By Emily McLaughlin
During the annual 96th Academy Awards, the 2024 Oscars was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 10. Many of the biggest stars in Hollywood gathered to celebrate the best films this year.
The Oscar awards have included Emma Stone in “Poor Things,” “Oppenheimer” with Robert Downey Junior, and Cillian Murphy winning their first ever Oscar for Best-supporting Actor and Best Actor with the addition of Christopher Nolan, who won Best Director, Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “The Holdovers,” Best Original Song “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” and several others. With various winning nominees came many performances. Ryan Gosling performed “I’m Just Ken,” Billie Eilish sang “What Was I Made For,” and her brother Finneas O’Connell on the piano, John Cena nearly naked presented an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Becky G with “The Fire Inside,” “It Never Went Away” performed by Jon Batiste, Scott George and The Osage Singers performed “Wahzhazhe,” and Andrea Bocelli singing “Time to Say Good-bye” with his son Matteo Bocelli in memory of the writers, musicians, producers who have died in the past year.
Picking up the night’s first award, Randolph won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in “The Holdovers” for the role in the Focus Features film directed by Alexander Payne. In Randolph’s speech, she reflected on her journey and self-acceptance.
Randolph cried, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. “For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different,” she added. Now I realize I just need to be myself, and I thank you for seeing me.”
With Oscar’s history of streakers, John Cena appeared to be covering his private parts fully nude with a winning envelope while wearing sandals on his feet. However, Cena had skin-tone fabric that crossed between a loin cloth and a speedo behind the envelope, so he was covered for the bit between him and the host of the show, Jimmy Kimmel.
“Costumes are so important. Maybe the most important thing there is,” Cena said in an ET clip of him on stage.
Stone’s win for Best Actress left many people shocked. The one to win the Oscar award various predicted was Lily Gladstone, the “Killers of the Flower Moon” actress, who would have been the first Native American to win an Oscar. Martin Scorsese was seen consoling Gladstone at the end of the Oscar ceremony.
On ABC NEWS, Lucas Brown Eyes, an Oglala Lakota TV writer, said, “It took 95 years for a Native (Blackfeet) woman to get a nomination like this. The ‘makeup’ Oscar doesn’t work for Natives when this industry gives Natives opportunities once in a century.”
“Oppenheimer” won the most Oscars this year with seven, including best picture, actor, supporting actor, director, original score, film editing, and cinematography. With Downey, Murphy, and Nolan’s first-ever Oscar wins, they thanked several of their loved ones and members of the “Oppenheimer” team for being a part of the making of the film.
Getting a standing ovation for “What Was I Made For,” Eilish and O’Connell received the Best Original Song Oscar award, winning their second Oscar after the James Bond theme song “No Time to Die.” Eilish, at 22, and O’Connell, at 26, are recorded as the youngest to win two Oscars in history.
With the Oscars ending five minutes early, Kimmel’s final few words related to a review of former President Donald Trump. Trump said Kimmel was the worst host to be picked for the Oscars and is trying too hard to be somebody he is not. Kimmel had a few words to respond.
The Hollywood Reporter reported concerning Kimmel’s response, “I’m surprised you’re still up. Isn’t it past your jail time?”