Sean Baker’s Anora dominated the 2025 Oscars, winning Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Film Editing. Mikey Madison also won Best Actress, marking Baker’s breakthrough into mainstream success with this modern Cinderella story.
On Sunday night, the Best Director Oscar was awarded to someone who had poured their heart into filmmaking for years—Sean Baker, the genius behind Anora . All the nominees were first-time contenders, but no one has worked as tirelessly or with as much focus as Baker. His big win didn’t stop at Best Director—he also took home Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, and Best Picture (as a producer). By winning four awards in one night, Baker tied a record set by none other than Walt Disney, who won four Oscars in 1954 for different films. Funny enough, those movies aren’t really remembered today.
Sean Baker Makes History with Four Oscars for Anora, Cementing His Place in Hollywood
Anora is a modern twist on the Cinderella story, tackling tough topics like class inequality, immigration, and global capitalism through the eyes of a stripper who initially agrees to paid sex work. This kind of storytelling is classic Sean Baker. If you’ve seen his earlier films, like Tangerine (2015) or The Florida Project (2017), you’ll recognize his signature style: blending humor and drama, showing compassion for sex workers, and casting nonprofessional actors in key roles.
What makes Anora special is that it marks Baker’s big breakthrough into the mainstream. Nearly a year ago, the film won the Palme d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. More recently, it picked up major awards from both the Directors Guild and Producers Guild. On Sunday night, the movie’s lead actress, Mikey Madison, also won an Oscar, adding even more shine to Anora ’s success. Baker beat out some strong competition, including Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez , Brady Corbet for The Brutalist , Coralie Fargeat for The Substance , and James Mangold for A Complete Unknown .
1 thought on “Sean Baker Makes Oscar History with Four Wins for Anora”