Oscars 2025: Viewership Decreases By 7 Percent But There's A Catch

The 97th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday (March 2), witnessed fewer viewers as compared to the previous year. 

According to Nielsen fast national ratings, the Oscar telecast brought in an estimated 18.07 million viewership on ABC and Hulu, stated The Hollywood Reporter. It was the first time that the glittery awards function was being live streamed. 

Hulu, however, suffered several technical glitches throughout the evening. Some users even complained not being able to watch the final two awards of the night.

The total audience count saw a sharp decline of approximately 7 percent in comparison to 2024. That time, the viewership reached 19.49 million despite the absence of a live stream. 

The Oscars, however, showed signs of a surge among adults aged between 18 and 49. Additionally, the 18 to 34 demographic recorded its highest post-pandemic numbers, indicating growing interest among younger audiences. 

The broadcast earned a 3.92 rating in the 18-49 age group, which equals 5.25 million viewers.

The figures hint at a slight increase from the previous year's 3.82 rating. The 2025 Oscars also registered the second-highest viewership since 2020, trailing only the 2023 ceremony's 4.03 rating. 

The Oscars raked up a 3.17 rating among viewers in the 18-34 age group. This was the highest rating for the ceremony in that age group since the pandemic, with about 2.27 million viewers. 

Anora, the Sean Baker-directed romantic comedy, won big at the Oscars. The film, featuring Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn in the lead, secured five awards: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. 

Anora revolves around a female dancer based in New York who gets smitten by a Russian oligarch. In a whimsical decision, she marries him only to find out that their dream union is nothing but a nightmarish illusion.

The film also made an appearance at the Cannes festival's Palme d'Or last year. 

The 97th Academy Awards was hosted by Conan O'Brian.