With “Anora,” Sean Baker has achieved something unprecedented for an Oscar nominee. As the director, writer, producer, and editor of the film, Baker dedicated his efforts to telling the story of the marriage between sex worker Anora (played by Mikey Madison) and oligarch Vanya Zakharov (played by Mark Eydelshteyn). Reviewers have praised the 2024 release, with THH calling it “a lovable tale of rags to riches” that provides the entertainment that films of this nature desperately need. The Academy agreed, as the film received six Oscar nominations and won five.
Sean Baker personally received four Oscars at tonight’s ceremony. Anora won awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture, allowing Baker to set a new Hollywood record. He is now the first person to win four Oscars for a single film in the same ceremony. While Bong Joon-ho has won three Oscars, no one else has ever achieved four wins for the same movie in one night.
What Sean Baker’s Oscar Record Means For Hollywood
Anora was something unique within modern Hollywood. In the age of blockbusters, sequels, and adaptations, Anora is an original and relatively small-scale movie that just dominated the Oscars. It had a budget of just $6 million, which is minuscule, compared to other recent releases. Its success at the Oscars this year is proof that these movies could very well find more success in the future. At the very least, it earned acclaim at the 2025 Oscars. In addition to Baker’s awards, it also brought home the Best Actress award for Mikey Madison.
Baker was never so much as nominated for an Oscar before Anora, which only makes this accomplishment more impressive. Its success could very well encourage a new age of independent movies, modeled after Baker’s work. It is also extremely likely that he will see more opportunities in Hollywood in the coming years. He only has eight movies in his portfolio so far, and he should easily find new projects if he is interested in any. Breaking a record this significant will be massive for Baker’s career.
Our Take On Baker’s Record
Baker’s incredible production undoubtedly deserved the accolades that it received at the Oscars. It may not have received the most nominations of the night — that honor went to Emilia Perez — but it easily won the night. Best Picture would be an incredible accomplishment for any director, but taking home so many other awards was just proof that it earned its moment in the spotlight.
Hopefully, this will result in new viewers finding Anora. It is not currently available to stream, but prospective viewers can buy or rent the movie on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Fandango At Home. When it begins streaming, it will likely be available on Hulu. Anyone hesitant about watching this brilliant movie undoubtedly should, and this Oscars performance is just one small reason to.
