Last night’s show was back at The Dolby Theater and here are some of the most fun or uplifting moments!
The Academy Awards were last night, and the big winners are making all the headlines! With three hosts and a show full of stars, there were plenty of memorable moments. From touching speeches to hilarious hosts, this show had it all.
Amy Schumer’s Intro Riffs
After an extended opening, Amy Schumer started with her own stand-up comedic monologue. Focusing on the nominees, she took shots at Don’t Look Up and Leonardo DiCaprio, acting super couple Javier Bardem and his wife Penelope Cruz and the Gyllenhaal’s. It had echoes of past monologues like Billy Crystal and Steve Martin. It took shots at the films but not in a nasty or cruel tone. The monologue was relevant and got the crowd laughing. A good start to the evening.
Ariana DeBose’s Speech
Ariana DeBose’s victory in Best Supporting Actress was not a surprise. She had won many precursors leading up to the evening and was the far and away frontrunner. That didn’t lessen the moment of her victory however. She won cheers and gave an emotional speech of her background and honoring the cast and crew of West Side Story. And even tied her life into the show’s signature song, Somewhere. A moving moment.
Momoa and Brolin Presenting
Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin of Dune hosted the 1st hour pre show where 8 awards were given out before the broadcast began. Brolin and Momoa also introduced the sound category live. They had good banter together, joking about Momoa’s lack of nominations and his voting for himself in every category.
White Men Can’t Jump Reunion and Harrelson
A highlight of the evening were the various cast reunions of films reaching milestones to present awards or tributes. This tied into the named theme of the ceremony, movie lovers unite. Members of the cast of several movies including The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, and Cabaret were part of the ceremony. And one of those awards presentations had a very witty moment, the White Men Can’t Jump reunion. Wesley Snipes, Rosie Perez and Woody Harrelson had plenty of banter including a choice line from Harrelson that as a 3-time nominee, this is the most he’s ever said at an Oscars. And that presenting is the way to go.
Troy Kotsur’s Win with Youn
Best Supporting Actor was also not a surprise as Troy Kotsur’s moving performance in CODA was the frontrunner. The tradition is that the prior year’s Supporting Actress winner presents the Oscar. This led to a very nice combination of Youn Yuh-jung presenting the award, a favorite of last year’s season. She was also seen as an outside pick to win before her similarly impressive run. To announce the win, she first signed Troy Kotsur’s name and then said it out loud and held onto his Oscar throughout his speech allowing him to sign. And she kept it right in frame the whole time.
Schumer Lightens the Mood
Coming back from a commercial break after the Will Smith and Chris Rock incident, Amy Schumer had one of her best moments of the night to get the room back on track. She made jokes about missing things and that the vibe shifted. It was a good way to get the room laughing over what happened.
In Memoriam Celebration of Life – Personal Tributes
While divisive online, the Oscars took a slightly different approach to In Memoriam. The tone was that of a celebration of the lives lived. While a gospel choir dancing may have been a lot for a portion of the ceremony normally solemn, producers wanted to honor those who we have lost with a celebration vs. a somber note. The personal tributes by their close friends or those who were inspired for several of them was also a nice touch.
Lady Gaga and Liza Minelli
To cap off a night of reunions and honoring cinema legends, Lady Gaga walked out with Liza Minnelli, star of Cabaret and Hollywood icon. With Liza older now, Gaga played the moment beautifully and helped her to introduce the best picture nominations. Gaga let the crowd roar for Liza and honored her as well on stage. Gaga also got a lot of props for how she let Liza take her time and just reminded her “I got you”. It’s a nice reminder of why Gaga is so beloved.
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