What's Next For This Year's Oscar Winners?

The Oscars have come and gone, wrapping up the tumultuous 2025 Awards Season, and we have a new crop of winners in the books. Now, Oscars success doesn't always necessarily guarantee a free ride to legendary status in one's career, but we wanted to look to the future and see what audiences can look forward to from the actors and creators celebrated on Hollywood’s biggest night!

1. Sean Baker

After a record-breaking sweep for his project Anora -- winning Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and the coveted Best Picture -- all eyes are on Sean Baker. Unfortunately, he’s being pretty hush-hush about his plans. We do know that he will begin scouting locations in April for his next project. “Because location is very much involved in the development of these movies and these screenplays,” Baker said. “All I can say is this: it might have a Jonathan Demme feel.” Our biggest question is if he will branch out into new subject matter. Baker has been incredibly successful telling the stories of sex workers with projects like The Florida Project (2017), Tangerine (2015), and now Anora. Now that he has won Best Picture for this concept, we would like to see him tackle new stories.

2. Adrien Brody

Now that he’s won Best Actor for the second time, directors must be busting down Adrien Brody’s door, right? Well, it looks like French-American filmmaker Damien Chazelle has run that race. Brody is said to have met with Chazelle for the role of Shelly Saltman in Chazelle’s upcoming biopic of Evel Knieval. Brody would star alongside fellow Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, who is looking to close a deal to play the motorcycle daredevil. It seems that it all hinges on DiCaprio, as Brody will not be able to move forward with an offer until the star is locked in. Come on, Leo, let's get this done!

3. Mikey Madison

Best Actress winner Mikey Madison has said that she doesn’t know what’s in store for her following this huge moment. As far as acting goes, Madison “wants to keep making movies and continue to work with people who inspire her.” We know that, immediately after the awards show, Madison was committed to staying in the moment. “I’m going to go home to my new puppies and probably clean up their mess and it’s going to bring me right down to Earth,” she said. There are no projects currently in the works for this young actress, but we know we're looking forward to whatever she does next!

4. Zoe Saldaña

After an incredible career, including franchises like Avatar, Star Trek, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Zoe Saldaña has finally clinched an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez. With so much under her belt, how is Saldana going to move forward? Well, she’s certainly going to keep busy. Saldana will voice the character Olga Solis in Pixar’s Elio, a sci-fi adventure film releasing June 13 that follows 11-year-old Elio as he unexpectedly becomes Earth’s ambassador to the universe. This is Saldana’s first major animated role and could point to a shift toward more voice-acting in her future. Additionally, the third installment of the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is set to release December 19. The first trailer is expected to drop sometime this Spring. Saldana will be back starring as Neytiri in this sci-fi epic that has an anticipated runtime of more than 3 hours!

5. Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin’s heartfelt and hilarious acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor referenced his growing family with actress Jazz Charton. He revealed on the Oscars pre-show red carpet that he almost passed on the award-winning role in A Real Pain because it meant too much time away from his children. So, it’s no surprise that his next project is close to home. Culkin will be taking to the stage in the Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, David Mamet's modern classic 2-act tragedy directed by Patrick Marber. Culkin will don the role of Richard Roma, playing opposite Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr. Could Culkin be adding a 'T' to the 'E' and 'O' of his EGOT status in the near future?