In a recent online post, the charismatic social media influencer Gary Vee discussed why Super Bowl Ads are still underpriced in comparison to the Grammys and Oscars ads. He remarked that people are more interested in commenting on what people are wearing at the Oscars than watching ads.
Despite the lack of commercial value at the Oscars, the star-studded occasion still pulls in a sizable viewership (over 19 million people) as viewers tune in for some laughter and quirky moments. The 2025 Oscars ceremony did not disappoint, as Host Conan O’Brien guided the evening with his trademark humor, facilitating planned bits while managing spontaneous interactions throughout the broadcast. It made the 97th Academy Awards a memorable spectacle.
Here are five memorable moments that stood out for us at this year’s ceremony:
1. Adam Sandler’s hoodie stole the show
In a sea of designer tuxedos and couture gowns, Adam Sandler stood out with his neon blue hoodie. The $175 zip-up sweatshirt, paired with dark blue basketball shorts and colorful sneakers, exemplified his signature laid-back style that has become widely popular on TikTok as “Adam Sandler chic.”
Host Conan O’Brien playfully called attention to Sandler’s casual attire during the ceremony, leading to a comedic exchange between the two. Sandler defended his comfortable fashion choice before dramatically pretending to leave the ceremony. On his way out, he made a memorable detour to interact with Timothée Chalamet, star of the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” creating one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
2. Bob Dylan’s phantom presence at the ceremony
Despite the biopic “A Complete Unknown,” receiving eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet, Best Picture, and Best Director for James Mangold, Bob Dylan himself was notably absent from the 2025 Oscars ceremony.
Host Conan O’Brien acknowledged this absence during his opening monologue with a humorous remark about Dylan’s well-known reluctance to attend formal events, reminiscent of his absence from his own Nobel Prize ceremony. It was later confirmed that Dylan had declined invitations to both perform and present at the ceremony.
The situation created an opportunity for Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who made his first-ever appearance at the Academy Awards to present the Best Original Song award. During his presentation, Jagger (81) made a lighthearted reference to Dylan’s absence and their age difference of two years (Dylan is 83).
3. Deadpool crashed the ceremony with iconic dance moves
One person that definitely moves like Mick Jagger is Deadpool, who made a surprise entrance at the ceremony. During Conan O’Brien’s musical number, Deadpool joined him on stage.
The costumed character performed recognizable dance moves from the film’s opening sequence, which had become a viral sensation following the movie’s release. Choreographer Nick Pauley, who worked as Ryan Reynolds’ dance double in the film, later confirmed via Instagram that he was the performer in the Deadpool suit at the 97th Academy Awards.
It was a nice touch that despite receiving no Academy Award nominations in 2025, the Deadpool & Wolverine franchise still maintained a presence at the ceremony. In fact, all that was missing was Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman, as the Dance Pool music extravaganza had the kind of energy featured in another of Jackman’s previous films, “The Greatest Showman.”
4. Bond tribute
It was another great musical performance that provided a fitting tribute to the creators of one of our greatest secret agents, James Bond. The tribute served as both a celebration and something of a farewell to the Broccoli era of Bond films, as Amazon gets ready to take over creative control.
Margaret Qualley opened the segment dancing to the iconic James Bond theme in a red dress. Lisa from Blackpink performed “Live and Let Die,” descending from the ceiling in spy-chic attire for her rendition of the 1973 theme originally by Paul McCartney and Wings. Doja Cat, wearing a diamond-adorned gown, followed with “Diamonds Are Forever,” the 1971 theme originally sung by Shirley Bassey. Raye completed the tribute with “Skyfall,” the Oscar-winning 2012 theme originally performed by Adele.
The tribute received mixed reactions online, with some Bond fans expressing disappointment at the performers’ lack of connection to the franchise. Both Doja Cat and Raye later acknowledged on social media their nervousness about taking on such iconic songs.
Halle Berry, who starred as Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson in 2002’s “Die Another Day,” had initially introduced the segment, speaking about her experience and admiration of working with longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
5. Speeches- 45 seconds to 5 minutes and 40 seconds
Actress Halle Berry was never far from the headlines as she planted a kiss on Actor Adrien Brody on the red carpet, after he won the award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Hungarian-Jewish architect László Tóth in “The Brutalist.” She jokingly stated it was a reciprocated move to what Brody had done to her when she won her Oscar in 2003.
Earlier in the night, Brody delivered what became the longest acceptance speech in Oscars history, according to the Guinness World of Records. His speech lasted five minutes and forty seconds—surpassing the previous record of five minutes and thirty seconds set by Greer Garson in 1943 for her win for “Mrs. Miniver.”
This year, the Academy had made a concerted effort to keep acceptance speeches short and even instructed actors to aim for 45 seconds. However, despite the orchestra attempting to play him off, Brody insisted on continuing to address serious topics, including antisemitism, racism, and reflections on the acting profession, during his extended remarks.
Curtain comes down
The 2025 Oscars demonstrated the ceremony’s continued ability to generate memorable moments beyond the expected award presentations. From Deadpool’s surprise performance to Adam Sandler’s viral hoodie appearance, there were plenty of talking points. Interestingly, following the broadcast, the hoodie brand that Adam was wearing quickly sold out, demonstrating the 58-year-old comedian’s surprising influence as a style trendsetter. We guess Gary Vee was right, people tune into the Oscars to see what celebs are rocking!
Let us know in the comments below what you enjoyed most about this year’s Oscars, and if you agree with the choice of winners.
List of 2025 Oscar winners:
Best Picture – ANORA (Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers)
Actor in a Leading Role– Adrien Brody in THE BRUTALIST
Actor in a Supporting Role– Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain
Actress in a Leading Role– Mikey Madison in ANORA
Actress in a Supporting Role– Zoe Saldaña in EMILIA PÉREZ
Animated Feature Film– FLOW (Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža, Ron Dyens and Gregory Zalcman)
Cinematography– THE BRUTALIST (Lol Crawley)
Costume Design– WICKED (Paul Tazewell)
Directing– ANORA (Sean Baker)
Documentary Feature Film– NO OTHER LAND (Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham)
Documentary Short Film– THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA (Molly O’Brien and Lisa Remington)
Film Editing– ANORA (Sean Baker)
International Feature Film– I’M STILL HERE (Brazil)
Makeup and Hairstyling– THE SUBSTANCE (Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli)
Music (Original Score)– THE BRUTALIST (Daniel Blumberg)
Music (Original Song)– “El Mal” from EMILIA PÉREZ (Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard)
Production Design– WICKED (Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales)
Live Action Short Film– I’M NOT A ROBOT (Victoria Warmerdam and Trent)
Sound– DUNE: PART TWO (Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill)
Visual Effects– DUNE: PART TWO (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer)
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)– CONCLAVE (Screenplay by Peter Straughan)
Writing (Original Screenplay)– ANORA (Written by Sean Baker)