Your Complete Guide to The Oscars

It's one of the most highly-anticipated nights of the year, complete with a star-studded red carpet, high fashion, heartfelt speeches and—if we're lucky—several meme-worthy moments.

Of course, I'm talking about the annual Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. The famous ceremony has been around for nearly a century (yes, you read that correctly), and it's considered the most prestigious award in the movie industry. But the Academy has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1929.

In 2024, Film Academy President Janet Yang opened up about their successful shift to a more unified organization. She told the Associated Press, “We’re very unique in the sense that we represent all the disciplines of the industry. No other organization can say that. We feel like we are in a potentially strong leadership position to unify.”

CEO Bill Kramer also spoke about the Academy's impact on culture and its future. He added, “It’s important that we think about: How do we change our metric of success? We want millions and millions of people around the world to watch the show the night of, but we also want people watching it for many days after the initial run and on social in perpetuity. This is evergreen programming. And people overseas, outside of the U.S., engage with the show in a lot of different ways...The way people are engaging with movies and arts is changing. And the academy is really at the center of that conversation for the film community.”

In honor of this year's ceremony, I've put together a comprehensive guide, from the show's history and most memorable moments to standout red carpet looks.

• When Is It: Sunday, March 2
• How to Watch: With cable, you can watch the ceremony on ABC and abc.com. Without cable, you can stream it via Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV, AT&T TV and YouTube TV.
• 2025 Host: Conan O’Brien
• 2025 Nominees: You can see the full list of nominees here.

The 2025 Academy Awards

The 97th annual Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre. Conan O’Brien is set to host the star-studded ceremony and, per usual, the nominees are stacked. Titles like Wicked, Anora, The Brutalist and A Complete Unknown are up for Best Picture, while A-listers like Adrien Brody, Timothée Chalamet and Colman Domingo are nominated for Best Actor. 

When O’Brien was announced as host of this year's ceremony, he said, “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars.” 

Meanwhile, Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan said in a statement, “Conan has all the qualities of a great Oscars host—he is incredibly witty, charismatic and funny and has proven himself to be a master of live event television. We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”

Per usual, there will be red carpet coverage before the award show, so I expect to see all the stars dressed to the nines. You can watch the red carpet via the official ABC website or app starting at 5:30 p.m. ET, or on the Academy's official Twitter from 6:30 p.m. ET. E! will also broadcast the pre-show and red-carpet coverage.

A History of the Oscars

The Academy Awards have been held annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1929. It was originally designed to recognize the best of the best in cinema, from filmmakers and actors to producers. It's officially the oldest entertainment awards ceremony in the world, paving the way for others that would follow its model, including the Emmys, Tonys and Grammys.

FYI, the first-ever Oscars ceremony was quite different than the layout we're used to seeing today. For one, there were fewer categories and it was not televised. (The first broadcast didn't occur until 1953.) Also, winners were typically announced to the media prior to the ceremony. But in 1940, the Los Angeles Times announced the winners before the show began, prompting the organization to switch to sealed envelopes that reveal the winners.

It's worth noting that earlier ceremonies included quite a few historic moments. For example, Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy in Gone With the Wind, made history as the first Black actress to win an Oscar in 1940. Also, in 1962, Rita Moreno became the first Latina to score an Oscar, winning for Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story.

Fun fact: According to the Academy, the original design of the trophy depicted a knight standing in front of a reel of film and gripping a sword. The five spokes of the reel represented the original five branches of the Academy, including actors, directors, producers, technicians and writers, and the sword symbolized "protection for the welfare and advancement of the industry." However, the design has since been slightly altered, with the film reel being placed beneath its feet.

Oscars Red Carpet Fashion

The Oscars red carpet is its own fashion runway. From frills and sparkly sequins to princess-themed gowns, I can always count on the stars to deliver unforgettable fashion looks. But perhaps the most exciting part is spotting the micro-trends that emerge, whether it's a statement brooch or an eye-catching metallic ensemble. (Shoutout to America Ferrera's Atelier Versace chainmail dress from the 2024 ceremony.)

Among the most memorable looks are Cher's daring see-through gown from 1988 (designed by Bob Mackie), Björk's feathery swan dress in 2001 (courtesy of Marjan Pejoski) and Halle Berry's sheer Elie Saab gown from 2002.

The Most Memorable Oscars Moments

The Oscars would not be the Oscars without a few emotional, funny or gasp-worthy moments. For instance, at the 2024 show, which was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, fans got a very entertaining rendition of "I'm Just Ken" (kudos to Ryan Gosling) and a surprise "nude" appearance by John Cena, who nearly pulled a Robert Opel. (For context, Opel, a photographer, snuck into the venue and streaked during the 46th Academy Awards in 1974.) But these are only a few examples of many.

In case you need me to jog your memory, there was the time that Will Smith smacked Chris Rock on stage after the comedian poked fun at his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith—and naturally, everyone on social media went wild. Then, there was the big La La Land mix-up of 2017. The film was mistakenly announced as the winner for Best Picture, due to Warren Beatty receiving the wrong envelope. (Fortunately, the error was quickly corrected and Moonlight scored the win for Best Picture.) And of course, I can't forget about the iconic "Adele Dazeem," the mystery woman that John Travolta introduced at the 2014 Oscars. Keep scrolling for more standout moments from past ceremonies.

Our Favorite Movies of 2025

There's been no shortage of standout movies this past year, so it comes as no surprise that the nominees are stacked with so many strong contenders. For one, there's Wicked, starring the dynamic duo, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. According to PureWow's Beauty and Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario, "They were meant to play Elphaba and Glinda. Whether they were singing together or solo, these two powerhouses didn't outshine each other...they complement each other so well."

In addition, there's Nickel Boys, which PureWow Senior Editor Dana Dickey describes as "a masterpiece." She says, "Its shimmering imagery of loving boyhood intoxicates you, then the creeping realities of bigotry and cruelty absolutely shatter you. Not an easy watch, but an absolutely vital one that like all great art left me personally moved and culturally enriched."

Another Best Picture nominee that stood out for our editors? Coralie Fargeat's mind-bending horror, The Substance. SEO Editor Marissa Wu says, "If The Substance doesn't win Best Picture, The Academy will be a scam. It does something almost unheard of—turn the hag trope completely on its head while being razor sharp in its satire, sadly relatable, and comically absurd."

Phil Mutz, VP of News and Entertainment, also praised Sean Baker's Anora, describing it as "absolutely incredible." He said, "It's such a wild, entertaining story and newcomer Mikey Madison delivers a stunning, powerful and nuanced performance as the lead."

Of course, these titles only scratch the surface when it comes to our favorites. You can also check out our editors' rave reviews of Conclave, A Complete Unknown, The Apprentice and Emilia Pérez.