The Oscars mark the end of the major award season for film, a last hurrah or moment of truth for all the cast, crew, and audiences at home cheering on this year’s top movies. This year had many big names, with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leading the pack with 13 nominations and 7 wins, and Barbie making headlines once again for apparent snubs. Other top contenders included Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Holdovers. Here are the night’s highlights, snubs, and everything in between.
Biggest Twist: Emma Stone for Best Actress in a Leading Role
The award for Best Actress in a Leading Role was largely seen as a two-person race between Poor Things’s Emma Stone and Killers of the Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone, the first Native American Best Actress nominee in Oscars history. While not a complete “twist,” many in the audience seemed surprised by the Academy’s decision to give the award to Stone, including Stone herself. In her speech, Stone expressed appreciation for her fellow nominees, saying, “Lily, I share this award with you.”
Best Speech: Divine Joy Randolph
Divine Joy Randolph tearfully thanked the people in her life who believed in her and helped her get to the stage that night, where she won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Holdovers. Her win and speech are a beautiful reminder of the power of film and acting, and it’s clear from her castmate Paul Giamatti’s tears at her speech that this was a moment to remember for many.
Winner of the Night: Oppenheimer’s Cast and Crew
It was clear from the sheer number of nominations that Oppenheimer would be taking many trophies home, but focusing on the individual wins makes this film mean that much more. Cillian Murphy took home the prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role, his first Oscar; likewise, Christopher Nolan won Best Director for the first time after many years of blockbusters.
Best Performance: Ryan Gosling
This Academy Awards night saw an abundance of talent, including Billie Eilish’s performance of “What Was I Made For?” Yet, it was Ryan Gosling’s debut live performance of “I’m Just Ken” that had the whole audience standing up in their lavish couture to sing along.
The last thing that stands out from the night was a resounding call for peace in the face of many wars and conflicts around the world. The Ukrainian director of 20 Days in Mariupol, Mstyskav Chernov, called attention to the sadness he felt while making the documentary, saying he would rather have no Oscar and no war in Ukraine. Cillian Murphy’s speech ended with a dedication to the peacemakers of the world, and many attendees wore pins calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. It’s clear that these Academy Awards were colored with joy and appreciation for art and film, as well as a resounding acknowledgment of how the stories we choose to tell are important for our future.
This article also appears in our March 2024 print edition.
