There were a lot of smiling faces at the but one had to stand out 鈥� saw his film 鈥淎nora鈥� go home with the top film prize and he took four for himself. Its star was crowned best actress.
Twenty-two years after winning best actor for 鈥淭he Pianist,鈥� Adrien Brody for his performance as another Holocaust survivor in Brady Corbet鈥檚 鈥淭he Brutalist." He somehow kept the playoff music at bay.
On Sunday, firefighters who battled recent wildfires got applauded, Mick Jagger handed out the best original song Oscar and John Lithgow was tasked with looking 鈥渟lightly disappointed鈥� when speeches ran long. One highlight was Timoth茅e Chalamet 鈥� literally. His yellow suit got more than one comment.
Here were some other telecast highlights:
'Proud child of immigrant parents'
was the favorite but that didn't diminish her emotional win.
After accepting the Oscar for best supporting actress for her work in Salda帽a spoke emotionally about her family and her grandmother, tearing up during her speech.
鈥淢y grandmother came to this country in 1961 鈥� I am a proud child of immigrant parents,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith dreams and dignity and hard-working hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last. I hope. The fact that I鈥檓 getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish 鈥� my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted, this is for my grandmother.鈥�
The accolade comes after Salda帽a swept awards season, taking home the Golden Globe, Critics鈥� Choice, BAFTA and SAG awards for playing lawyer Rita Mora Castro.
A 鈥榃icked鈥� opening
Host Conan O鈥橞rien took a back seat at the Oscars' opening number, ceding the floor to a 鈥淲izard of Oz鈥�-themed, 8-minute musical medley led by and Cynthia Erivo.
Grande, in a red sparkly dress, performed a rendition of 鈥淪omewhere Over the Rainbow鈥� from 鈥淭he Wizard of Oz.鈥� Then Erivo, in a white gown with floral embellishments, took the stage to sing a staggering rendition of 鈥淗ome鈥� from "The Wiz." They joined up for 鈥淲icked's鈥� 鈥淒efying Gravity,鈥� with Grande kissing Erivo's ring.
Wildfire-battered Los Angeles, on this night, stood in for Oz, with the graphic 鈥淲e Love LA鈥� showing after the pair were finished. The show began with a medley of film moments that used Los Angeles as a backdrop, including 鈥淟a La Land,鈥� 鈥淪traight Outta Compton,鈥� 鈥淚ron Man 2鈥� and 鈥淢ulholland Drive.鈥�
Then it was O鈥橞rien's turn, comically pulling himself 鈥� and a missing shoe 鈥� from within the body of Demi Moore, in a take on her film 鈥淭he Substance.鈥�
A very 鈥� maybe too 鈥� public family discussion
While accepting an Emmy Award in January 2024, used his time onstage to plead with his wife for more kids. They have two, Kinsey Sioux and Wilder Wolf. 鈥淵ou said maybe if I win,鈥� he said, cheekily.
On Sunday, he upped the demand.
Culkin from the Oscar stage repeated the story and then said that he and Jazz Charton made a deal in the parking lot at the Emmys: If he won an Oscar, she'd not only give him a third, they could plan for a fourth. They even shook on it.
鈥淚 just have to say this to you, Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith," he said as the crowd roared. "No pressure, I love you. I鈥檓 really sorry I did this again. Now let's get cracking on those kids, what do you say?鈥�
The moment got an echo later in the night when 鈥淚鈥檓 Not A Robot鈥� director Victoria Warmerdam said she wasn鈥檛 following Culkin鈥檚 lead.
鈥淭o my producer and partner in life, Trent: I鈥檓 not having your babies because of this statue,鈥� she said after winning best live action short.
007, celebrated by women
There was no James Bond movie nominated in 2024 but there was a big James Bond section at the Oscars that ate up a lot of telecast time.
To honor transfer of the franchise to Amazon, three singers 鈥� Lisa, Doja Cat and Raye 鈥� each sang a different 007 title song. Lisa sang 鈥淟ive and Let Die,鈥� Doja Cat tackled 鈥淒iamonds Are Forever鈥� and Raye did 鈥淪kyfall.鈥�
announced Thursday that the studio has taken the creative reins of the 007 franchise after decades of family control. Longtime said they would be stepping back. On Sunday, Halle Berry thanked them for being the 鈥渉eart and soul鈥� of Bond.
The tribute began with 鈥淭he Substance鈥� nominee in a red gown taking to the stage to dance acrobatically with a team of male dancers to the James Bond theme.
Gene Hackman honored
Morgan Freeman made an understated tribute to a friend: Gene Hackman
Freeman, who starred with Hackman in two movies, kicked off the in memoriam section with a somber note about
鈥淭his week, our community lost a giant. And I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman,鈥� Freeman began in his speech. 鈥淚 had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films, 鈥楿nforgiven鈥� and 鈥楿nder Suspicion.鈥� Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone鈥檚 work.鈥�
鈥淕ene always said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work,鈥欌�� Freeman continued. 鈥淚 think I speak for us all when I say, 鈥楪ene, you will be remembered for that, and so much more.鈥� Rest in peace, my friend.鈥�
The in memoriam section would honor such luminaries as Terri Garr, Donald Sutherland, Louis Gossett Jr, Shelley Duvall, David Lynch, Bob Newhart, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith and James Earl Jones. A separate section in the telecast
How to stop the wrap-up music
It has been an endless torment to winners everywhere whenever they hear the music swelling. It means one thing: Stop talking.
Brody had a novel response to the playoff music Sunday. He looked sternly into the camera and said: 鈥淚鈥檓 wrapping up, please turn the music off. I鈥檝e done this before. Thank you. It鈥檚 not my first rodeo, but I will will be brief.鈥�
It's true. He won the Oscar in 2003 for 鈥淭he Pianist,鈥� memorably kissing Halle Berry at the podium. But that time he was pleading, not demanding, more time from producers.
When the music started rolling during his emotional speech back then, Brody said: 鈥淥ne second, please. One second. Cut it out. I got one shot at this.鈥� He added, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 say more than five names, I don鈥檛 think.鈥� He went on for more than a minute more.
___
For more coverage of this year鈥檚 Oscars, visit:
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
