2025 best picture winner ‘Anora’ dominates Hulu charts after Oscar victory | The Express Tribune
Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’, the 2025 Best Picture Oscar winner, is making waves again—this time on Hulu. The high-stakes screwball comedy, which won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing, along with Mikey Madison’s Best Actress win, has quickly risen through the streaming platform’s charts.
Baker, known for his raw, neorealist filmmaking, has long been celebrated for highlighting America’s overlooked and underprivileged. While ‘Tangerine’ (2015), ‘The Florida Project’ (2017), and ‘Red Rocket’ (2021) cemented his status as an indie powerhouse, ‘Anora’ marked his mainstream breakthrough.
The film follows Mikey Madison’s Ani, an erotic dancer and sex worker in New York City who becomes entangled in a whirlwind romance with Ivan Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of Russian billionaires. Their dynamic takes a turn when Ivan’s oligarch parents attempt to annul the marriage, sparking a tense and chaotic chase—one that plays out with Safdie brothers-style energy.
A box office success, ‘Anora’ grossed $52 million against a $6 million budget after its theatrical release in October 2024. It later topped iTunes charts in multiple countries before making its Hulu debut on March 17, 2025. According to FlixPatrol, the film entered Hulu’s streaming rankings at No. 4, with projections suggesting it will climb even higher.
To claim the top spot, ‘Anora’ will need to surpass Bill Burr’s standup special ‘Drop Dead Years’ and ‘Force of Nature: The Dry 2’, but its Oscar prestige and strong audience interest give it a clear advantage.
With Hulu’s viewership surge, ‘Anora’ solidifies Baker’s rise in Hollywood, proving that his unique storytelling and focus on marginalized voices continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.
