The 2025 Academy Awards, held on March 2, 2025, witnessed a significant shift as viewership dipped for the first time in four years. According to Deadline, the broadcast was viewed by 18.07 million people across ABC and Hulu, reflecting the increasing challenges the film industry faces in capturing audience attention.
Experts pointed out several factors contributing to this decline. Notably, the ceremony's duration, which stretched to 3 hours and 47 minutes, may have tested the patience of viewers. Technical issues on the Hulu streaming platform, where many users experienced interruptions and accessibility problems, were also cited as possible culprits for the diminished audience engagement.
Despite these setbacks, the 2025 Oscars retained its title as the most-watched entertainment telecast of the 2024/25 season, highlighting the enduring allure and relevance of the award show even amid fluctuated viewer interest. Last year’s Oscars attracted 19.5 million viewers, which marked the highest ratings since the pandemic began. Comparatively, the ceremony celebrated its 95th anniversary with 18.8 million viewers, demonstrating year-over-year growth until now.
The increase from 10.4 million viewers during the 2021 ceremony— which was held without a host— to these more recent figures has illustrated the awards’ resilience, especially after the sharp drops noted during 2010s. The return to 18 million viewers indicates there's still substantial interest alive, but the future’s uncertain. Last year's recipient of the Best Film award was "Dune", which drew significant attention and acclaim, paving the way for sustained interest.
This year's host, Conan O'Brien—an Emmy Award-winning comedian—took the stage to once again guide the evening's festivities. His humorous and engaging presence was praised and contributed to keeping the ceremony lively. Performances included musical numbers by renowned artists such as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, enhancing the entertainment value of the evening.
Yet, regardless of the star-studded performances and lively hosting, many viewers noted the repeated interruptions and accessibility issues. According to Nielsen data, more than 34,000 users reported difficulties accessing the stream, which might have exacerbated the audience decline and led to exiting before the show’s conclusion.
Despite all of this, the major highlight of the evening included the surprising success of Sean Baker's film, "Anora". It clinched five Oscars, including Best Film and Best Director for Baker himself. Mikey Madison's portrayal won her the coveted Best Actress award, solidifying her standing among Hollywood's elite.
Further awards included Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing, showing the film’s collaborative efforts and teamwork behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Kieran Culkin took home the Best Supporting Actor award, edging out notable performances including Yura Borisov’s role, which had gained traction leading up to the ceremony.
Historically, the Academy Awards have recognized films from all around the globe, but with restrictions and barriers around international submissions, participation has become complicated for many countries, including Russia, which suspended its applications for the award since 2022. This could affect future diversity and representation at the awards.
The night wrapped up with discussions about inclusivity and recognition, with many attendees highlighting the necessity for continued evolution within the academy to respond to contemporary cinematic narratives and viewer expectations. There’s no denying the Oscars remain a cultural touchstone, yet they must navigate this new course to engage the next generation of audiences.
All eyes will be on future awards as feedback rolls in from this year’s ceremony. With viewership slipping, what steps will the Academy take to reignite passion and interest within its audience? Higher engagement and adaptability may dictate the Academy's success moving forward.