The 97th Annual Academy Awards, hosted by comedian and television host Conan O’Brien, took place on March 2, marking the end of award season. This time is always controversial in Hollywood, but this season has had some real internet-splitting moments with the Beyoncé versus Billie Eilish and the “Wicked” versus “Emilia Pérez” drama.
Best Picture:
This award spotlights the best movie of the year and highlights the collective efforts of everyone involved in making the movie. The winner this year was “Anora.” The drama film projects the life of 23 year old girl, Ani (Anora) Mikheeva, whose job causes her to meet the son, Ivan (Vanya) Zakharov, of a Russian oligarch. As the film goes on tensions rise as the “romance” progresses. The independent film, “Anora,” took just 37 days to film, included only 40 cast and crew members, and has a 93 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
“Focusing on a superb lead performance, and making use of a grungy, contrasting, intimate and textured aesthetic, Sean Baker (“Anora” director) presents us with what could very well be his best film yet,” movie critic Sebastian Zavala Kahn said.
Best Director:
Another big award that went toward “Anora” is Best Director given to Sean Baker. He now ties the record for the highest number of individual Oscars in a single ceremony for one film. As Baker’s name was announced for Best Director, Yuriy Borisov and Mark Eydelshteyn, two actors from “Anora,” jump up from their seats to hug Baker with smiles. While most Oscar recipients may thank friends and family for their awards, Baker took his speech in a different direction. He speaks on the importance of supporting movie theaters, as the pandemic caused nearly 1000 theaters to shut down.
“In a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever. It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home, and right now, the theater-going experience is under threat. […] If we don’t reverse this trend, we’ll be losing a vital part of our culture. This is my battle cry,” Baker said in his Oscar acceptance speech.
Best Supporting Actor:
Kieran Culkin took home Best Supporting Actor for the comedy movie, “A Real Pain,” a film about how two cousins, Benji and David, visit and tour Poland as they honor their grandmother’s passing, a survivor of the Holocaust.
“Culkin is so raw and organic, sketching [the character] Benji in a way that never once feels calculated,” top movie critic Roger Ebert said.
Best Supporting Actress:
With much anticipation, Best Supporting Actress went to Zoé Saldaña for “Emilia Pérez,” a movie that follows a cartel leader, Emilia Pérez, who abandons her old life by faking her death. Pérez recruits a lawyer to help her achieve an authentic and fulfilling life. Many online fans showed hope for supporting actress Ariana Grande for her role in “Wicked,” but were let down when Saldaña won. Saldaña is the first person of Dominican descent to receive an Oscar.
“I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy award, and I know I will not be the last,” Saldaña said in her Oscar acceptance speech.
Best Actor:
The award for Best Actor was another nomination that was highly anticipated. Timothée Chalamet was up for the Best Actor award, and if he won, he would’ve been the youngest actor to win that award. In a turn of events, Adrien Brody won the award for “The Brutalist,” which follows a Hungarian-Jewish man, László Toth, who rebuilds his life post-Holocaust in Pennsylvania. Drama was sparked over this award, as it was revealed in post-production that AI was used to enhance the dialogue. Brody now holds the record for the longest Oscars acceptance speech, five minutes and thirty-six seconds, with typical speeches being around 45 seconds long. Although most of his time is spent thanking friends and family, he also used it to shed light on anti-Semitism and systematic oppression.
“I’m here once again to represent the lingering traumas and repercussions of war. […] If the past can teach us anything, it’s a reminder to not let hate go unchecked,” Brody said in his Oscar acceptance speech.
Best Actress:
With less than 15 movies and shows in her filmography, the lead actress for “Anora” Mikey Madison impressed everyone by taking her first Oscar award home. Madison extensively studied Russian and did her own stunts in “Anora” to capture the full extent of her character. Many fans wanted “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo or “The Substance” star Demi Moore to win, but were shut down. In her speech, Madison touched on how she grew up in Los Angeles but never felt she would make it to Hollywood.
The Oscars mostly stayed away from drama and received fairly well-rounded, marking the end of the award show season in Hollywood. Although this season has concluded, some fans still hold out hope for their favorite musical nominees to be celebrated on Broadway during the Tony Awards in June.
