Winners, speeches and highlights from the 2023 Academy Awards
Travolta couldn’t contain his emotions as he took to the stage to introduce a segment that had very personal meaning to him.
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The 95th Academy Awards was a huge night for Everything Everywhere All At Once, with the acclaimed film sweeping most of the major categories, including Best Picture and Best Actress.
Thankfully, one year on from *that* Will Smith / Chris Rock incident, nobody got slapped during the ceremony – but host Jimmy Kimmel made many a joke at Smith’s expense.
Earlier, celebs walked the red carpet outside – see all the best looks in our comprehensive red carpet coverage.
You can also keep track of who every single award went to with our full winner’s list.
John Travolta breaks down
John Travolta presented the In Memoriam section at this year’s ceremony – and got increasingly choked up, given his good friend and former Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John died late last year.
“Each of them left an individual and indelible mark that shared and informed us, they’ve touched our hearts, they’ve made us smile, and became dear friends,” Travolta said of those who’ve died in the past 12 months – before the tears came as he referenced Olivia's most iconic hit: “Who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.”
The big awards
An emotional Brendan Fraser won the Best Actor award for his role in The Whale, beating out a strong category including Austin Butler as Elvis.
And Michelle Yeoh won Best Actress, beating out other favourite in the category, Aussie Cate Blanchett. Yeoh called the award “a beacon of hope” for “all the little girls and boys who look like me watching tonight.”
“And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are past your prime,” said the 60-year-old star, to huge cheers from the audience.
Yeoh’s film Everything Everywhere All At Once also won Best Picture,Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay, and swept the Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress categories too.
Kimmel’s best jokes
Of course Kimmel tackled last year’s big story, the Will Smith slap, saying: “We want you to have fun. We want you to feel safe. And we want me to feel safe. So... We have strict policies in place. If anyone in this theatre commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.
“Seriously. If anything unpredictable or violent happens, do what you did last year – nothing. Sit there, do nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”
He took aim at Smith again later in the ceremony when it was time to award the Best Documentary feature, which Kimmel noted was when the “skirmish” happened last year.
“Hopefully, tonight it goes off without a hitch. Or at least, without Hitch,” he said, referring to a famous Smith role.
“Please put your hands together – and keep them to yourselves – for our next presenters.”
And another jab at Smith’s expense, as the ceremony neared the two-hour mark: “This point in the show makes you miss the slapping a little, right?”
At the very end of the ceremony, one last Smith-related gag, as Kimmel was shown leaving the stage and changing the number on this sign from “zero” to “one”:
Some more of Kimmel’s best zingers:
“Everyone looks so great. When I look around the room, I can’t help but ask myself: Is Ozempic right for me,” he said, referring to the controversial weight loss drug that half of Hollywood’s rumoured to be on.
Kimmel pointed out that Oscar nominees Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan have history, both having appeared in the 1992 comedy hit Encino Man together.
“What an incredible night this must be for the two of you. And what a very difficult night for Pauly Shore,” he said.
Kimmel called out Steven Spielberg, who “is nominated for The Fablemans, by far his most personal film. They say write what you know. And write what you know your mum did with her dad’s best friend. And Steven did that.”
“The long, long, long awaited Avatar: The Way of Water is out, which gave the director, the James Cameron, another opportunity to do what he loves to do more than anything else – drowning Kate Winslet,” said Kimmel.
Cameron is not in attendance at today’s ceremony: “You know a show is too long when even James Cameron can’t sit through it.”
Nodding to Banshees of Inisherin, and some of the night’s other Irish nominees, Kimmel said: “It was some year for diversity and inclusion. We have nominees from every corner of Dublin.”
Later on, Kimmel referenced another of the year’s biggest film scandals while he was walking through the audience for a vox-pop. Stopping at Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, he asked: “As the youngest Nobel Prize winner in history, I was wondering... do you think Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine?”
“I only talk about peace,” she responded.
Early winners
Ke Huy Quan won Best Supporting Actor for Everything Everywhere All At Once. The former 80s child star is in the midst of a career comeback thanks to EEAAO, and was emotional and overjoyed as he received a standing ovation.
“My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage. They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me! This – this – is the American dream!” he said.
Moments later Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress, also for the same film. It was another emotional, earnest speech, as Curtis noted both of her parents had been nominated for Academy Awards before screaming: “I JUST WON AN OSCAR!”
James Friend won Best Cinematography for All Quiet on the Western Front, which also won Best International Feature, while Brendan Fraser in a fat suit was enough to see The Whale win Best Hair and Make-up.
Later on, Everything Everywhere All At Once won Best Original Screenplay and Best Directing, while Sarah Polley's film Women Talking won Best Adapted Screenplay.
Funniest presenters
Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell aced the mini-Four Weddings and a Funeral reunion that was their presenting stint.
“We’re actually here to do two things. First, to raise awareness about the vital importance of using a good moisturiser. Andie has been wearing one every day for the last 29 years. I’ve never used one in my life,” Hugh said.
Pointing to MacDowell, he said, “Still stunning.” Then, to himself: “Basically a scrotum.”
Paul Dano and Julia Louis-Drefyus presented the award for Best Costume Design, and got in a few good jokes before they announced Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had taken out the win.
“Being nominated for an Oscar is the second greatest honour a costume designer can receive. The greatest honour is when an actor accidentally takes their beautifully designed costume home with them,” Louis-Dreyfus said.
“Seeing these designs up close, you know whether their designers are nominated and why they might end up hidden in an actress’s car trunk or gym bag,” said Dano, before complimenting Louis-Dreyfus on her own dress.
“Thank you so much. It is from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 1989,” she quipped.
Gaga’s stripped-back performance
Lady Gaga made a surprisingly low-key appearance to sing her Top Gun power ballad Hold My Hand.
No big gowns or staging, even minimal hair and make-up: Just Gaga in a t-shirt, her hair in a ponytail, and her soaring voice.
Slightly less soaring: Rihanna, whose definitely-not-lipsynched performance of Black Panther song Lift Me Up had a few shaky notes.
In the end, both were trumped by the infectious Naatu Naatu from Indian film RRR, which won Best Original Song.
Free gifts under every seat
For the first time since I’ve attended the Oscars, there’s a box of snacks under every seat with a bottle of water, Hot Tamales, a pretzel and a note from Jimmy Kimmel. “Eat this. You’re hungry.†#Oscars2023pic.twitter.com/NyrN3n04cc
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) March 13, 2023
This year’s Oscars gift bags have already been met with controversy, with the loot for presenters – worth an estimated $200,000 – including a small parcel of land in rural Queensland.
But, stashed under every seat in what may be an Oscars first, is a much more practical gift: A bag filled with drinks and snacks, including a pretzel.
Clearly they don’t want anyone getting as hangry as Will Smith must’ve been last year.
Originally published as Winners, speeches and highlights from the 2023 Academy Awards
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