Zoe Saldaña and two others get Netflix Oscars at 2025 Academy Awards

What a speech Zoe Saldaña gave at the 97th annual Academy Awards. Her words and reaction were close to the kind that Halle Berry gave for winning Best Featured Actress at the 74th annual awards in 2002. Both were emotional, sure, but both were also filled with joy and thanks.

Unfortunately, though Netflix came into the Oscars with 18 nominations, the studio won just three. The night belonged to Anora and The Brutalist. Even Wicked could not compete with the fervor of those other two films. Netflix's musical Emilia Pérez had 13 nominations but won just twice. Those trophies went to Saldaña and "El Mal" for Best Song.

The other victory for Netflix was for Best Documentary (Short Subject) for The Only Girl in the Orchestra. This is the story of Orin O'Brien, the first woman to become a full-time member of the New York Philharmonic. This happened in 1966. The doc is fantastic, though one might hope there is a full-length film made of her one day soon. She is worthy of that.

Netflix wins three Oscars at the 2025 Academy Awards

Also worthy was Saldaña, of course. In Emilia Pérez, she plays attorney Rita Castro, who has fallen on hard times. She is hired by a Mexican drug lord to help someone with gender-affirming surgery. If you have not seen the film, you might have guessed the drug lord is played by lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón. Gascón was nominated for Best Featured Actress, but that award went to Anora's Mikey Madison.

"El Mal" was not performed live at the Oscars ceremony, as none of the Best Song nominees were. Viewers did get a glimpse of each song through videos, but the Academy decided to pass on many musical performances this year. The sad part is that both nominated songs from Emilia Pérez would have been fantastic to see.

In her speech for winning Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Saldaña acknowledged she was the first actor of Dominican heritage to win an Oscar. She also spoke of how proud she was to win the award while performing while speaking Spanish in the film.

She told the Academy Award audience, "My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents. With dreams and dignity and hard-working hands. And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award. And I know I will not be the last."

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