Film fanatics flocked to their televisions on Sunday when the 96th annual Oscar Awards aired, bringing first-time winners, high-energy (or kenergy) performances and a lot of John Cena.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph took home her very first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Her portrayal of grieving mother Mary Lamb in “The Holdovers” won over the academy. During the entirety of the award’s season, Randolph earned a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild award and Critics Choice award, all for her role in “The Holdovers.”
Covered head-to-toe in blue feathers and sequins, Randolph tearfully accepted her award. In an emotional acceptance speech, Randolph thanked her mother for pushing her to become an actress. She also thanked everyone who has helped her in her life.
“Thank you to all the people who have stepped in my path, who have ushered me and guided me,” Randolph said.
This was her first ever Oscar nomination.
“Oppenheimer” led the night with the most nominations, 13, and the most awards, with seven. The film itself won Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Score and, finally, the coveted Best Picture.
Robert Downey Jr. won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lewis Strauss in “Oppenheimer,” though he has been nominated two other times before. Cillian Murphy also took home his first ever Oscar on his first nomination for Best Actor for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer.
“It’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you’ve taken me on in the past 20 years,” Murphy said about director Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas.
While many people flocked to the theaters last summer to see “Barbenheimer,” only one of the two films swept the Oscars. While fans were shocked at the so-called snub for Margot Robbie to be nominated for Best Actress and Greta Gerwig for Best Director, the film still earned eight nominations.
Packed with emotion and illusions to modern womanhood, “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connor for “Barbie” was the only Academy Award the film won.
The song-writing pair performed the hit song on the Oscars stage, wrapping up their awards season. They had previously performed the song at the Grammy Awards where they won Song of the Year.
“What Was I Made For?” was not the only note-worthy performance from the “Barbie” movie this year. Ryan Gosling, who played the role of Ken, took to the stage with over 60 male dancers to perform his nominated song “I’m Just Ken.” Decked out in a bedazzled hot pink suit, Gosling serenaded the audience both at home and in person. Alongside fellow Kens Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa, Gosling danced, fake fought and floated in a sea of cut-out Barbie heads. To wrap up the completely star-studded performance, a surprise cameo from Slash also accompanied the various Kens on stage.
Host Jimmy Kimmel got an eye-full of Gosling during the performance after confessing his attraction to the actor during his opening monologue.
“Ryan, you are so hot,” Kimmel said. “Let’s go camping together and not tell our wives.”
Kimmel also praised Messi, the border-collie star of “Anatomy of a Fall” for his performance and for being an “excellent Frenchman.” Kimmel also fired a joke at former President Donald Trump for his posts about how awful he thought Kimmel was at hosting.
“Thank you President Trump for watching,” Kimmel said. “I’m surprised you’re still.. Isn’t it past your jail time?”
Though the night stayed rather unpolitical, many stars were seen wearing red pins, a symbol of their desire for peace in the Israel-Hamas war. The pins were of a black hand on a red background and were in support of Artists4Ceasefire, a group of various artists who all support a ceasefire in Gaza and other affected areas, according to NPR. Billie Eilsih, Ava DuVernay, Mark Ruffalo and more were all seen wearing the pins to the awards ceremony.
The Russia Ukraine war was also a topic of discussion at the awards as Mstyslav Chernov won Best Documentary Feature Film for “20 Days in Mariupol,” which documented the fallout from Russian bombings. Chernov visited the University of Rhode Island in October as a speaker for the Amanpour Lecture. Chernov has previously won many awards for his work, including the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service last year.
To celebrate the many nominations for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a film about various crimes against the Osage people, Native American singer Scott George performed “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” alongside the Osage Tribal Singers. Traditional dancing and drumming accompanied the song, and they received a standing ovation.
Over 30 individual films were nominated for Oscars this year, and many took at least one home. These are some of the most highly sought after awards for members of the film industry and a showing of years of hard work and dedication. 2025 will bring a brand new list of films, and with it, new opportunities for deserving professionals.