The 92nd Academy Awards extravaganza can never be better than the Oscars 2020. The whole world was glued to their TV sets or smartphones to view live the six-hour telecast of the award ceremony. Needless to say, the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Centre was packed with the who’s who of global film fraternity, reality stars and high-fashion models not to be left out. But the 92nd Academy Awards was not without its misses.
Here are some of the noteworthy ones of 92nd Academy Awards:
- Continuing with the last year’s trend, Oscars went host less. But this ended up in adding to the confusion and it was felt mostly when a star appeared on camera to introduce another notable personality, who then introduced another famous person. Sounds confusing? Not just that. This whole thing forced people to sit for six long hours. The best example of this was when Anthony Ramos who is a star of the In the Heights introduced his old friend Lin Manuel Miranda, an American composer, lyricist, singer, actor & producer. Miranda, then introduced a montage of noteworthy songs in movie history.
- Former hosts Steve Martin and Chris Rock opened the 92nd Academy Awards show with a witty back and forth critical reception of some earlier year’s Oscars snubs. Martin stated that there was a big disaster at the Oscars a couple of years ago. Citing the example of the 2017 initial reading of the best picture as La La Land instead of Moonlight. “That won’t happen this year, because the Academy has switched to the new Iowa Caucus app!” Martin also pointed that the list of nominees for the best director award did not have a single woman nominee.
#Oscars Moment: The presenter duo we never knew we needed. @SteveMartinToGo and @chrisrock pic.twitter.com/9rF349pCwA
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 10, 2020
- Actor Natalie Portman made a fashion and a feminist statement on the red carpet of 92nd Academy Awards. She showed off a black and gold Dior Haute Couture outfit with names of eight female directors embroidered. But none of them were nominated on 92nd Academy Awards. Oooops!
- Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig while presenting for best production design, clinched the moment to showcase that they have a range beyond comedy as well. “We just know there are a lot of directors here tonight,” Wiig said to which Rudolph added, “We just wanted them to know, we do more than comedy.” The pair then gave us everything from their singing abilities to dramatic acting chops, from bursting into tears and belting out a medley of songs to even nearly walking off the stage in rage.
#Oscars Moment: @MayaRudolph and Kristen Wiig can do it all. pic.twitter.com/44yWPGJYNv
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 10, 2020
- A surprise performance by Eminem got a standing ovation as well. When Miranda introduced a montage of famous movie songs from Huey Lewis Power of Love that underscored Back to the Future to Dueling Banjos from Deliverance. However, when a clip from Eight Mile began, Eminem’s Oscar-winning song was not played along with it. But instead, a live band rose from beneath the stage with Eminem himself singing the title track.
But the highlight of Oscars 2020 was South Korean film Parasite winning the best picture creating history by becoming the first non-English language film to take the top prize. Parasite won four awards in total, while Sir Sam Mendes’s 1917 took three.
Here’s the full list of winners of 92nd Academy Awards:
Best picture
Parasite
Best actress
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Best actor
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Best director
Bong Joon-ho for Parasite
Music (original song)
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman
Music (original score)
Joker
International feature film
South Korea, Parasite
Makeup and hairstyling
Bombshell
Visual effects
1917
Best film editing
Ford v Ferrari
Best cinematography
Roger Deakins, 1917
Best sound mixing
1917
Best sound editing
Ford v Ferrari
Best supporting actress
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Documentary short feature
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Documentary feature
American Factory
Best costume design
Jacqueline Durran, Little Women
Best production design
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Live-action short film
The Neighbors’ Window
Best adapted screenplay
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Best original screenplay
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Animated short film
Hair Love
Animated feature film
Toy Story 4
Best supporting actor
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood
Best supporting actress
Laura Dern Marriage Story