Taika Waititi made history with his Oscar win. Photo / AP
Taika Waititi made history with his Oscar win. Photo / AP
The big news out of Sunday night's Academy Awards: Psychological thriller/dark comedy "Parasite" made history, becoming the first non-English-language film to capture the best picture prize. If you missed it, here are 15 things to know from the 3½-hour telecast:
1. The night of Parasite
Bong Joon Ho, right, reacts as he is presented with the award for best picture. Photo / AP
The best moment happened at the very end of the show, when Parasite won best picture, its fourth prize of the night. After producer Kwak Sin-ae delivered a passionate speech, Oscars producers cut the microphone and turned down the center stage lights, given that the show had already run until 11:30 p.m. The audience was not having it. "Up! Up! Up!" chanted the stars (including Charlize Theron and Tom Hanks). And peer pressure worked! Producers turned the lights back on, and executive producer Miky Lee took the microphone and thanked South Korean filmgoers, whose candid opinions about movies push producers to make great films: "Without you, our Korean film audience, we are not here."
So great how happy everyone is for the Parasite team— Tom Hanks and Charlize Theron leading the chants to let them finish is great. pic.twitter.com/WaCgOhb4UT
Director Bong Joon-ho stood back, as he had already been onstage three times, delivering memorable quotes of his own. He had noted that the "foreign language" category had been changed to "international feature film": "I'm so happy to be its first recipient under the new name. I applaud and support the new direction that this change symbolizes." And later, he spoke for all the winners with the instantly iconic line: "Thank you, I will drink until next morning." (Parasite won Oscars for best picture, best international feature film, best original screenplay and best director.)
2. Martin Scorsese's influence was recognised, even though his film was not
Bong began his acceptance speech for best director, the third of his four awards, by thanking one of his fellow nominees: "When I was young and studying cinema," Bong said via interpreter, "there was a saying that I carved deep into my heart, which is, 'The most personal is the most creative.' That quote is from our great Martin Scorsese."
Martin Scorsese in the audience before the start of the Oscars. Photo / AP
While Bong went on to thank the other three nominees as well — Todd Phillips (Joker), Sam Mendes (1917) and Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), who Bong said "always put my films on his list" — the crowd only rose for Scorsese. But the standing ovation was all the prolific director received, as The Irishman, his mob drama nominated for 10 awards, was completely shut out.
3. The best actor and actress delivered winding speeches
Joaquin Phoenix accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for Joker. Photo / AP
Joaquin Phoenix and Renée Zellweger, who took home the lead acting trophies after consistently winning throughout the awards season, each gave characteristic speeches. Phoenix, who played the infamous Batman villain in Joker, accepted his first-ever Oscar with a call for unity: "I've been thinking a lot about some of the distressing issues that we are facing collectively, and I think at times we feel or we're made to feel that we champion different causes. But for me, I see commonality. I think whether we're talking about gender inequality or racism or queer rights or indigenous rights or animal rights, we're talking about the right against injustice."
Joaquin Phoenix ends his Best Actor #Oscars speech by quoting his brother River. "Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow." pic.twitter.com/QK7JCi0PkN
After advocating for veganism, he admitted he has been a "scoundrel" at times and thanked those in the audience who gave him second chances. He concluded his speech with a nod to his brother, River, who died of a drug overdose in 1993. "When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric," Phoenix stated through tears. "He said, 'Run to the rescue with love, and peace will follow.' "
Zellweger's speech, while less politically charged, meandered even more than Phoenix's. She thanked her fellow nominees, the cast and crew of Judy and her family, specifically: "my immigrant folks who came here with nothing but each other and a belief in the American Dream." Then she touched on the legacy of Judy Garland, whom she plays in the film, and listed a bunch of other American heroes: Neil Armstrong, Harriet Tubman and even Venus and Serena Williams.
In lieu of an opening monologue, the host-less ceremony began with Janelle Monáe performing a musical number. She sang the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood theme — an odd choice, given that the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and its director were snubbed, aside from a nod for supporting actor Tom Hanks. She then switched to her hit Come Alive, adapted to include lyrics that reflected the awards show.
More noticeable than those altered lyrics, however, were the costumes and props surrounding Monáe. While the terrifying dancing Jokers reflected a film that was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — Joker received 11 nominations, only winning two awards — the rest were more in line with the Mister Rogers snub. Monáe wore the floral May Queen outfit from Ari Aster's horrifying thriller Midsommar, for instance, which featured a powerhouse performance from Florence Pugh (who was instead nominated for her supporting role in Little Women). Other dancers wore red jumpsuits like those in "Us," which failed to earn any nominations for Oscar-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele or for Lupita Nyong'o's critically acclaimed lead performance.
5. Steve Martin and Chris Rock delivered their version of a host's monologue
Following Monáe's musical number, presenters Steve Martin and Chris Rock took a swing at "hosting" the ceremony. "Mahershala [Ali] has two Oscars," Rock said at one point. "You know what that means when the cops pull him over? Nothing!"
Steve Martin, left, and Chris Rock speak at the Oscars. Photo / AP
One of the better-received bits concerned Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (who, full disclosure, owns The Washington Post). "Jeff Bezos is here," Rock said, with Martin adding: "Wow, great actor!" Rock continued: "He's got so much cash, when he writes a check, the bank bounces. Jeff Bezos is so rich he got divorced and he's still the richest man in the world. He saw Marriage Story and thought it was a comedy." (Bezos was seen laughing in the audience.)
After jokes that touched upon the lack of racial diversity in the acting categories and gender diversity among the nominated directors — "I thought there was something missing this year," Martin said, with Rock responding, "Vaginas?" — the two men decided they were done. "We've had a great time not hosting tonight."
6. A focus on women (who were snubbed)
The Oscar nominations made headlines this year — and not in a good way — when no women were nominated for best director. So during the telecast, there was a real "Women are great!" vibe from the stars and presenters. Mark Ruffalo, presenting best documentary feature, noted that four of the films were directed or co-directed by women. Presenters Sigourney Weaver, Brie Larson and Gal Gadot announced they would be starting their own female fight club, as they introduced the first female conductor in Oscars history to lead a performance. (This led into Hildur Gudnadottir winning best original score for Joker.) Greta Gerwig, notably snubbed for Little Women, received lots of love: "If I could give this Oscar to Greta Gerwig, I would do it right now," best supporting actress winner Laura Dern said backstage, also calling out The Farewell director Lulu Wang and Honey Boy director Alma Har'el.
The tribute that made the biggest splash? Natalie Portman's Dior cape, captured by Los Angeles Times reporter Amy Kaufman on the red carpet, embroidered with names of female directors who were not nominated.
Natalie Portman embroidered her Dior cape with all of the female directors who weren't nominated for #Oscars. Check out her explanation here. pic.twitter.com/kyyo2wVMZf
You know how Cats was so bad that it was hard to even describe how bad it was? Cats stars James Corden and Rebel Wilson wanted to let you know they were In On The Joke. Much fuss was made about the movie's botched visuals (you could see Judi Dench's human hands and her wedding ring in one scene), mostly because they were terrifying. Anyway, Corden and Wilson presented the visual effects category dressed as cats, and got a big laugh with this: "As cast members of the motion picture Cats, nobody more than us understands the importance of good visual effects." Good joke, though we're not sure the winners (the 1917 visual effects team) appreciated the attention-stealing costumes.
The big four acting categories had their wins basically locked up, and Brad Pitt concluded his Perfect Award Season Run with his first-ever acting Oscar. "They told me I only have 45 seconds up here, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave John Bolton this week. I'm thinking maybe Quentin does a movie about it, in the end, the adults do the right thing," he said dryly. ("I'm just really disappointed with this week, and I think when gamesmanship trumps doing the right thing, it's a sad day, and I don't think we should let it slide," he added backstage.) At the end of his speech, he gave a rare shout-out to his six children whom he shares with actress Angelina Jolie: "This is for my kids, who color everything I do. I adore you."
Meanwhile, Laura Dern also won her first Oscar, and teared up as she thanked her parents, "acting legends" Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. "Some say never meet your heroes, but I say if you're really blessed, you get them as your parents." (In the audience, Ladd was also in tears.) Dern, who would turn 54 on Monday, noted that this was a great way to celebrate: "Thank you all for this gift. This is the best birthday present ever."
Matthew Cherry won best animated short for Hair Love, a Kickstarter campaign-turned-film about a black father who learns how to do his daughter's hair. In doing so, Cherry, a former NFL player, became the second former professional athlete to win an Oscar — following Kobe Bryant, who won for his animated short, Dear Basketball, two years ago. Cherry dedicated his award to the late basketball player: "May we all have a second act as great as his was," he said. Meanwhile, his foreshadowing tweet from 2012 started making its way around Twitter:
I'm gonna be nominated for an Oscar one day. Already claiming it
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) June 2, 2012
10. Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig basically auditioned to host the Oscars next year
Maya Rudolph, left, and Kristen Wiig present the award for best production design. Photo / AP
This marks the second year Maya Rudolph has stolen the show: She followed last year's presentation alongside Amy Poehler and Tina Fey with an equally entertaining bit alongside Kristen Wiig this year. Immediately after approaching the microphone, the actresses announced they couldn't present the award for production design because they were too upset. They were ticked off and seeing red. Then, they backtracked, revealing they were — wait for it — acting. "We just know there are a lot of directors here tonight," Wiig said, with Rudolph adding: "We just want them to know we do more than comedy." Can we get a sequel to Bridesmaids, pretty please?
11. Eminem was there?!
Indeed, he was. And it raised far more questions than answers.
12. Cynthia Erivo's performance
While Elton John and Bernie Taupin won for best original song with"(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman, Erivo's stellar performance of the ballad Stand Up from Harriet got one of the biggest reactions of the night. Social media lit up with praise, and the star-studded audience, still probably confused after that Eminem performance, gave her a standing ovation.
13. People of color performed songs while not actually being nominated
"Cynthia Erivo did such a good job hiding black people in Harriet, the academy got her to hide all the black nominees," Rock said wryly in his faux-monologue with Martin; they also added the Oscars have gone from "zero" black acting nominees in 1929 to "one" in 2020. "Amazing growth!" Martin joked. Many on social media noted that while many people of color had songs and performances during the ceremony (including Utkarsh Ambudkar, who did a rap recap in the middle of the show), it was a stark contrast to the lack of diversity within the nominees.
14. Taika Waititi also made Oscars history
Taika Waititi with his Oscar for best adapted screenplay. Photo / AP
In winning best adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit, his World War II satire, Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi became the first person of Maori descent to ever win an Oscar. He dedicated his award to "all the indigenous kids of the world who want to do art and dance and write stories." Holding up the statuette, he added: "We are the original storytellers and we can make it here as well. Thank you." At another point in the ceremony, Waititi noted the Dolby Theatre is located "on the ancestral lands of the Tongva, the Tataviam and the Chumash. We acknowledge them as the first peoples of this land on which our motion picture community lives and works."
