The Highs, Lows, and Whoas of the 2025 Oscars
The opening of the 97th Academy Awards had a theme reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz/Wicked, using the phrase “there’s no place like home.” To establish this connection, visuals from The Wizard of Oz, such as Dorothy’s ruby slippers, and audio clips of Judy Garland saying the iconic line, were used. Ariana Grande started off by singing “Over the Rainbow” in a dress similar to Dorothy’s ruby slippers, followed by Cynthia Erivo singing “Home” from The Wiz, both performances setting the stage for their later joint performance of “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. The entire segment was well-executed and left many viewers with tears and goosebumps, a feeling known as tearbumps. It was undoubtedly an impressive start to the evening’s events.