The host was deft and some of the speeches and production ideas were strong, but there were too many head-scratching choices and tonal inconsistencies to call the night a success.

Adrien Brody at 2025 Academy Awards ... the show would "cut to John Lithgow in the audience looking not angry, but slightly disappointed." Culkin previously mocked Brody for his long speeches ...

And the competition is of the highest calibre, with American actors Adrien Brody, John Lithgow and Billy Crudup set to battle it out in the Best Actor category against English stars Paapa Essiedu ...