With Anora, Sean Baker has officially accomplished something that no other Oscar nominee ever has. As the director, writer, producer, and editor of Anora, Baker worked diligently to create a movie about the marriage between Sєx worker Anora (Mikey Madison) and oligarch Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn). Reviewers had nothing but praise for the 2024 release. ScreenRant‘s own Patrice Witherspoon called it “a lovable tale of rags to riches” that “provides the entertainment that films like this so desperately need“. The Academy evidently agreed, as it was nominated for six Oscars, and it won five.

Sean Baker was the personal recipient of four of those Oscars tonight. When Anora took home the awards for Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture, Baker set a new Hollywood record. He is officially the first person to ever personally win four Oscars for one movie in the same ceremony. Bong Joon-ho managed to earn three, but no one else has ever won four for the same film in one night.

What Sean Baker’s Oscar Record Means For Hollywood

This Is A New Era For Independent Movies

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 mᴀssive for Baker’s career.

Our Take On Baker’s Record

Anora Deserved The Accolades

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 who was hesitant about watching this brilliant movie undoubtedly should, and this Oscars performance is just one small reason to.