Oscars 2023: Top moments from 2023 Academy Awards

The Academy Awards are back with a bang for its 95th anniversary.

Celebrating the year’s most acclaimed films, most talented performers and most talented crew members, the Oscars shine a spotlight on Hollywood’s best and brightest, and this year did not disappoint.

This year, 13 people were nominated for the first time, composer John Williams became the oldest nominee ever (only Walt Disney himself has more Oscar nominations overall), and Steven Spielberg was recognized for receiving six nominations at least once a decade. decades in a row.

From the most deserved wins to the random (some would argue predictable) snubs, and from the biggest laughs of the night to the most emotional beats, here are the best moments from the 2023 Academy Awards.

KE HUY QUAN IS LIVING HIS BEST LIFE

Best Supporting Actor winner Ke Hui Quan appeared to be upset even before receiving the award.

On the champagne-colored carpet before the Oscars kicked off, Kwan looked like she was having the time of her life.

“It’s finally here. Oh my God: Wow! “I’ve been waiting for a night like this for the longest time, and I can’t believe it’s happening,” Quan said.

Quan said he met Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and took a selfie with him, before mentioning that he had seen Nicole Kidman and would try to get a selfie with her as well.

Quan rolled his eyes during his acceptance speech.

“Mom, I just won an Oscar!” He said through tears.

Quan said he’s lived the American dream, remembering those who stuck by him from the start as he thanked his “Goonies” brother Jeff Coen and noted that he almost gave up on his dream of becoming an actor; .

Michelle Yeoh poses for her role in ‘Everything, Everywhere, At Once’ during the Governors Ball after the Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

“EVERYTHING EVERYTHING AT ONCE” CLEANS

It was a huge night for Everything, Everywhere, At Once, which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.

As the cast and crew took the stage to celebrate Hollywood’s top award, the film’s star Michelle Yeoh, 60, with her best actress award in hand, gave a speech encouraging those in the audience not to let others tell you when you’re past your prime. .

Quan was nominated for and won an Oscar last night for the first time. It’s an honor she shares with 40-year Hollywood veteran Jamie Lee Curtis, who won best supporting actress for her role in “Everything, Everywhere, At Once.” Curtis dedicated the award to his team, repeating, “We just won an Oscar,” while acknowledging the cast and crew members who worked on the film.

After her win, she and co-star Quan posed with their awards, dazzlingly displaying their Oscar gold.

While a few people on social media said that either Angela Bassett or Stephanie Hsu should have won the Best Supporting Actress award, Curtis’ win seemed to be generally appreciated, as it meant another award for the most-nominated Everything Everywhere All. for at once.”

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as The Two Daniels, won Best Original Screenplay to a standing ovation. The dynamic duo is also the director of the film, winning in that category as well.

The film also won Best Film Editing. Paul Rogers said it was only the second film he had ever worked on.

Brendan Fraser accepts the award for Best Actor for his role in ‘The Whale’ at the Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Chris Pizzello

CANADIANS WHO TAKE HOME OSCAR GOLD

One of the biggest awards of the night went to American-Canadian Brendan Fraser, who won best actor for his first Oscar for The Whale. The win was seen as redemption for the veteran performer.

“I started in this business 30 years ago and it hasn’t been easy for me,” Fraser told the crowd.

Quebec’s Adrien Morot, one of the makeup and hair artists who transformed Fraser into a 600-pound man for his role in Darren Aronovsky’s film, along with Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley, also received an award.

Toronto’s Daniel Roher won an Oscar for best documentary for Navalny, which he directed. Roher brought Alexei Navalny’s family on stage with him to accept the award.

Toronto’s Sarah Pauley won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Talking Women, which she also directed. Pauly hit the Academy during her acceptance speech and dedicated the award to all the women who helped make the film.

RRR’s performance of ‘Naatu Naatu’ at the Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

PRESENTATIONS

David Byrne and Stephanie Hsu team up with Son Lux for “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All Independent.

Dancers and singers performing ‘Naatu Naatu’, RRR’s Oscar-nominated song, stole the show, if only for a brief moment, giving viewers a glimpse of the film’s bigger musical numbers.

Lady Gaga delivered a powerful rendition of her song “Hold My Hand” on Top Gun. from Maverick,” which was apparently scheduled hours before the show began. Gaga, the Oscar winner herself, captivated everyone in the theater with her vocal songs.

Rihanna’s “Black Panther. A beautiful live performance of “Lift Me Up” from Wakanda Forever served as a tribute to the late, great Chadwick Boseman, star of the first film and Oscar nominee. Her emotional vocals are what earned the song an Oscar nomination in the first place, and her performance on Sunday captured the hearts of everyone watching.

Jimmy Kimmel takes the stage with Jenny, an emotional support miniature donkey, during the Academy Awards March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

JIMMY KIMMEL’S SOLID HOSTING

Late night talk show personality Jimmy Kimmel did a great job hosting. after all, it wasn’t his first time doing the job. Kimmel’s celebration struck a fine balance, congratulating the film industry for overcoming the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic while poking fun at the talent who make the Academy Awards possible each year.

Kimmel’s opening monologue included jokes about the box office failure of Babylon , the abrupt cancellation of Batgirl , and the lack of female representation in the Best Director category. He also addressed the elephant in the room. Will Smith cracked a lot of jokes all night.

Kimmel also brought a live donkey on stage, believed to be the same one that played Jenny in The Banshees of Inishreen.

Anna Eberstein, left, and Hugh Grant arrive at the Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

HUGH GRANT’S ESSENTIAL RED CARPET

Before the awards began, Hugh Grant had an awkward exchange with ABC co-host Ashley Graham. It was far from a controversial moment, however, with some Oscar viewers taking to Twitter to acknowledge the awkward interview.

Grant gave faint answers on the champagne-colored carpet. When Graham asked him what he was wearing, he replied “just my suit”. When she asked him who he was excited to see, he seemed to misunderstand the question.

“See?” Grant said:

“Yeah, I know you’ve probably seen some of the movies, are you excited to see someone win? Are you pining your hopes on someone?’ Graham asked.

“No, no one exactly,” Grant said.

Graham also introduced the character of Grant in the Netflix murder mystery “Glass Onion” in an attempt to ease the tension. When asked if she had fun on set, “almost,” she said.