The 94th annual Academy Awards returned once again to Dolby Theatre as Cinema’s most prestigious night had altered course during the Pandemic. Taking top honours was Sian Heder‘s CODA, taking Best Picture. The Film is the first-ever Film with a predominantly Deaf Cast to win Best Picture. It premiered at Sundance in 2021, before selling to Apple for a record $25 million, proving a smart investment. The Film written and directed Heder, is based on the 2014 French coming-of-age film La Famille Bélier, centering on a young woman who is the child of deaf parents.
In addition to winning Best Picture, CODA also won Heder Best Adapted Screenplay and Troy Kotsur would take Supporting Actor.
Other major winners included Will Smith for his work in KING RICHARD, landing him Best Actor, proving third time’s the charm after having been nominated thrice for an Oscar.
Jessica Chastain gained much momentum in recent weeks, taking Best Actress for her portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE. This also was her third time being nominated for an Oscar, proving once again that third time’s the charm!
Best Director went to Jane Campion for THE POWER OF THE DOG, which was seen as the favourite to win Best Picture. She has the distinction of being the third woman ever to win the category.
Hosted by a Trio of Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, the night was not without drama. Funnyman Chris Rock when presenting Best Documentary, poked fun at Jada Pinkett Smith‘s baldness which landed him a slap on-stage from eventual Will Smith, in defense of his wife.
#Oscars | Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock In The Face On Oscars Stage After Jab At Wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s Appearance https://t.co/6TZkI48QNh pic.twitter.com/ibpffmh2Mc
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) March 28, 2022
Things got lighter as this year’s In Memoriam took an uplifting turn with a gospel choir paying tribute to among others Ivan Reitman, Sidney Poitier and Betty White.
Some of the evening’s standout looks at the Oscars:
Holy mother of God. Lupita Nyong’o in Prada. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/G2VU4JgVOB
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
Jessica Chastain in Gucci channeling Hollywood Magic Hour. Stunning. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/sjunjKXCwX
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
Wilmer Valderrama looks s👀 good in Dolce & Gabanna. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/NswTRuM5LC
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
The look of a winner. Ariana DeBose confident in Valentino pantsuit. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/5naNw1E39q
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
One went shirtless. One wore a shirt. Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet at the #Oscars for DUNE. pic.twitter.com/6yld0ZWhpn
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
A friggin’ Rockstar. Live for Kristen Stewart. Don’t care what the Academy thinks. She has won the night. Chanel has done amazing work tailoring her looks all Awards Season. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/JRNYXxEkgk
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
Zoe Kravitz in Saint Laurent. Beautiful, simple. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/PgTuXnrEaQ
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) March 27, 2022
Complete list of winners below:
Best Picture
“Belfast”
“CODA” (Winner)
“Don’t Look Up”
“Drive My Car”
“Dune”
“King Richard”
“Licorice Pizza”
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“West Side Story”
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (Winner)
Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
Penelope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers”
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”
Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”
Best Actor
Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick, Boom”
Will Smith, “King Richard” (Winner)
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Best Director
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” (Winner)
Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
Best Original Song
“Be Alive” from “King Richard”
“Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto”
“Down to Joy” from “Belfast”
“No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” (Winner)
“Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days”
Best Documentary Feature
“Ascension”
“Attica”
“Flee”
“Summer of Soul” (Winner)
“Writing with Fire”
Best Adapted Screenplay
“CODA,” Sian Heder (Winner)
“Drive My Car,” Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
“Dune,” Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
“The Lost Daughter,” Maggie Gyllenhaal
“The Power of the Dog,” Jane Campion
Best Original Screenplay
“Belfast,” Kenneth Branagh (Winner)
“Don’t Look Up,” Adam McKay, Story by McKay and David Sirota
“King Richard,” Zack Baylin
“Licorice Pizza,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“The Worst Person in the World,” Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier
Best Costume Design
“Cruella” (Winner)
“Cyrano”
“Dune”
“Nightmare Alley”
“West Side Story”
Best International Feature Film
“Drive My Car” (Winner)
“Flee”
“The Hand of God”
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”
“The Worst Person in the World”
Best Supporting Actor
Ciarán Hinds, “Belfast”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA” (Winner)
Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”
JK Simmons, “Being the Ricardos”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
Best Animated Feature
“Encanto” (Winner)
“Flee”
“Luca”
“The Mitchells vs. the Machines”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
Best Visual Effects
“Dune” (Winner)
“Free Guy”
“No Time to Die”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home”
Best Cinematography
“Dune” (Winner)
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
“West Side Story”
Best Supporting Actress
Jessie Buckley, “The Lost Daughter”
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story” (Winner)
Judi Dench, “Belfast”
Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
“Coming 2 America”
“Cruella”
“Dune”
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (Winner)
“House of Gucci”
Best Production Design
“Dune” (Winner)
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
“West Side Story”
Best Editing
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune” (Winner)
“King Richard”
“The Power of the Dog”
“Tick, Tick, Boom”
Best Original Score
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune” (Winner)
“Encanto”
“Parallel Mothers”
“The Power of the Dog”
Best Live Action Short
“Ala Kachuu – Take and Run”
“The Dress”
“The Long Goodbye” (Winner)
“On My Mind”
“Please Hold”
Best Animated Short
“Affairs of the Art”
“Bestia”
“Boxballet”
“Robin Robin”
“The Windshield Wiper” (Winner)
Best Documentary Short Subject
“Audible”
“Lead Me Home”
“The Queen of Basketball” (Winner)
“Three Songs for Benazir”
“When We Were Bullies”
Best Sound
“Belfast”
“Dune” (Winner)
“No Time to Die”
“The Power of the Dog”
“West Side Story”
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
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