It was a night of surprises and upsets at Sunday’s Oscars, especially for what were arguably the two biggest films of the year.
It was perhaps clearer with Oppenheimer, which scored seven wins – the most of any nominated film. The period piece won for editing, cinematography, music, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr., best actor for Cillian Murphy, best director for Christopher Nolan and best award for best film.
Meanwhile, in the running for eight awards, barbie only won one, as sister-brother duo Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won best original song with What Was I made for it?. The two had already won the same category in 2022 for their track No time to die from the James Bond film of the same name.
Although barbie itself didn’t work out as expected, Ryan Gosling certainly did. The Canadian actor’s live performance I’m just Ken was a jaw-dropping, standing-ovation-inspiring event – with appearances from co-star Simu Liu and guitarist Slash.
The third most nominated film, that of Martin Scorsese Killers of the Flower Moon, businessman. Although he was up for some of the ceremony’s top prizes, he lost in every category for which he was eligible. One of its stars, Lily Gladstone, was the first Native American nominee in the best actress category.
This prize was instead awarded to Poor things actress Emma Stone, her second career victory. The surreal comedy also won awards in the areas of makeup, production design and costume design, making it the second most awarded film on Sunday.
Did you skip the 3.5 hour show? Here’s what you missed.
Currently on his fourth awards show, Jimmy Kimmel started the ceremony with a tongue-in-cheek skit alongside barbie‘s Margot Robbie before mocking not Robbie and director Greta Gerwig, but the Academy itself.
“NOW barbie is a feminist icon thanks to Greta Gerwig – who many thought deserved to be nominated for best director,” Kimmel said, to widespread applause. “I know you’re clapping, but you’re the one who didn’t Didn’t vote for her, by the way.”
It was a long line performance as he danced through references to this year’s biggest films and themes – from Hollywood hits to a back-and-forth with OppenheimerIt’s about Robert Downey Jr. It’s about his past addiction issues.
Considering the complex nature of the topics covered by some of this year’s leading competitors, it was an impressive display.
The first winner of the evening was quite anticipated: Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the award for best supporting actress. The presentation of this award by past winners Mary Steenburgen, Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rita Moreno and Regina King, coupled with first nominee Randolph’s moving acceptance speech, made it a landmark moment.
While the Best Supporting Actor category was more uncertain, Robert Downey Jr.’s win was also the favorite. He won the statuette for his portrait of US Commerce Secretary Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer — the first victory of his career.
Comic moments
Besides Kimmel, celebrity anchors had some remarkable moments.
Alongside a skit between Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling recounting their “Barbenheimer” feud, America Ferrera and Kate McKinnon played against director Steven Spielberg during the Best Documentary award ceremony; McKinnon tried to insist that jurassic park the franchise was, in fact, a documentary.
Although past Batman villains Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito once jokingly mocked each other Batman actor Michael Keaton, a standout moment featured a seemingly naked John Cena barely covering himself with the Best Costume Award envelope.
The Canadians are not doing as well as in previous years. While Halifax’s Ben Proudfoot won his second career Oscar for documentary short The last repair shopdirector Céline Song’s Past lives was not selected for best film and best original screenplay. Posthumous nomination of musician Robbie Robertson for the music of Flower Moon Killers lost to Oppenheimerand that of Vincent René-Lortie Invincible did not win its live-action short film category.
Instead, it went to Wes Anderson for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugarhis first Oscar after seven other nominations dating back to 2001.
Along with Japan’s first visual effects victory for Godzilla minus onethe United Kingdom won its first international feature film for The area of interestabout the commander of the German concentration camp Auschwitz.
Despite everyone from Mark Ruffalo to Billie Eilish, Ramy Youssef and Ava DuVernay sporting “ceasefire” pins – and a large protest taking place outside the ceremony – director Jonathan Glazer was the only laureate to directly comment on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
“We are here as men who refute their Jewishness and the fact that the Holocaust is being hijacked by an occupation that has led to conflict for so many innocent people,” Glazer said during his acceptance speech.
“Whether it is the victims of October 7 in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization. How can we resist?”
The Oppenheimer film had a huge night at the 96th Annual Academy Awards, winning 7 awards out of 13 nominations. Canadian Ben Proudfoot also won his second Oscar for his short documentary The Last Repair Shop.
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