Hollywood’s biggest night had a distinctly Jewish flair at the 2025 Oscars. From actors and filmmakers to nominees and winners, Jewish talent lit up the stage, the red carpet, and the acceptance speeches. Whether it was heartfelt tributes, historical dramas, or moments of pure comedic gold, this year’s Oscars became a little emotional, a little controversial, and packed with unforgettable storytelling. With so many Jewish stars and themes in the spotlight, one thing was certain: this was one of the most Jewish Oscars ever.
Let’s breakdown the most Jewish moments of the 2025 Oscars
Adrien Brody speaks out against antisemitism
Adrien Brody secured his second Best Actor award Sunday night at the Oscars for his performance in “The Brutalist.” In the film, he plays Lazlo Toth, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who immigrates to the United States and struggles to establish himself as an architect.
The Jewish actor, who first won Best Actor in 2003 at age 29 for his portrayal of Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman in “The Pianist,” delivered the longest acceptance speech of the night. As the orchestra attempted to play him off, he waved them down, quipping, “It’s not my first rodeo.”
“I’m here once again to represent the lingering traumas and the repercussions of war, and systematic oppression, and of antisemitism and of racism and of othering,” Brody said, clutching his Oscar in his right hand. He urged people to strive for a more inclusive world.
Brody emphasized the importance of not letting hate go unchecked, encouraging people to keep smiling, love one another, and work together to rebuild. He thanked his parents, as well as his girlfriend, actress Georgina Chapman. In a lighthearted moment, Chapman appeared to catch his gum as he spit it out while walking to the stage.
Brody also credited his parents for instilling in him a “strong foundation of respect” and the perseverance to follow his acting dreams. He concluded his speech by thanking God.
Daniel Blumberg won Best Score for “The Brutalist,” thanking “radical musicians who have been making uncompromising music for many years.”
Mikey Madison wins Best Actress for “Anora”
Jewish actress Mikey Madison won Best Actress for her role in “Anora,” in which she plays the titular sex worker who becomes romantically involved with a wealthy young Russian man, leading to unexpected consequences when his family learns about their relationship.
Madison, whose full name is Mikaela Madison Rosberg, expressed both excitement and nerves as she accepted her Oscar.
“It’s surreal to be up here,” she said. She thanked her family and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, the setting of her character’s story.
“I also just want to take this moment to recognize and honor the sex worker community,” she added. “I will continue to support and be an ally…”
Anora won Best Picture, sweeping all four categories in which it was nominated.
Kieran Culkin wins Best Supporting Actor for “A Real Pain”
This was also the second year in a row where Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor went to performers playing a Jewish character as last year, Cillian Murphy and Jewish actor Robert Downey Jr., won for their roles of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Max Strauss in “Oppenheimer.”
Kieran Culkin took home Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Benji Kaplan in “A Real Pain,” a film about two cousins, Benji (Culkin) and David (Jewish actor Jesse Eisenberg), who travel to Poland to visit Majdanek and the house where their grandmother grew up.
Culkin, known for his witty remarks, humorously thanked Eisenberg, saying, “This will be the only time I ever call you a genius to your face.” The camera briefly cut to Eisenberg, who was also nominated for Best Screenplay for the film, which earned a Best Picture nomination.
During his speech, Culkin also gave a heartfelt shoutout to his wife, sharing a personal anecdote:
“A year ago, after winning an Emmy, I said I wanted a third child. My wife told me, ‘If you win an Oscar, we can have four.’”
He ended with a cheeky remark: “Let’s get cracking on those kids.”
Israeli-Palestinian documentary “No Other Land” takes home big 2025 Oscars win
The Best Documentary award went to “No Other Land,” a film that chronicles the experiences of Palestinian Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham as they document the Israeli demolition of the Palestinian village of Masafer Yatta from 2019 to 2023.
Adra and Abraham urged for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in their speeches and for Palestinian rights.
“About two months ago I became a father, and my hope to my daughter: that she will not have to live the same life I am living now,” Adra said. “Always feeling settler violence, home demolitions and forceful displacement that my community, Masafer Yatta, is living and facing every day under the Israeli occupation.
“We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people,” he continued
During his acceptance speech, Abraham addressed the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, saying: “The atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people, which must end, the Israeli hostages, brutally taken in the crime of October 7 which must be freed.”
He urged for a political solution, blasting Israel for its “unequal” treatment of Palestinians and warning that foreign policy is actively blocking the path to peace. His speech ended with the words: “It’s not too late for life — for the living.”
Israeli Rachel Szor and Palestinian Hamdan Ballal were also awarded Oscars for their roles as co-directors of the film.
While “No Other Land” was triumphed as an effort of solidarity between Israelis and Palestinians, the documentary has been criticized by both groups for giving an infactual depiction of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis by not acknowledging Hamas’ refusal for a possible Palestinian state without the complete destruction of Israel.
Jewish talent at the 2025 Oscars
A rare lighthearted moment occurred when Adam Sandler, dressed in a hoodie and shorts, called out “Chalamet!” before embracing fellow Jewish actor Timothée Chalamet, who was nominated for Best Actor for his role as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” Host Conan O’Brien later invited Sandler to a pickup basketball game, continuing the night’s humorous energy.
Jewish presenters included:
- Scarlett Johansson
- Gal Gadot
- Andrew Garfield
- Billy Crystal, who was on stage with Meg Ryan and made a nostalgic reference to When Harry Met Sally:
“…When you have a chance of being an Oscar winner for the rest of your life, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
This mirrored his famous movie line:
“I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
Another nostalgic moment occurred on the red carpet, when Halle Berry surprised Brody with a kiss—mirroring his infamous, unscripted kiss when she presented him with his first Oscar 22 years ago.
Berry later told reporters that she got a chance to “pay him back on his big night.”
Controversy over Red Hand Pin & ceasefire debate
A heated debate erupted over the red hand pin worn by some attendees in support of Artists4Ceasefire, an initiative advocating for an end to the war in Gaza.
A group of 700 film industry professionals, formed after the October 7 attacks, issued a statement in the weeks before the Oscars condemning the pin, arguing that it was “not a symbol of peace but an emblem of Jewish bloodshed.”
The controversy stems from a haunting historical parallel: in 2000, Palestinian terrorist Aziz Salha was photographed displaying blood-soaked hands after the lynching of two Israeli reservists in Ramallah. According to reports, he was released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange but was assassinated by Israel just days before October 7.
The statement, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, read:
“In 2000, Palestinian terrorists in Ramallah lynched two innocent Israelis, ripped them apart limb by limb, and held up their blood-soaked hands to a cheering mob. That infamous image is now your ‘ceasefire’ badge. Is this ignorance? Or is this deliberate, calculated malice?”
The controversy intensified as the bodies of Kfir and Ariel Bibas were released the same day Artists4Ceasefire’s letter was published.
Among the celebrities who wore the red hand pin at the Oscars were Mark Ruffalo and Billie Eilish.
Critics argued that the Artists4Ceasefire initiative makes no mention of the 2000 lynchings, adding fuel to the growing divide within Hollywood.
Originally Published Mar 3, 2025 08:42AM EST
