We laughed, we cried, we checked our watches. And we honoured a roster of winners ranging from the expected (Kieran Culkin, Zoe Saldaña for best supporting performances) to the genuinely surprising (Demi Moore overlooked for best actress). For 3½ hours, Hollywood did what it does best, chewing the scenery and pushing the script to the limit.
The night kicked off with a showstopping triptych from the world of L. Frank Baum: Ariana Grande singing Over the Rainbow from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, Cynthia Erivo singing Home from its 1978 remake The Wiz and, finally, the two stars of Wicked performing a duet of Defying Gravity.
Oscar winners (from left) Adrien Brody (best actor, The Brutalist,) Mikey Madison (best actress, Anora), Zoe Saldana, (best supporting actress, Emilia Perez) and Kieran Culkin (best supporting actor, A Real Pain).Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
It ended with Anora, made for just $US6 million ($9.6 million), taking home best picture, best actress for Mikey Madison, and for creator Sean Baker: best original screenplay, best editing and best director.
First-time Oscar host Conan O’Brien had a theory on its popularity: “I guess Americans are excited to see someone finally stand up to a powerful Russian.”
O’Brien kept the award ceremony patter fairly safe, taking aim at a mix of topics: Emilia Pérez actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s social media storm, Amazon’s acquisition of the 007 franchise and actor headshots. The 61-year-old comedian may lack the familial warmth of last year’s four-time host Jimmy Kimmel, but he knows a good joke.
Grande and Erivo had been the Hollywood story of the season, joined at the fingernail for a press tour in support of Wicked that, at times, seemed to fill social media channels to saturation point. And Erivo’s final note – a very bold C-sharp – earned the night’s first standing ovation. Wicked won two awards: best costume design and best production design.
Was it a bold Oscars? Maybe not. A Bond medley was wheeled out – the last one was 2013 – but there was no sign of Shirley Bassey. Instead, Margaret Qualley danced, and Lisa, Doja Cat and Raye sang their way through Live and Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever and Skyfall.
Some speeches touched on politics: winners of best documentary feature for No Other Land, a Palestinian and Israeli collective, called on the world to “take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people” and described US foreign policy as blocking the path to peace.
Backstage, Saldaña was asked to address the portrayal of Mexico in Emilia Pèrez, which drew criticism from locals who claimed it stereotyped Mexicans and portrayed Mexican crime culture as violent and excessive.
“I’m very, very sorry ... that was never our intention,” she said. “I don’t share your opinion. For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women.”
Others were more personal: Kieran Culkin, winning best supporting actor for A Real Pain revealed his wife had such little faith in him she promised him a fourth child if he won an Oscar (it had been a third for his Emmy). “I held my hand out and she shook it. I’ve not brought it up once until just now,” he said.
Other key winners were Conclave (adapted screenplay), Flow (animated feature), and Adrien Brody (actor).
Australians Guy Pearce (supporting actor), Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney (animated feature), Greig Fraser (cinematography), Maya Gnyp (documentary short) and others were nominated but came away empty-handed.
Morgan Freeman speaks about Gene Hackman.Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Elevated security was evident from early morning with federal agents and canine units inspecting arriving vehicles, crew and media shuttles. The reason was revealed later: former US vice president Kamala Harris was attending, according to a number of sources, but the planned appearance was nixed at the last minute. The reason for the cancellation is unclear.
Another no-show was Bob Dylan, whom producers had approached as a presenter and performer. “Bob didn’t want to,” joked Mick Jagger, who replaced him. “He said, the best songs this year are obviously in [the Dylan biopic] A Complete Unknown. You should find somebody younger.” The film didn’t win an award.
Coming days after the death of legendary actor Gene Hackman, an in memoriam package acknowledged the loss of director David Lynch, actors James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Bob Newhart, Shelley Duvall, Teri Garr, Donald Sutherland, Joan Plowright, stuntwoman Jeannie Epper, songwriter Richard M. Sherman and producer Jon Landau.
“I lost a dear friend,” said Morgan Freeman of Hackman, introducing the segment. “Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.
“Gene always said, I don’t think about legacy, I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work,” Freeman continued. “I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you will be remembered for that, and so much more. Rest in peace, my friend.”
The 97th annual Academy Awards will be replayed on Seven at 10pm.