout of a brand new category starting from 2028, after years of campaigning for an unsung group to finally be recognized at the awards ceremony.

Yep, in welcome news for legions of action film buffs, the Oscars have finally confirmed that they will recognize stunts for the first time, unveiling a new category for achievement in stunt design on Thursday. The category will come into effect in 2028, which will mark the Oscars’ 100th edition, and will award stunt trophies for films released the year prior. Announcing the category in a t statement on Thursday, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang said “stunt design has been an integral part of film-making.”

Stunts have always been part of the magic of movies. Now, they’re part of the Oscars.

The Academy has created a new annual award for Achievement in Stunt Design—beginning with the 100th Oscars in 2028, honoring films released in 2027. pic.twitter.com/lpHen9Qk9l

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) April 10, 2025

“We are proud to honor the innovative work of these technical and creative artists, and we congratulate them for their commitment and dedication in reaching this momentous occasion,” they added. Category rules around eligibility and voting for the stunt design award will be announced in 2027, and while that’s still some way off, the Academy’s recent move is nonetheless a big win for those who’ve long campaigned for the inclusion of stunts. One such campaigner was David Leitch, who directed the 2024 film The Fall Guy, which was itself an ode to stunt performers. 

Leitch — who began his career as stuntman for Brad Pitt before helming stunt-heavy films like John Wick — helped lead the charge for the category’s inclusion by making presentations to the Academy advocating for the addition of a new award. The director was among those to respond to the news, saying in a statement to Variety that “stunts are essential to every genre of film” and adding that the new category is the result of those “who’ve fought tirelessly for recognition over the decades.” Leitch is far from the only one to have advocated for stunts to be recognized by the Academy. 

Stunt work doesn’t have a category at The Oscars and I hope that’ll change someday. So many films have smashed it this year. Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Chaplin were stunt performers as well as filmmakers. Telling stories with their entire bodies.

This D&W stunt team… pic.twitter.com/19qfdKJew4

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 28, 2024

Chris Hemsworth — who is known for his stunt-heavy films like Thor and Extraction — said last year that he was “shocked it’s even still a conversation” and called stunt performers “the unsung heroes.” For his part, The Meg and The Expendables star Jason Statham said stunts are the Oscars’ “overlooked category,” describng its exclusion from the ceremony as “a total injustice” since stunt performers “are the ones getting busy.” Elsewhere, Keanu Reeves, Ryan Reynolds, and Winston Duke have also called on the Academy to include stunts over the years. 

While it’s welcome news, it’s still proof that the Academy is somewhat behind the eight ball in of its categories. The Emmys introduced its Outstanding Stunt Performance award back in 2021, while the Screen Actors Guild awards have recognized stunts since 2008. News of the Oscars’ new category comes just over a year after the Academy announced yet another additional category, revealing it would recognize achievement in casting in films released throughout 2025. While I’m no advocate for elongating a ceremony that already feels like it stretches for eternity, I’m willing to make an exception for the criminally overlooked feats in stunts and casting.

It’s hard to believe it’s been three whole years since the notorious Oscars slap — three years since Will Smith made an enemy of Chris Rock and most of Hollywood. So, what has the film star learned after having all this time to reflect?

Smith, 56, was essentially canceled in 2022 after storming on stage and slapping the night’s host, Chris Rock, for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Since then, it’s mostly been radio silence. We did see Will return for a fourth Bad Boys, and he’ll also be back for a sequel to one of the most forgettable movies of the late 2000s, but he’s mostly kept his head down and stayed away from the public’s attention — until now that is.

Will Smith addresses the Oscars slap in his latest album

That’s right, the actor has made a surprising return to the music scene with a brand new album almost 20 years to the day since his last release. The new album is called Based on a True Story and in it Smith wastes no time addressing the altercation between him and Rock. The very first line of the opening track titled, “Int. Barbershop – Day” references the aftermath of the slap. 

At the start of the song, a voice is heard saying, “Will Smith is canceled,” from there it continues, with the various artists featured on the track echoing the thoughts that many people shared in the wake of the viral moment. At one point another voice asks, “who the f*** Will Smith think he is?” before saying: “I ain’t never going to forgive him for that s*** he did.”

Later in the song there are more direct references to the incident, “Him and Jada both crazy, girl, what you talkin’ bout?/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.” Someone also asks if Smith gave the Oscar back before saying, “you know they only made him do that s*** because he’s Black.”

The references to the incident continue into the second track, “You Lookin’ for Me” where he raps about being back on top, “Even though I won’t get nominated.” Both songs acknowledge the criticisms thrown at Smith during that period but also seem to be clapping back at his detractors who wanted to see him canceled.

The Oscars slap has deeply affected Will Smith’s career

For those who need their memories jogged, Chris Rock, who was hosting the ceremony, made a joke directed at Smith’s wife, Jada, in which he referenced her shaved head. While the joke got a chuckle out of the crowd, including Will himself, Jada seemed less than pleased. Seeing his wife’s reaction, Will stormed the stage and slapped the host before returning to his seat and yelling, “keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!”

This was the same year Smith won his first Oscar, although his actions that night overshadowed his achievement and saw the actor banned from the ceremony while his career took a bit of a nosedive. He did later apologize to Rock but it seems his actions that night had a greater impact on his career than anyone could have expected.

A mayor in Florida is threatening to evict an independent cinema from city-owned property after it screened the recent Best Documentary Oscar winner, No Other Land. 

The film, which took home the trophy at the star-studded ceremony earlier this month, focuses on Palestinian displacement and the destruction of the occupied West Bank amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war. Now, the mayor of Miami Beach, Steven Meiner, is attempting to terminate local theater O Cinema’s lease and withdraw $40,000 in promised grant funding, saying in a newsletter to residents that the film is “a false one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our City.”

Meiner had previously urged the cinema to cancel its scheduled screenings of No Other Land while citing criticism from Israeli officials. While O Cinema CEO Vivian Marthell initially agreed to remove the film from its programming to avoid “concerns of antisemitic rhetoric,” she later reversed her decision, with the screenings of No Other Land promptly selling out. Now, additional dates for more showings of the documentary have been scheduled throughout the rest of this month. “Our decision to screen No Other Land is not a declaration of political alignment,” Marthell told Miami Herald. 

“It is, however, a bold reaffirmation of our fundamental belief that every voice deserves to be heard.” Marthell and Meiner aren’t the only ones to have weighed in on the debacle, with Miami Beach commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez saying she shares the mayor’s negative assessment of the film. Gonzalez did, however, warn against “knee jerk reaction” that could trigger “costly legal battles,” and made note of O Cinema’s “longstanding commitment to the Jewish community.” For his part, Daniel Tilley — the legal director of The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida — called Meiner’s reaction “unconstitutional.”

The mayor of Miami Beach is trying to end a lease agreement for an independent film theater after it screened Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.

Disgusting work. https://t.co/UC7vTfCR5h pic.twitter.com/7PPai1vm7V

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) March 13, 2025

“The government does not get to pick and choose which viewpoints the public is allowed to hear, however controversial some might find them,” Tilley told Axios. It marks the most recent instance of controversy surrounding artistic expression in Miami Beach. Back in 2019, the city removed a portrait of Raymond Herisse — a Black man fatally shot by Beach police — from a city art project, sparking outrage among locals who deemed it wrongful censorship. 

No Other Land was a surprise win for Best Documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, since the film struggled to secure U.S. distribution due to political sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following its win, social media s noted the divisive response of some Oscars attendees, before its co-director used his acceptance speech to criticize the U.S.’ foreign policies. 

"No Other Land" director Basel Adra: "We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people." | #Oscars pic.twitter.com/NzoqLKiBSJ

— Variety (@Variety) March 3, 2025

“There is a political solution without ethnic supremacy,” Yuval Abraham said, “but the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path.” It comes amid an already tumultuous period for the warring nations, as President Donald Trump last month proposed plans to “take over” the Gaza strip, and shared an AI-generated video of his “vision” for the war-torn regions. Meiner’s proposal to cancel O Cinema’s lease is set for a commission vote next Wednesday.    

Adrien Brody is still basking in the glow of his Best Actor win at the 97th Academy Awards, where he was honored for his portrayal of Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor László Tóth in the gripping period drama film, The Brutalist.

This marks Brody’s second Best Actor Oscar win, his first being at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003 for The Pianist. With his recent victory, he became the 10th actor to earn two Best Actor Oscars, ing an elite group that includes Marlon Brando, Anthony Hopkins, Dustin Hoffman, Sean Penn, and Tom Hanks, among others. The record for the most wins is currently held by Daniel-Day Lewis, who has secured the shiny trophy three times. In an interesting twist, Brody set a record both times he took home the golden statuette.

Back when he won Best Actor for The Pianist, Brody was just 29 years old, which made him the youngest actor to ever win the award — a record he still holds to this day. With his recent achievement, he set another record, this time for the longest acceptance speech ever given at the Oscars, timed at 5:36 minutes, per Guinness World Records.

Oscar winners are given 45 seconds to give their acceptance speech, with the countdown starting the moment their name is called. This means every step from their seat to the stage eats into the allotted time. As the final seconds tick down, orchestra music plays to encourage the winner to wrap it up. During Brody’s speech, the music played twice, be he refused to be rushed. Instead, he waved it off with confidence as he said, “I will wrap up, turn the music off, I’ve done this before. Thank you. It’s not my first rodeo, but I will be brief, I will not be egregious, I promise.” And with that, he continued the rest of his remarks.

The record-breaking speech gave birth to plenty of memes on social media, with some joking that it deserved an intermission. A couple of days later, Brody took to his Instagram to post a message to his followers, while also acknowledging his new record. While walking and talking to the camera, he shared that he wasn’t able to get some sleep — possibly still riding the high of his win — and then said, “I’m gonna keep this video short, cause I know I made the longest Oscar speech in history.” He then expressed his gratitude, calling his achievement proof that “dreams can come true.” He signed off by saying, “And I hope that your dream can come true as well. God bless you.”

There was a time when a winner’s speech wasn’t timed at the Oscars. However, that all changed after the 15th Academy Awards in 1943. That year, English actress Greer Garson won Best Actress for the war drama/romance film Mrs. Miniver. There’s no official record of her full speech length — some claim it lasted 5 minutes, others said it reached 7 minutes. Unfortunately, no complete footage of the speech exists, but surviving clips add up to 3:56 minutes. Afterward, the Academy introduced time limits for winners, though Brody wilfully ignored them.

In contrast to Brody’s record, the shortest Oscar speech came from Patty Duke, who won Best ing Actress for The Miracle Worker at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963, where she simply said, “Thank you.”

You needn’t have a master’s degree in Hollywood to know that it loves to pit women against each other, but any rumored feud between Mikey Madison and Demi Moore after the Oscars has been promptly squashed. 

The two actresses were duking it out for the Best Actress prize at the 97th Academy Awards this week, with Madison’s role in Anora pulling a major upset over Moore, who was considered the frontrunner with a pre-Oscars awards sweep for her performance in The Substance. Naturally, Moore’s loss was the stuff of tabloid fodder as reports claimed she was left defeated after Madison’s win, but the reality of the situation was far less pulpy — at least according to a text exchange recalled by Madison. 

Mikey Madison praises Demi Moore in new @THR interview:

“I texted with Demi, who I adore. She’s one of the sweetest, kindest women I’ve ever met, and I’m so grateful that I was able to meet her and witness her brilliance and talent in person. I adore her and I can’t wait to see… pic.twitter.com/R6RpGCR7r9

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 4, 2025

“I texted with Demi, who I adore,” the actress told The Hollywood Reporter. “She’s one of the sweetest, kindest women I’ve ever met, and I’m so grateful that I was able to meet her and witness her brilliance and talent in person.” Concluding the message, Madison said she “can’t wait to see what [Moore] does next,” adding that “we’re all so ready and excited to see that.” While that alone might’ve been enough to quiet any chatter about a supposed beef, Moore doubled down on the friendly sentiment with a message of her own. 

“A huge congratulations to [Mikey Madison] — can’t wait to see what you do next,” the actress wrote in a post-Oscars Instagram message. “I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude for this journey. It’s been the ride of a lifetime and we’re just getting started!” It seems the excitement both actresses share for their respective futures is well-placed since Madison is reportedly being eyed by both Greta Gewrig and Colleen Hoover for future projects. For her part, Moore is set to appear in director Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters, alongside an A-list ensemble that also includes Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield. 

Madison’s Anora glory was one of multiple surprise wins collected by the film at this year’s Oscars. The movie — which follows a sex worker who falls for one of her clients — also went home with Best Director for Sean Baker, as well as the ceremony’s biggest prize of all: Best Picture. More broadly, the 97th Academy Awards delivered an array of buzzy moments, from the mesmerising Wicked medley performed by nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Nick Offerman’s scene-stealing turn as the ceremony’s announcer. 

Elsewhere, Doja Cat bit back at critics of her performance during the show’s James Bond tribute, while fans discussed the crowd’s seemingly unenthused response to the best documentary win. Oh, Halle Berry also turned heads by sharing a spontaneous kiss with Adrien Brody on the red carpet, which was Oscar-winning in its own right.

demi straight up ignoring kylie jenner has me in tears pic.twitter.com/XEc1W5NB59

— (@popstarscandy) January 6, 2025

Unsurprisingly, it’s not the first time Moore has been roped into a seemingly fictional feud while on the awards show circuit. In January, Moore’s daughter was forced to deny claims that the actress snubbed Kylie Jenner at the Golden Globes, after footage of Moore ignoring the reality TV star took off like wildfire on social media. I guess all these folks manifesting a catfight haven’t seen The Substance, or else they’d know exactly what happens when the competition among women in Hollywood reaches boiling point. Hint, it’s not pretty.    

Kieran Culkin capped off his illustrious run on the awards show circuit with a Best ing Actor win at the 97th Academy Awards this week, sparking renewed interest in the veteran performer’s background. The actor, who took home the trophy for his role in the Jesse Eisenberg-directed drama, A Real Pain, has been a big name in Hollywood for most of his life as the son of actor Christopher “Kit” Culkin and the younger brother of Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin. 

Despite his decades-long career, Culkin’s breakthrough wouldn’t come until Succession, the HBO television series that scored him multiple Golden Globes and Emmy nominations. The success of that role, on top of his recent Oscar-winning turn, has led to curiosity among fans as to Culkin’s history, including his ethnicity. 

Kieran Culkin was born in New York City. 

every ten years kieran culkin has a role in the most iconic representation of the culture at the time pic.twitter.com/6ywBsR8XR7

— sarah gorman (@thesarahgorman) April 5, 2023

By nationality, Kieran Culkin is American. He was born in Manhattan, New York, in 1982, but his parents’ background stretches beyond the U.S. Though also born in Manhattan, “Kit” Culkin had German and one-quarter Irish ancestry, with smaller amounts of English, Swiss-German, and Swiss-French. Culkin’s mother was born in North Dakota, and was of half German and half Norwegian descent. “Kit” Culkin gave most of his sons Irish names, with Kieran, Macaulay and Rory (Culkin’s younger brother) all traditional Irish names. 

Kieran Culkin’s background raised questions around his role in A Real Pain. 

Kieran Culkin’s #Oscars acceptance speech for Best ing Actor for A REAL PAIN will go down in history as one of the best ever. #Oscars2025 pic.twitter.com/9gWNrosTnX

— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) March 3, 2025

Culkin’s background was thought to be a concern during the casting process for A Real Pain. The film follows two Jewish cousins, played by Eisenberg and Culkin, as they travel to Poland to honor their grandmother’s heritage. Since Culkin is not Jewish — and was instead raised as a Catholic — the characterization was a concern for the actor, who raised it with Eisenberg ahead of filming. 

“Jesse goes, ‘That doesn’t matter,’” Culkin told The Guardian of his phone call to discuss the matter with Eisenberg. “I said, ‘Are you sure?’”. Eisenberg told Vulture that he had “17,000 thoughts about” casting a non-Jewish actor in the role but was ultimately satisfied that the character was played by Culkin. “Where I come out is that [Culkin] gave me an amazing gift by helping to tell this story that is very personal for my family,” The Social Network star said. 

Kieran Culkin still lives in New York City.

Kieran Culkin during his #Oscars acceptance speech:

“[My wife] said we can have 4 children when I win an Oscar… let’s get cracking with these kids!” pic.twitter.com/0pxSbX7res

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 3, 2025

After being born and raised in Manhattan, Culkin still resides in the Big Apple. He reportedly shares a three-bedroom home in New York City with his British wife, Jazz Charton, and their two children, daughter Kinsey and son Wilder.

Fresh off her Academy Award win for best actress for her breakthrough role in Anora, Mikey Madison has been at the center of much chatter and interest, including around her background and ethnicity. The actress beat out fellow nominees Cynthia Erivo, Karla Sofía Gascón, Fernanda Torres and frontrunner Demi Moore to collect one of the ceremony’s highest honors, but her relative greenness in the industry has naturally led to curiosity among her legions of newfound fans. 

Presenting your 97th Oscars acting winners:

• Adrien Brody in 'The Brutalist' (Best Actor)
• Mikey Madison in 'Anora' (Best Actress)
• Kieran Culkin in 'A Real Pain' (ing Actor)
• Zoe Saldana in 'Emilia Pérez' (ing Actress)

Photo Credit: Matt Sayles pic.twitter.com/Y0PwHsJBPW

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 3, 2025

Despite Anora serving as her breakout moment, Madison had quietly amassed a sizable credits list in the years’ prior to her Oscar win, starring in franchises like Scream and lending her voice to blockbuster animations like The Addams Family. However, much of Madison’s pre-fame history remains shrouded in questions, like her ethnicity. 

Mikey Madison was born in Los Angeles.

While Mikey Madison is American by nationality — having been born and raised in Los Angeles, California — the actress is said to be of Polish, Lithuanian, and Russian Jewish roots. She has spoken about these roots in previous interviews, particularly mentioning how they played a role in her screen test for Anora. Speaking with Allure, Madison recalled how, during the screen test, “moisture hit my hair [and] it just went…really curly [and] frizzy.” After Sean Baker, who directed the film, asked about her hair, Madison said she simply replied: “‘I’m Jewish.’ Like, I don’t know what you mean.”

Madison has elaborated on her Jewish heritage in other interviews, too. She said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast late last year that she grew up as “a proud non-practicing Jew,” adding that while she never became a bat mitzvah, she still “wish[es] I was.” Madison revealed in the same interview that her father had a “big bar mitzvah” in Israel, but that she was not given the equivalent ritual “for some reason.” The actress said that she was raised Jewish and described herself as a “spiritual person.”   

Coincidentally, Madison’s titular character in Anora shares similar roots with the actress herself, since Anora can speak the language because her grandmother only speaks Russian and no English. Baker said in an interview that he conceived of Anora as being “of Russian ethnicity,” and said the character is “from one of the post-Soviet countries.” 

Madison’s background has been questioned by fans in the past.

Even before her current success, fans were curious as to Madison’s ethnicity. After starring in the 2022 iteration of Scream, many fans took to social media to ponder whether Madison was of Asian descent. “Why is everyone calling Mikey Madison Asian?” a Reddit post from three years ago reads.

All these years I thought Mikey Madison was Asian. She looks like Japanese, I just google search about her, she is not Asian at all.

— lipton (@lipton123) May 25, 2024

Many Redditors expressed surprise at the discovery that Madison wasn’t of Asian descent, or at least had not spoken of being Asian in the past. Some Redditors recalled similar questions swirling around fellow actors like Miranda Cosgrove and Taylor Lautner, neither of whom are of Asian descent.

Doja Cat has responded after critics slammed her recent performance as part of the 97th Academy Awards, saying that she “feel[s] good” despite all the naysayers.  The rapper and singer delivered a rendition of the song “Diamonds Are Forever” during the ceremony as part of a broader, six-minute tribute to the James Bond franchise.

She was ed during the tribute by fellow musicians Lisa of BLACKPINK, who performed the James Bond anthem “Live and Let Die” and Raye, who sang a version of “Skyfall”. For her part, The Substance star Margaret Qualley opened the tribute with a choreographed dance sequence. 

Doja Cat covers “Diamonds Are Forever” during the #Oscars Bond Tribute.
pic.twitter.com/R4EsBlX6Da

— ۟ (@DojaArchives) March 3, 2025

Social media was flooded with reactions to Doja Cat’s performance and most of them were less than positive. Many viewers took to X to express disappointment with Doja Cat’s vocals, claiming she hit multiple flat notes in her rendition of the track, which was originally sung by Shirley Bassey for the 1971 Bond namesake Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Responding to all the fanfare on social media, the “Paint The Town Red” singer expressed her gratitude to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and acknowledged the hiccups throughout her performance.

“I never get to sing like that and what I did was brave and scary as f*** for me,” Doja Cat wrote on Instagram, alongside images of the dress she wore on the Oscars red carpet. “I know a lot of people didn’t like it but a lot of people did and I feel good that I pushed myself.” The singer went on to call the Bassey original a “classic,” and itted that while she “put a lot into it,” the nerves “got to me” and she “hit some flat [notes].” Despite that, Doja Cat said she ultimately “feel[s] amazing about the whole thing” and “can’t wait to do something like that again,” and she described the performance as a “blessing.” 

Elsewhere in the caption, Doja Cat recalled “danc[ing] with Sarah Paulson” during the Oscar festivities and said best animation winner Flow “is my favorite movie of all time cuz it’s a story about friendship.” It’s not the first time the musician has addressed fan backlash, with Doja Cat last year saying she “refuses to be an adult on the internet” amid the controversy surrounding her social media posts. Doja Cat’s rendition of “Diamonds Are Forever” was one of multiple musical moments from the ceremony, which opened with a mesmerizing Wicked medley courtesy of nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. 

Elsewhere, host Conan O’Brien delivered a gag musical spot during his opening monologue about trying to avoid the telecast going over time (spoiler alert, it failed), while a tribute to the films and music of Quincy Jones was led by Queen Latifah. For it’s part “El Mal”, which featured on the soundtrack of Emilia Pérez, took home the win for best original song, beating out the likes of “Never Too Late” (from Elton John: Never Too Late) “Mi Camino” “Like a Bird” (from Sing Sing) and “The Journey” (from The Six Triple Eight).

Mikey Madison is set to become Hollywood’s next big thing, with her recent Oscar win for her mesmerizing lead role in Anora catching the attention of at least two acclaimed veterans. In case you missed it, the relatively green actress took home the best actress trophy at the 97th Academy Awards this week, clinching the victory within a competitive category that included frontrunner Demi Moore.

During the pre-Oscars awards circuit, Madison had only scored one win for her role as the titular sex worker in Anora — taking home a BAFTA last month — but her Academy triumph has reportedly shot her to the top of the wish lists for future projects from both Greta Gerwig and Colleen Hoover. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Madison is being eyed by the Barbie and Little Women director for a future role, though the exact details were not revealed. Naturally, this raised discussions around Gerwig’s future movies, with some fans taking the reports as evidence that Madison will appear in the filmmaker’s version of Narnia. For context, we learned back in 2023 that Gerwig would helm an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s fantasy series with Netflix on board as the production company. 

Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia movie will receive a limited theatrical run next year before landing on the streaming platform in mid-Dec. 2026. Further details around the film remain scarce, but amid reports that Gerwig recently sent out a casting call for Narnia, Madison being name-checked by The Hollywood Reporter as a potential Gerwig muse certainly raises a few eyebrows. If she were to appear in a Gerwig vehicle, it could spell yet more Oscars success for Madison, since Gerwig’s films, including Ladybird, Little Women, and Barbie, have dominated the awards season in their respective years. 

Greta Gerwig is interested in casting Mikey Madison in a future project.

(Source: https://t.co/B8DXlBRG3X) pic.twitter.com/0KfohzYGyT

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 3, 2025

However, if a role in a Gerwig project doesn’t come to fruition, Madison might just have a place with Hoover, who was also cited as eyeing the actress for a new role. For those unaware, Hoover is an author whose 2016 book, It Ends With Us, was adapted into the 2024 film of the same name. We’re still feverishly chatting about that movie thanks to all *that* Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama, but in the meantime, Hoover is said to be working on adapting three of her separate books, titled Verity, Reminders Of Him, and Regretting You. 

The latter two adaptations have already named a few castmates, with Anne Hathaway leading Reminders Of Him and Allison Williams and Dave Franco starring in Regretting You. No cast has been announced for Verity, which could be the project Hoover is circling Madison for, though that remains unconfirmed. In any case, Madison is sure to have a bright and illustrious career ahead of her, in much the same way as her 2025 Oscar-winning peers.

Mikey Madison has been offered a Colleen Hoover adaptation, according to @THR.

She has not accepted the role yet. pic.twitter.com/N3P9TqsdNw

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 3, 2025

For his part, best actor winner Adrien Brody is set to appear opposite Vince Vaughn in an post-World War II drama titled The Bookie & the Bruiser, while ing actress winner Zoe Saldana has several Avatar films in the works. Kieran Culkin, who took home Best ing Actor for his role in A Real Pain, will next head to Broadway for a Glengarry Glen Ross revival with Bob Odenkirk.

A “body language expert” has shared her thoughts on the viral Oscars moment that saw Halle Berry and Adrien Brody share a red carpet kiss… with his girlfriend standing right there. 

In case you missed it, the two actors had a brief smooch ahead of the 97th Academy Awards yesterday, with Berry seen excitedly greeting Brody before planting a kiss on his lips. Berry, who was presenting an award at the ceremony, later clarified to Variety that the kiss was “payback” for a memorable and controversial Oscars moment back in 2003. 

Halle Berry planted a friendly kiss on best actor nominee Adrien Brody on the #Oscars red carpet.

The moment was a throwback to the now-infamous kiss that Brody gave Berry when she presented him with his first Academy Award back in 2003. pic.twitter.com/Urz0idedgy

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) March 2, 2025

If you recall, that year’s ceremony became notorious after Brody, who had just become the youngest best actor winner for his performance in The Pianist, embraced Berry, the award’s presenter, and delivered an impromptu kiss on the lips. Now, some two decades later, Berry flipped the script, this time being the initiator of the spontaneous smooch ahead of Brody’s later best actor win for The Brutalist. 

“Tonight I had to pay [Brody] back,” the actress said of her recreation of the infamous kiss. “I’ve seen him out at parties, but this is the first time since that night [in 2003] that I’ve seen him on the red carpet somewhere. He’s nominated this year. He deserved that.” While it all seems like frivolous Hollywood fun, fans raised concerns about how Berry’s kiss might’ve impacted Georgina Chapman, who has been in a relationship with Brody since at least 2020.

Halle Berry kisses Adrien Brody as his wife watches recreating the moment when he kissed her at the Oscars in 2003

“Sorry Georgina but i gotta do it” pic.twitter.com/ogiE8e7lFp

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) March 3, 2025

Giving voice to these concerns, a “body language expert,” Inbaal Honigman, claimed Chapman might not have been too thrilled with the kissing moment. “Adrien’s partner, Georgina Chapman, acts as though she is unbothered by the moment, but her body language tells a different story,” Honigam told Covers.com. While Chapman’s wide-open arms and upturned palms seem to be “welcoming Halle into the joke,” Honigman said there were other gestures that suggested she wasn’t overly amused by the situation. And while body language analysis has been largely debunked as a pseudoscience, it’s still interesting to get her input.

“When [Chapman] claps, her hands rise unnaturally high, covering her body, suggesting a protective instinct rather than genuine enthusiasm,” Honigman claimed. “Her laughter also appears exaggerated, she bends over in apparent amusement, but her eyes never leave the back of Halle’s neck.” For his part, Brody did give his partner “silent reassurance” of his kiss with Berry, with Honigman saying the actor “pick[ed] up on” her discomfort and kissed her as a reminder that “she is the one who truly has his heart.”

Presenting your 97th Oscars acting winners:

• Adrien Brody in 'The Brutalist' (Best Actor)
• Mikey Madison in 'Anora' (Best Actress)
• Kieran Culkin in 'A Real Pain' (ing Actor)
• Zoe Saldana in 'Emilia Pérez' (ing Actress)

Photo Credit: Matt Sayles pic.twitter.com/Y0PwHsJBPW

— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 3, 2025

For what it’s worth, Berry did warn Chapman of what she was about to do, with the Monster star preemptively apologizing — with her words — in the moments before she snogged her fellow Oscar-winner. “I’m sorry, Georgina, but I gotta do it,” Berry said. It was one of multiple buzzy moments from yesterday’s ceremony, which kicked off with a mesmerizing Wicked medley courtesy of nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Later, Nick Offerman delivered a hilarious turn as the announcer of the show, while the audience’s seemingly unenthused reaction to the best documentary win got social media talking.

Despite Honigman’s claims otherwise, I can’t but think Chapman would’ve been chuffed with the red carpet moment, because who else can say their boyfriend was kissed by Storm herself? Heck, it’s certainly a step up from Chapman’s previous partner (ahem, ex-husband Harvey Weinstein, ahem).