The biggest night in Hollywood, reinstating the glitz and glamor of its namesake This was the final bow for the biggest films in 2023; The Oscars. The night was already looking to be a big one, with announcements of presenters like Zendaya and Bad Bunny, to performances by Billie Eilish and the chance to watch Ryan Gosling transform into Ken in real life. It all started on the red carpet, where the stars aligned in their finest.
The red carpet was arguably one of the best this award season, where classic old Hollywood glitz and glamor returned. Emily Blunt, joined by her husband John Krasinski showed out on the carpet in Schiaparelli, to celebrate her nomination for her role as Kitty, in “Oppenheimer.”
The it-girl showing her presence fresh off of a new album release as she gives a nod at her upcoming role as Glinda in the movie adaptation of “Wicked” releasing later this year, and shining in custom Giambattista Valli.
So many other show stopping looks graced the carpet, but beyond the carpet, the show was ready to make record-breaking history for this year’s films and their talent. The evening started off strong, with two first-time Oscar winners. Da’Vine Joy Randolph was up first, for her role in “The Holdovers,” where she received Best Supporting Actress. Her speeches all award season have been poetic, and hers last night was nothing short of beautiful.
Robert Downey Jr. received his long overdue Oscar win, after two previous nominations, in which he received his award for his character Lewis Straus in “Oppenheimer” where his speech began in a classic RDJ style. “I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order.” The night continued with many wins for “Oppenheimer,” among other films, with “Oppenheimer” receiving Best Score, Director and Actor. This was also Christopher Nolan’s first Oscar win, receiving Best Director. Cillian Murphy was a fan favorite, both within and outside of the film’s production.. He was First Irishman to receive the Best Actor award., At the end of the night, “Oppenheimer” received the most coveted Oscar, for Best Picture as well.
There was one award that has people buzzing, – Best Actress. The award was given to Emma Stone, making it her second Best Actress win, since her role in “La La Land.” Stone gave a shout out to top competitor for the category Lily Gladstone, for her role in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Stone said, “I share this with you, I am in awe of you. And it’s been such an honor to do all this together; I hope we get to do more together.” “Poor Things” received many nominations and won multiple throughout the night outside of the Best Actress award, such as Production Design, Makeup and Costume.
But beyond the golden statues, the plastic dolls that took over the year came to life to perform in reality. Ryan Gosling took the stage by storm, where he performed “I’m Just Ken” with the heart of the “Barbie” Soundtrack, Mark Ronson. He wore a custom hot pink Gucci suit, and shared the stage with many cowboys wearing Kens, who we saw in the movie, as well as a surprise appearance and performance by legendary guitarist Slash, who was in the original recording of the song. The performance was just what the Oscars crowd needed to wake up.
One of the most emotional moments of the night was when Billie Eilish took the stage to perform “What Was I Made For?” accompanied by her brother and lifetime collaborator, Finneas. The performance was so understated, and the simplicity allowed the crowd to feel the song, just as it was intended to feel in the film. The performance ended with an emotional standing ovation, and later was awarded Best Song, breaking an 87-year old record, as she became the youngest person in history to win two Oscars.
The nearly 3 and a half hour ceremony was full of record breaking triumphs, seamless speeches, overdue wins and gut-wrenching snubs. Everything from John Cena presenting Best Costume with no clothes on, to Al Pacino appearing to present Best Picture. This past year of film truly turned out to be another one for the history books.
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