Zoe Saldaña made history at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday night, becoming the first Dominican-American to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, per abcnews.go.com. Saldaña took home the coveted statuette for her powerful portrayal of Mexican lawyer Rita Castro in the critically acclaimed film Emilia Pérez.
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Saldaña paid tribute to her family, particularly her grandmother, who immigrated to the United States in 1961. “I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands,” she said, fighting back tears. “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.”
Saldaña is only the third Latina to win the Best Supporting Actress category. She is also the first to achieve this honour for a role other than Anita in West Side Story, breaking a decades-long trend. “I know I will not be the last,” she declared, emphasising the importance of representation in the film industry.
The emotional moment was amplified when Saldaña, visibly moved, scanned the audience for her mother and waved to her through tears. Her performance in Emilia Pérez, which showcased her versatility as both an actress and singer, has been widely praised for its depth and authenticity.
Saldaña triumphed over a competitive field of nominees, including Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Ariana Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist) and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave). Her victory was celebrated as a win not only for her but also for the broader Latinx community, which continues to push for greater visibility in Hollywood.
The 2025 Oscars also highlighted other groundbreaking moments, but Saldaña’s win stood out as a testament to the power of diversity and the enduring legacy of immigrant stories. As the night concluded, her words resonated: “This is for every dreamer who believes in the impossible.”
With this historic win, Zoe Saldaña has cemented her place in cinematic history, inspiring future generations to chase their dreams, no matter the odds.
The Academy Awards took place in Los Angeles, with Anora scooping the most honours, while Conclave, The Brutalist, Wicked and Emilia Pérez also took prizes.
See the full list of winners and nominees:
Best picture
WINNER: Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Best actress
WINNER: Mikey Madison – Anora
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
Demi Moore – The Substance
Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here
Best actor
WINNER: Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
Best supporting actress
WINNER: Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
Best supporting actor
WINNER: Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Yura Borisov – Anora
Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice
Best director
WINNER: Sean Baker – Anora
Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
James Mangold – A Complete Unknown
Best international feature
WINNER: I’m Still Here – Brazil
The Girl with the Needle – Denmark
Emilia Pérez – France
The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Germany
Flow – Latvia
Best animated feature
WINER: Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot
Best original screenplay
WINNER: Anora – Sean Baker
The Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
September 5 – Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
Best adapted screenplay
WINNER: Conclave – Peter Straughan
A Complete Unknown – Jay Cocks and James Mangold
Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
Sing Sing – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Best original song
WINNER: El Mal – Emilia Pérez
Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late
Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez
Like A Bird – Sing Sing
The Journey – The Six Triple Eight
Best original score
WINNER: The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best documentary feature
WINNER: No Other Land
Black Box Diaries
Porcelain War
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Sugarcane
Best costume design
WINNER: Wicked
Nosferatu
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Best make-up and hairstyling
WINNER: The Substance
A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best production design
WINNER: Wicked
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Conclave
Best sound
WINNER: Dune: Part Two
A Complete Unknown
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best film editing
WINNER: Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
Best cinematography
WINNER: The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
Maria
Nosferatu
Best visual effects
WINNER: Dune: Part Two
Alien: Romulus
Better Man
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Wicked
Best live action short
WINNER: I’m Not a Robot
Anuja
The Last Ranger
A Lien
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
Best animated short
WINNER: In the Shadow of the Cypress
Beautiful Men
Magic Candies
Wander to Wonder
Yuck!
Best documentary short
WINNER: The Only Girl in
the Orchestra
Death by Numbers
I Am Ready, Warden
Incident
Instruments of a Beating Heart
•Featured image credit: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
