After an awards season that saw prizes being dished out in a few different directions, there was still a question mark hovering over the Best Actress category going into this year’s Oscars on Sunday night.

The frontrunners were undoubtedly Anora star Mikey Madison, following her success at the Baftas and Independent Spirit Awards, and Demi Moore, whose performance in The Substance earned her a Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award and SAG Award.

In the end, the Oscar went to Mikey, whose win was celebrated by her fellow nominee in an Instagram post the day after the ceremony.

Reflecting on the last few weeks, Demi said: “As this awards season comes to a close, I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude for this journey. It’s been the ride of a lifetime and we’re just getting started!

“So grateful for my team, my fellow nominees, and everyone who has made this experience so full of joy and light.”

Addressing co-star Margaret Qualley and director Coralie Fargeat, the Ghost star continued: “It’s been such an honour to work alongside you, learn from you, and celebrate this film with you.”

She also sent her “huge congratulations” toMikey, telling the Oscar winner: “Can’t wait to see what you do next.”

Demi previously spoke about what it meant to her to finally be winning praise and accolades after more than 40 years in the industry during her Golden Globes speech back in January.

She recalled: “Thirty years ago I had a producer tell me that I was a ‘popcorn actress’. And, at that time, I made that mean that this [award] wasn’t something that I was allowed to have. I could make movies that were successful and made a lot of money, but I couldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in and I believed that.”

Admitting that this thought process “corroded” her to the point where even “a few years ago” she thought to herself that she’d perhaps “done what I was supposed to do”, she said that at this “low point”, she received the “magical, bold, courageous, out-of-the-box, absolutely bonkers” script for the graphic body horror The Substance.

“Today, I celebrate this as a marker of my wholeness and of the love that is driving me, and for the gift of doing something I love, and being reminded that I do belong,” she concluded.

Anora was the runaway success of the 2025 Oscars, with five wins in total, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker.

Click here for the full list of winners at this year’s Oscars.