Record-Breaking Oscars: How ‘Anora’ and Underdog Films Captivated Millions in 5 Years

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Oscars proved that smaller movies can still attract big audiences. This year, about 19.7 million people tuned in for the 97th Academy Awards, making it the most-watched ceremony in five years, according to ABC.

One standout was “Anora,” which took home five Oscars, including Best Picture. This year’s viewership marked an increase from last year’s 19.5 million, when crowd-pleasers like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” were also up for top awards.

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the show featured a lively opening performance by the stars of “Wicked,” Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The film won awards for its stunning production design and costumes.

Among younger viewers aged 18 to 49, the show saw a significant boost. Many watched from their phones and laptops, highlighting the changing way we consume live events. In fact, the Oscars was the most-watched primetime entertainment show of 2025.

However, past trends show that we might not reach those old viewership numbers again. In 2021, the pandemic hit hard, and only 9.85 million people watched the awards. While there was a rebound in 2022, boosted by the drama of Will Smith’s altercation with Chris Rock, we’re still far from the peak. The best viewership was in 1998, when “Titanic” won 11 Oscars and attracted 55 million viewers.

This year, a livestream of the Oscars on Hulu faced issues, cutting off before key moments like Mikey Madison’s Best Actress win and “Anora” being named Best Picture. Even so, the Oscars continue to outshine other awards shows, drawing more viewers than the Grammys, which had 15.4 million.

For more details on this year’s Oscars, check out AP News.

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