The 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards is looking to a familiar face to celebrate its 40th anniversary: “SNL” alum Aidy Bryant.
The “Shrill” star returns to host the 2025 Spirit Awards after being the master of ceremonies in 2024. Bryant got some big laughs doing a “roast” of the honorees like Natalie Portman, Sterling K. Brown, and Charles Melton.
“We couldn’t ask for a better host for our 40th anniversary!” Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent, said in a press statement. “As we prepare to celebrate this incredible milestone honoring the outstanding achievements and contributions within the independent world, we welcome Aidy back with open arms. After her unforgettable turn last year, we can once again anticipate an evening filled with laughter, inspiration, and recognition of excellence.”
The 2025 nominees will be announced on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, with winners being revealed at the awards show on Saturday, February 22, 2025. The show will be streamed live on the IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels, and across other social platforms.
Bryant was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” for 10 years and earned three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for the show, including two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She later earned an Emmy nomination in 2021 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hulu’s “Shrill,” which she also co-created and executive produced.
Bryant recently announced that she will be joining the cast of Apple TV+’s “Platonic” for Season 2. She’ll additionally appear in a stage show, “All In: Comedy About Love By Simon Rich,” from director Alex Timbers and producer Lorne Michaels, which opens December 2024. Bryant has signed an overall deal with Universal Television, where she is currently in development on multiple projects.
Past Spirit Awards hosts have included Aubrey Plaza, Sarah Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, John Waters, John Mulaney, Kate McKinnon, Hasan Minhaj, Melissa Villaseñor, Fred Armisen, Kristen Bell, Queen Latifah, Megan Mullally, and Nick Offerman.
The Spirit Awards are the fundraiser for nonprofit organization Film Independent’s year-round initiatives. The Spirit Awards was one of the first organizations to honor the early works of filmmakers such as Spike Lee, Whit Stillman, Ed Burns, Robert Eggers, Patty Jenkins, Ryan Coogler, and Kasi Lemmons. The first Spirit Award for Best Feature was awarded to Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours.”
In 2020, the Spirit Awards expanded its categories to include television, and in 2022, the awards show was one of the first ceremonies to switch to gender-neutral categories for nominees. The Spirit Awards is a precursor to Oscars recognition, with 2023 Spirit Award nominee “Everything Everywhere All at Once” going on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The 2024 Best Feature winner was “Past Lives.”
The 2025 show will mark Film Independent’s third collaboration with Emmy Award-winning executive producer and showrunner Eddie Delbridge of Live Digital Entertainment. Shawn Davis is also returning for his 23rd year with the Spirit Awards as an executive producer, alongside producers Danielle Federico and Andrew Schaff.
