The 96th Academy Awards were held this year at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood with Jimmy Kimmel hosting making this his fourth time hosting the Oscars. This year’s award ceremony, which has a reputation for running late, aired an hour earlier at 7 pm ET.
Jimmy Kimmel started the night by poking fun at the looming threat of AI in the movie industry saying, “Look at these beautiful human actors.” Kimmel went on to talk about how many people were upset over the snub of a nomination for Greta Gerwig for Best Director. His comment was met with a round of applause, to which responded, “I know you’re clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her.”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph was the first winner of the night. She took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Feature for her role in The Holdovers. In her speech, Randolph said, “I wanted for so long to be different, but now I realize I just needed to be myself.” After her speech, Kimmel joked that Randolph took up smoking for her character in the film, and said, “see kids, sometime’s smoking can be good.”
Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy presented the award for Best Animated Short and Best Animated Feature. War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko won for Best animated Short while Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron won for Best Animated Feature. Miyazaki was not in attendance, so Hemsworth and Taylor-Joy accepted the award on his behalf.
Best original screenplay went to Anatomy of Fall and director and writer Justine Triet went up to accept the award. America Fiction won for Best Adapted Screenplay. Director and writer, Chord Jefferson accepted the award. Jefferson used his speech to advocate for industry professionals to take chances on up and coming directors saying, “I understand that this is a risk averse industry, I get it, but $200 million movies are also a risk and it doesn’t always work out but you take the risk anyway. And instead of making one $200 million movie, try making 20 $10 million movies.”
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took the stage to perform their Oscar nominated song, “What Was I Made For?” Finneas accompanied Eilish’s singing on the piano, and joined in with backing vocals. Shots of director Greta Gerwig and cast members Kate McKinnon. Margo Robbie, and America Ferrara were seen cheering on Eilish and Finneas following their performance.
Poor Things won for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, and Best Costumes. John Cena presented the award for Best Costumes in the nude saying, “Costumes, they are so important.” The stunt was in reference to the 1974 46th Oscars when a nude streaker interrupted the show while host David Niven was presenting an award.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Bad Bunny presented the award for Best International Film, which went to Jonathan Glazer’s Zone of Interest. In his acceptance speech, Glazer spoke about the ongoing conflict in Gaza saying “Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst, It’s shaped all our past and present.” The director went on to say, “right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of October 7th in Israel, or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?”
Robert Downey Jr. won his first Oscar following three nominations for his role as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. Downey Jr. took the stage to accept his award and said, “I would like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito graced the stage to a standing ovation to present the award for Best Visual Effects and Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing. Godzilla Minus One won for best visual effects and Oppenheimer took home the award for Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing.
The Last Repair Shop won for Best Documentary Short. The film chronicles the craftspeople, who repair instruments for the youth in schools in the LA region. Director Ben Proudfoot talked about how LA is one of the last cities to provide free instruments to students in school, and how that needs to change. 12 year old Porché Brinker, one of the subjects of the documentary, joined Proudfoot on stage. Proudfoot acknowledged her in his speech saying, “She’s 12 years old. She’s playing violin in L.A. public schools. She looks amazing tonight.”
The Award for Best Documentary Feature went to 20 Days in Mariupol. Director Mstyslav Chernov accepted the award acknowledging that this was the first Academy Award in Ukrainian History.Chernov went on to say, “But probably I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities. I wish for them to release all the hostages, all the soldiers who are protecting their lands, and all the civilians who are now in their jails.” Chernov went on to urge Hollywood industry members to recognize the important role that film has on history saying, “We can make sure that the history record is set straight and that the truth will prevail. […] Cinema forms memories and memories form history.”
Zendaya presented the award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography. The award went to Hoyte van Hoytem. Hoytem started his speech by encouraging young filmmakers to shoot on celluloid telling them it was very cool. Oppenheimer was shot on a combination of IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large-format film photography.
Wes Anderson won his first Oscar for his Live Action Short The Wonderful Life of Henry Sugar, however, Anderson was not in attendance at the Academy Awards, so presenters Ramy Youssef and Issa Rae accepted the award on his behalf.
John Mulaney presented the award for Best Sound. The Comedian poked fun at people who claim the golden age of cinema was silent movies, calling them, “difficult and weird.” The Zone of Interest took home the award for best sound. Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers accepted the award thanking the Academy for listening to their film.
Dawned in a cowboy hat and a pink sequined suit, Ryan Gosling gave a show stopping performance of Oscar nominated song, “I’m Just Ken,” complete with Gosling karate chopping a pink board during the song. Gosling was joined on stage by costar Simu Liu, who played Ken. Slash from Guns and Roses also made an appearance, soloing on guitar during the number. Gosling handed the microphone over to fellow cast members Margot Robbie, America Ferrara, and director Greta Gerwig to sing along before taking the Camera operator’s hand, and leading them on stage for the big finish.
Cynthia Erivo and Arian Grande took the stage to present the award for Best Original Score. The pair wore outfits resembling their characters in the upcoming Wicked movie. Ludwig Göransson won for his original score for Oppenheimer, and Billie Eilish and Finneas won for their original song, “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie.
Cillian Murphy won for Best Actor for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer. Murphy thanked the cast and crew of the movie, and said, “For better or worse we’re all living in Oppenheimer’s world, so I would like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere.”
The next award was for Best Director, presented by Steven Spielberg. This was a controversial category, as many were upset that Barbie director, Greta Gerwig, did not receive a nomination. Christopher Nolan won the award for his directing of Oppenheimer. Nolan said, “Movies are a little over a hundred years old […] we don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here, but to know that you think I’m a meaningful part of it, means the world to me.”
In the tight race for Best Actress, Emma Stone took home the award for her role as Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lathimos’ Poor Things. Stone went on stage to accept the award, and the first thing she said was, “Um, my dress is broken, I think it happened during I’m Just Ken.” Stone went on to voice her admiration and awe of the other actresses nominated in the category saying, “Carey, Sandra, Annette, Lily, I share this with you.”
Al Pacino finished the night, presenting the award for Best Picture. The award went to Oppenheimer making the movie the biggest winner of the night with 13 nominations and 7 wins. Producer Emma Thomas accepted the award on stage alongside the cast and crew of Oppenheimer.
Full List of Winners
Best Picture: Oppenheimer
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Emma Stone Poor Things
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Original Screenplay: Anatomy of a Fall
Best Adapted Screenplay: American Fiction
Best Animated Feature Film: The Boy and the Heron
Best Original Song: “What Was I Made For?” Barbie
Best International Feature Film: The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom
Best Documentary: 20 Days in Mariupol
Best Cinematography: Oppenheimer
Best Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One
Best Costume Design: Poor Things
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Poor Things
Best Production Design: Poor Things
Best Film Editing: Oppenheimer
Best Original Score: Oppenheimer
Best Live-Action Short Film: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Best Animated Short Film: War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko
Best Documentary Short Film: The Last Repair Shop
Best Sound: The Zone of Interest
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