All the talk is over. Another awards season is at an end. Now it’s time to hand out Oscars.
The 97th Academy Awards will close out a go-round that’s been more unpredictable than most. We’ll find out if “Anora” is truly a Cinderella story, or if a more conventional Oscar movie like “The Brutalist” or “Conclave” will take a best picture win. We’ll find out if Timothée Chalamet can become the youngest best actor winner ever for playing Bob Dylan, or if Adrien Brody has another win in store. And we’ll see if Demi Moore can finish this season’s most rousing Oscar comeback, or if Mikey Madison can score a best actress trophy her first time out.
Stay tuned for all the highlights and big winners from the Oscar red carpet and the Academy Awards ceremony.
‘Wicked’ brings production design Oscar home to the Yellow Brick Road, ‘Emilia Pérez’ takes best song
“Wicked” takes the production design Academy Award – it’s second win of the night – and if you’ve seen the movie, you get it. The musical is pretty darn cool to look at. And speaking of singing people, Mick Jagger hits the stage to give out the original song Oscar and garners a standing ovation. “I wasn’t the first choice. Producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do it” but Dylan said no because “all the best songs” were in “A Complete Unknown,” Jagger quips. The Oscar goes to “El Mal,” giving “Emilia Pérez” its second Oscar of the evening as well, and Diane Warren goes home empty-handed once again for the 16th time. (Though she does have an honorary Academy Award!)
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Zoe Saldaña makes history, wins supporting actress Oscar for ‘Emilia Pérez’
“Anora” gets its second win of the night as Sean Baker snags best editing. “I saved this film in the editing. This director shouldn’t work again,” the filmmaker quips. (He also directed, FYI.) As we all wonder if “Anora” might actually pull of a best picture win here, Zoe Saldaña is named best supporting actress for “Emilia Pérez” to no one’s shock. “Mommy!” she cries to her mother when accepting her first Oscar. She thanks the “love and community” shared by her fellow nominees and thanks her family: “Everything brave and outrageous and good I’ve ever done is thanks to you.” She also says she’s the first American of Dominican origin to win an Academy Award and “I hope I won’t be the last.”
Wooooo! ‘The Substance’ wins an Oscar! Plus James Bond gets a musical tribute
It has a chance at best picture, it should take best actress but “The Substance” is officially an Oscar winner. The bonkers body horror flick with Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley wins for best makeup and hairstyling. Tonight, Monstro Elisasue shall celebrate.
Afterward, Halle Berry takes the stage for a fun montage and then Margaret Qualley dances with a bunch of guys in tuxes for a tribute to all things James Bond. Which Amazon will hopefully make a TV show that crosses over with “Reacher” because a non-secret-agent man can dream. But that’s not all: Lisa from Blackpink sings “Live and Let Die,” Doja Cat does “Diamonds Are Forever” and Raye closes with “Skyfall.”
Best picture hopefuls ‘Anora,’ ‘Conclave’ take screenplay Oscars
“Anora” gets its first big win of the night: Sean Baker wins his first Oscar, for original screenplay, for “Anora.” He thanks his cast who “who elevated everything I wrote and made me look very good” and the sex-worker communities he’s worked with over the years: “I share this with you.”
The other best picture favorite gets the other writing Oscar, as “Conclave” wins for adapted screenplay. In a sweet moment, Peter Straughan dedicates the win to his daughter but adds, “That’s not saying this is yours. It’s not like that jumper you keep taking. This is mine.”
What everybody does get in the crowd is a little treat: Each seat in the Dolby Theatre has a box under it with bottled water, a soft pretzel, mustard, Milk Duds and a note/drawing from O’Brien.
Colman Domingo is the behind-the-scenes Oscar MVP
We’ll see if he wins a best actor trophy tonight but Colman Domingo’s the most popular guy in the Oscar crowd. He and Lupita Nyong’o give each other a kiss on the cheek before they head over to chat with Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater and Cynthia Erivo. Domingo and Erivo walk over to hug Ralph Fiennes, and then Domingo blows a kiss to Jeff Goldblum and also shakes Yura Borisov’s hand.
In non-Domingo news, supporting actress nominees Fernanda Torres and Monica Barbara share a big embrace during the commercial break.
Bowen Yang wins the costume design presentation, ‘Wicked’ takes home the Oscar
Lily-Rose Depp, Elle Fanning, John Lithgow, Connie Nielsen and Bowen Yang are out to present the costume design Oscar and represent their respective nominated films. Yang, rocking his Shizz University student wear, is the only one actually wearing their costume. “Et tu, Lithgow?” he quips. All good, though, because “Wicked” wins.
By the way, this is how all Oscar technical awards should be handled: make it entertaining, with the stars of the movies. Good luck following that, best editing!
Lots of love going on in the Oscar crowd, especially with the ‘Wicked’ crew
Everybody’s in their feelings in the Oscars early going. When presenting the animated feature category, Andrew Garfield seemingly kissed Goldie Hawn’s hand during the nominee package. (He also was affectionate during Saturday rehearsals, where he hugged Hawn and gently kissed her on the top of the head as they practiced.) During commercial, Colman Domingo reaches over to shake Emma Stone’s hand and blow her kisses while she’s seated in the middle of the second row. There’s also a “Wicked” group hug/selfie going on with Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu and Grande’s mom.
‘Flow’ takes the animated movie prize – cartoon cats purr their approval
Now here’s the first upset of the night: “Flow,” a wordless Latvian film about a cat and his animals pals traversing a flooded landscape, takes the Oscar for best animated feature, defeating bigger studio movies like “The Wild Robot” and “Inside Out 2.” (“Flow” is in contention for best international film as well.) The Oscar for animated short goes to “In the Shadow of the Cypress.”
No surprise here: Kieran Culkin wins the supporting actor Oscar, makes great Oscar speech
Robert Downey, last year’s supporting actor winner, comes out to present the honor to this year’s victor. He shouts out each one, calling Kieran Culkin “The Culk.” On this night, Culk smash! The “A Real Pain” star finishes an awards-season sweep with an Oscar. “This means a lot coming from you,” Culkin says to Downey. “I have no idea how I got here. I’ve been acting my entire life,” he adds, thanking his manager and co-star/director Jesse Eisenberg. He also mentions how he wanted a third kid with his wife Jazz Charton during an acceptance speech at the Emmys a year ago, and recounts afterward how she said “I’ll give you four if you win an Oscar.” “I say this to you, love of my life: I’m really sorry I did this again and let’s get cracking on those kids,” Culkin quips.
Oscar host Conan O’Brien spoofs ‘The Substance,’ jokes about Karla Sofía Gascón
Conan O’Brien does a bit spoofing “The Substance” to start his hosting gig. The “Four-time Oscar viewer” comes on the stage and tells everyone to sit down. “You never stood, OK,” he says. O’Brien jokes about how he looks his age, the early time of the awards (“Everyone just had brunch!”) and various movie titles: “A Complete Unknown” and “A Real Pain” were “some of the things I was called on the red carpet.”
He makes a jab at “Wicked,” saying it’s for people who watched “The Wizard of Oz” and “wondered where all the minor characters went to college,” and also “Conclave”: “It’s about the Catholic Church but don’t worry.” O’Brien tackles “Anora” as well: It “uses the f-word 400 times … which beats the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist.”
After a controversial awards season, Gascón is in the crowd tonight and O’Brien tells her, “Remember: If you’re going to tweet about the Oscars, my name is Jimmy Kimmel.” She laughs in the crowd and seems to get a kick out of it.
In the crowd, O’Brien points out Adam Sandler wearing a hoodie and gym shorts. Sandler is faux offended, but it’s pretty much a gag just so Sandler can go over to Timothee Chalamet and shout “Chalamet!!!” (Absolutely worth it. No notes, guys.) Then O’Brien launches into a musical number about not wasting time, which features a “Dune” sandworm playing piano and dancing Deadpool.
The Academy Awards kick off with a ‘Wicked’ tribute to LA
“There’s no place like home.” The Oscars start with Judy Garland and her ruby shoes from “The Wizard of Oz” and roll out a montage of movie scenes from “La La Land,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and other films to honor LA. Ariana Grande first comes out to sing a stirring rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” and then her “Wicked” co-star Cynthia Erivo arrives to belt “Home” from “The Wiz” to stick with the theme. Of course, they then meet each other on center stage and hold hands to do “Defying Gravity.” Erivo kills the big part at the end to make sure everyone gets the chills. Standing ovation, naturally.
Oscar guests rush to their places before the show starts
With only 10 minutes to go, Felicity Jones is standing by the bar chatting with her “The Brutalist” co-star Guy Pearce, who’s sipping champagne. Willem Dafoe is also chilling by the bar, which has since closed as everyone starts shuffling to their seats.
Whoopi Goldberg in the house, with a purple gown so long her friend is holding it up so she can get through the crowd. Goldberg’s got a whole process: She stops to greet Wolfgang Puck, and friend drops gown. She and Wolfgang take photos, then dress train is picked up and Goldberg makes her way into the theater.
Filmmakers Ava DuVernay and Jon M. Chu are some of the last folks inside. Adrien Brody also makes a late entrance, shaking hands and smiling as he’s rushed into the theater. Somehow Timothée Chalamet is still on the carpet despite the urgent “last call” on the loud speaker. Jeremy Strong shot through the lobby. “Meet here, right?” he said to his date mid stride while rushing off in full Roy Cohn mode.
Meanwhile Nick Offerman is on center stage: “I am your announcer for the evening.” Only minutes left until Conan O’Brien and Co. get the show started.
Live from the Oscar seats: Rachel Zegler needs to get to the ball on time
Rachel Zegler gets ushered to the front of the elevator line in order to get to her seat on time, sweetly thanking and waving at fans who tell her she looks beautiful. With just 20 minutes until showtime, Jesse Eisenberg is having an animated conversation with a group by the lobby entrance, while Rachel Sennott, in a sparkling pink dress, walks hand in hand with her tuxedoed date. Miley Cyrus and her boyfriend smile as their tickets are checked at the door, but don’t acknowledge the guests shouting her name and filming on their smartphones. But Lupita Nyong’o took a photo with a fan (in the bathroom line!). Lots of fangirling happening, in general.
Who’s going to win the Oscar acting categories? (Or: Is it Demi Moore’s night?)
Both Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) and Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”) are locks for the supporting races. But there is some drama to be had in the lead acting categories. While Brody (“The Brutalist”) won an early Golden Globe for best actor, Chalamet came on late with momentum and scored the SAG trophy – at this point, he might be the safest bet, considering six of the last seven SAG winners also won Oscar. Meanwhile best actress is up for grabs between Moore (SAG, Critics Choice and Globe wins) and Madison (BAFTA win). Given Moore’s four-decade history in Hollywood and her comeback narrative with “The Substance,” she’s the favorite. See more of our predictions here.
Speaking of Moore, she smiled some hellos while sailing to her seat in the Dolby Theatre, surviving one interloper stepping on her trailing gown. Selena Gomez did not even stop, swanning to her place. “Wicked” star Marissa Bode is the star of the lobby, waving to face time calls and posing for selfies with fans. Meanwhile Bernie Taupin, who’s rocking sunglasses, and Brandi Carlile are hanging out in a corner, talking in animated conversations and taking photos.
