Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come! Award season is finally upon us, with the Oscars 2024 just taking place on 10 March 2024. Whether youβre an avid watcher of films or love to keep up with the latest in popular culture, Iβm sure youβve heard all about what went down during the biggest and most important night in film history!
The Oscars have always been one of the most watched and highly coveted nights of the year β Iβm sure your social media is flooded with news from the night. If youβre not in the know about what went down during the Oscars, weβve got you covered. Allow me to catch you up to speed and summarise everything that happened that night β the biggest winners, the yays and the nays! Iβm ready when you are!
Fashion
With the Oscars being one of the biggest pop culture events of the year, celebrities go all out β decking themselves in the most gorgeous pieces. And everyone knows that the Oscars start as soon as you step foot on the red carpet, so letβs look at five of the best get-ups of the day!
Lupita Nyongβo
The acclaimed actress wore an icy blue dress adorned with jewels to drive that βiceβ element home. The dressβmade by Armaniβwas punctuated around the waist and the bottom with feathers! As if that wasnβt elegant and gorgeous enough, the dress she chose paid homage to the dress she wore a decade ago on the same Oscarβs red carpet. It is a beautiful dress with an even more beautiful meaningβno one does it like Lupita Nyongβo!
Colmon Domingo
Iβll be the first to admit that menβs formal fashion options are limited compared to that of womenβs but I always hated when male celebrities turned up to big events in a plain olβ tuxedo and called it a day. With that being said, Colmon Domingo showed them how it’s done with the outfit he chose to wear to the Oscars!
He wore a fitted Louis Vuitton tuxedo that looked to be tapered at the waist and further accessorised with silver jewellery. It was elevated with the inclusion of a watch and a brooch! Now, we canβt ignore the shoes that he chose as well. To match the sleekness of the outfit, he wore boots that I could picture the main character of a classic Western wearing. The perfect shoes to tie the whole look together!
Vanessa Hudgens
If youβre old enough to have grown up watching βHigh School Musicalβ, this one will make your heart swell!
Vanessa Hudgens took to the red carpet in a Vera Wang gown. The all-black gown flowed to the floor and pooled into a train. The dress was fitted and accentuated her baby bump. Yes, you read that right β baby bump. The actress took to the red carpet to debut the fact that sheβs expecting! The baby hasnβt even been born, and itβs already iconic!
Ariana Grande
The actress-turned-singer hasnβt been to an award show since 2020, but Ariana Grande is back and better than ever! Covering herself from shoulder to floor in pink, she pays homage to her character, Glinda, in Wicked.
She wore a pink strapless gown designed by Giambattista Valli, accompanied by the biggest and puffiest sleeves. I have no idea how she managed to move in the gown, but she stunned with the outfitβitβs all anyone can talk about!
NΗi Nai and WΓ i PΓ³
NΗi Nai and WΓ i PΓ³ were easily the cutest pair at the Oscars! The pair were the stars of Grandma and Grandma by Sean Wang, their grandson. They literally rolled onto the red carpet and brought the vibe with them! WΓ i PΓ³ was dressed in a red suit with bamboo prints paired with tortoiseshell sunnies! Beside her was NΗi Nai, who chose a quieter outfit, opting for a black suit and a pink undershirt β which adorned a floral print.
In my humble opinion, their outfits were easily the best. Just one look at their outfits, and you can guess their personalitiesβwhich is what fashion is all about: self-expression.
Awards
Now that we have covered what went down outside the Dolby Theatres, we can cover the main event: The Awards Ceremony. The entire ceremony lasted three hours, and if we had covered every award, this article would never end. So let me spare you all that boredom and include the biggest awards of the night!
Best Picture
Starting with the Best Picture, which was won by none other than Oppenheimerβbeating other big names like Barbie, Past Lives, and Killer of the Flower Moon out of the runningβthe film follows the life of J Robert Oppenheimer, who was coined the father of the atomic bomb that was dropped on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War 2.
The tail end of 2023 was filled with people rushing to the cinema to catch Oppenheimer in IMAX theatres, so it wasnβt that much of a shock for them to take home the title. Perhaps the only surprising thing is the manner in which it was announced; Al Pacino certainly had a unique way of unveiling the winner!
There have been some reactions to Oppenheimer taking home the gold, but the award for Best Picture is, after all, for the best production. While Barbie might have had the more interesting and popular storyline, Oppenheimer absolutely crushed the competition when it came to production β for many, Oppenheimer was the more organic and unique film.
Best Actor
Itβs no secret that Oppenheimer swept the competition, taking home seven of the original 13 awards they were nominated for. One of the seven was the award for Best Actor, which ultimately went home to Cillian Murphy for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer. Even with the duration of the film, I was kept captivated by Cillian Murphyβs portrayal of the main character.
Every move, word, and expression further solidified Cillian Murphyβs chances of winning that Oscar, and I do have to admit that it feels very well deserved. I canβt think of a better person to have won this award. And would you believe that this is his first Oscar? God knows an actor as talented as Cillian Murphy deserved this recognition sooner. But hey, better late than never, right?
Best Actress
The Best Actress award gave us a little break from the Oppenheimer frenzy, with the award going to Emma Stone for her role as Bella Baxter in the film Poor Things. The film was based on the 1992 novel by Alasdair Gray and follows the life of Emma Stoneβs character as she navigates her way through life after being brought back to life by a scientist. If I had to describe the film in one word, it would be: quirky.
The internet has been sent into a frenzy with the award going to Emma Stone. Everyone expected the award to go to Lily Gladstone for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon. Although everyone is surprised, no one is upsetβthankfully. Lily Gladstoneβs portrayal was outstanding, but that shouldnβt take away from Emma Stoneβs Bella Baxter.
Best Directing
Next, the award for Best Director was left in the hands of Christopher Nolan, the director of the biggest winner of the night: Oppenheimer.
Christopher Nolan has a long and impressive resume, having directed films like Interstellar, Inception, and Dunkirk. So, imagine my surprise when I found out that this is his first Oscar win after eight nominationsβI know, crazy! It seems like Oppenheimer has gifted many deserving talents their first Oscar, and Iβm all for it!
Best Supporting Actor
The Oppenheimer domination didnβt stop there, with Robert Downey Jr. taking home the trophy for his role as Lewis Strauss β the βantagonistβ of the film, if you will. To take the award home, Robert Downey Jr. had to beat big names like Robert De Niro and Ryan Gosling, but alas, he won the prize, and everyone seemed to agree that it was very well deserved.
Oppenheimer was undoubtedly the biggest winner this yearβthe film not only helped Cillian Murphy and Christoper Nolan win their first Academy Award but also Robert Downey Jr.! When I watched Oppenheimer in the theatres, my blood boiled anytime Lewis Strauss came on screen, which speaks volumes about Robert Downey Jr.βs portrayal!
Best Supporting Actress
At the end of the night, the award for Best Supporting Actress went to DaβVine Joy Randolph for her role as Mary Lamb in The Holdovers. The film is a wholesome Christmas film that lightly dances around the trope of found familiesβwhich is always a hit if done right. After this win, DaβVine Joy Randolph has become one of the few African American women to win this award!
Not only did she win the award for Best Supporting Actress, but to me, she had one of the best acceptance speeches of the night! I was moved almost to tears when she stood on stage to receive the award. I canβt wait to see what other roles she has up her sleeves!
Best Adapted Screenplay
While Oppenheimer is a nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay, it wasnβt a foregone conclusion that itβd win. Many other big names on the list had a feasible chance of winning, namely the mega-popular Barbie or the ultra-serious The Zone of Interest. Still, the actual winner was one that many would not have predicted.
American Fiction took home the award for Oscars 2024, but while many may not have seen the film, you most likely have seen the other works from the man behind it. Cord Jefferson also wrote for TV shows like The Good Place, Succession, and Watchmen β excellent shows with great writing in their own right, so perhaps it shouldnβt be a surprise that he is the latest award recipient! With that pedigree and now an Academy Award in the cabinet, I canβt wait to see what Cord Jefferson comes up with next.
Best Original Screenplay
Now, this is a real toss-up. There are five nominees for Best Original Screenplay, and either could have been the winner. Would it be the heart-tugging tale of childhood love in Past Lives, the multi-layered drama about inappropriate relationships in May December, the engaging crime whodunnit Anatomy of a Fall, the bittersweet story of a teacher and student in The Holdoversm, or the intimate biographical journey of real-life composer Leonard Bernstein in Maestro?
In the end, there could only be one name in the envelope: Anatomy of a Fall. Few would argue that it didnβt deserve it, though. The film’s plot may be simple, but the manner in which writer-director Justine Triet weaves the story has everyone on the edge of their seats. A worthy holder of the golden statuette!
Snubs
If this is your first rodeo, allow me to guide you through the topic of snubs. In the court of public opinion, especially regarding award season, youβll have a handful of people who are unhappy and disagree with the winners list. Now, just a disclaimer before we begin this section: getting nominated for an award at the Oscars is an achievement in itself. Whether your pick actually won or not, that doesnβt take away from the hours of work that went into making the films that we all loved and enjoyed!
Lily Gladstone
Lily Gladstone was one of the frontrunners for the Best Actress award, though Emma Stone ultimately won. Everyoneβand I mean everyoneβwas shocked by the winner. Even Emma Stone herself said that her win was to be shared with Lily Gladstone. If that doesnβt tell you how good of an actress she was in the film Killers of the Flower Moon.
The internet was in uproar over the academyβs decision for the trophy to go home with Emma Stone, but to say she was undeserving is a lie. After Lily Gladstoneβs moving portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, thereβs no doubt in my mind that an Oscar win is on the horizon for her!
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Iβm confident that everyone has watched Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and if you havenβt, go watch it now! It was one of the best animated films Iβve ever seen. Forget what youβve ever known about animation, and let this blow you away!
During those two hours, every boundary of animation was pushed, which is why everyone was surprised that the award went to Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki for their film The Boy and the Heron. Of course, being a Hayao Miyazaki film, the film was also fantastic! However, many felt that the award should have gone to Spider-Man instead.
At least the team behind Spider-Man can feel some satisfaction knowing that they captured the hearts of millions worldwide and set new and almost impossible standards in the realm of animation.
Barbie
Of course, this portion wouldnβt be complete without talking about how Barbie was completely snubbed by the overall lack of nominations during this round of the Oscars. I donβt think Iβve ever seen a film completely captivate an audience the way Barbie did. With its emotional plot and superb storytelling, Barbie highlighted the plights of women across the world and generations.
Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the same day; thus, the term βBarbenheimerβ was born. Theatres were flooded, memes were made, and lives were changed. I would argue that the popularity of both of these films was fairly matchedβwhich is why everyone was shocked by Barbie’s lack of nominations!
Not to mention Ryan Goslingβs nomination for Best Actor but Margot Robbieβs absence in the Best Actress category, even though she is Barbie! How ironic is that?
Performances and Moments
The Oscars is the biggest night in entertainment. Of course, thereβs going to be a list of the best moments and performances! This yearβs host was Jimmy Kimmel, the famous late-night host who has captured the hearts of millions. Beyond his exceptional hosting skills, which set the tone for the entire award ceremony, we’ll delve into a few golden moments here and there.
John Cena
If youβve been on social media in the last few days, Iβm sure you know where Iβm going with this one. During Jimmy Kimmelβs monologue, he made a reference to the streaker that ran across the Oscar stage in 1974. In a moment reminiscent of that fateful day, John Cena presented the award for Best Costume Design in nothing but a pair of Birkenstocks.
When I say nothing, I mean nothingβnothing but the announcement card over his privates and the shoes on his feet. In a way, having him present the award bare helped to highlight the importance of costume designers on film sets!
Iβm Just Ken
It wouldnβt be Oscars season if we didnβt mention Barbie and its mark on popular culture since its release. Barbie made waves with its heart-tugging and emotional storyline, which highlighted the plights of women all over the world.
Barbie introduced us to the world of Ken, the blonde himbo who worships Barbie. If youβve seen the film, I know you remember the Iβm Just Ken song and dance number. To everyoneβs surprise, Ryan Gosling took to the Oscar stage to give us a real-life rendition of his iconic Iβm Just Ken performanceβwhich was nothing short of fantastic! You can take the man out of the role, but you canβt take the role out of the man.
What Was I Made For?
While weβre on the topic of Barbie, we canβt forget to mention Billie Eilishβs gut-wrenching live performance of her song What Was I Made For? β specifically written for Barbie. The song, which also won Best Music (Original Song), has won Billie Eilish multiple awards over the past few months, but this might be the biggest one of the lot.
Her performance of the hit song at the Oscars 2024 on Monday won her a standing ovation from her fellow celebrities. As soon as she sang the last note, the place went crazy with thunderous applause, which is all Billie Eilish deserves!\
And scene! Thatβs a wrap on what went down during the 96th Annual Oscars! The night was spent honouring the talents of the teams who made films that moved, touched, and inspired us all. Even if your faves may have gone home empty-handed, getting nominated is a win on its own! Till next year, everyone!
If you want a full list of the winners, head on over to the official list of Oscars winners here! We also talked to some of TikTok Asiaβs biggest creators about Oscars 2024! To learn if their predictions were correct, check out our socials on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
Visuals courtesy of American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Apple TV+, and Sony Pictures Animation.