The 96th Academy Awards have come and gone, and “Oppenheimer†came out on top, winning best picture and earning Christopher Nolan his first-ever Oscar, for directing.
The film also had a strong showing in the acting categories, with Cillian Murphy winning lead actor and Robert Downey Jr. supporting actor. “Oppenheimer†won seven awards overall.
There was much more to celebrate, including Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s win for supporting actress in “The Holdovers,†and Emma Stone’s win for lead actress in “Poor Things.†A rapturous performance of “I’m Just Ken†by Ryan Gosling, which featured an appearance from Slash from Guns N’ Roses, came just before Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell won for their competing “Barbie†song “What Was I Made For?â€
The L.A. Times also won its first Oscar for the short documentary “The Last Repair Shop,†about four unsung master craftspeople who service musical instruments for Los Angeles Unified School District students. The ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel; however, the start was temporarily delayed as protesters convened on Hollywood to call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Times columnists Mary McNamara and Glenn Whipp watched the show live, discussing all of the most exciting moments of the ceremony, along with staff writer Tracy Brown, who was inside the Dolby Theatre and provided updates in real time. Read all their updates here.
Winners list | Red carpet photos | Artists call for ceasefire with red buttons|Ceremony delayed by protests
Ryan Gosling performs ‘I’m Just Ken’ | Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s acceptance speech | Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue | L.A. Times wins its first Oscar | Emma Stone wins best actress| Billie Eilish makes Oscars history | How Oscars addressed wars | John Cena’s big reveal
5 big takeaways — and what you didn’t see on TV | Review: An upbeat Oscars |
The musical performances, ranked | ‘Barbie’s’ awards season hopes mostly fizzled
Oscar winners “Oppenheimer,†“Poor Things,†Emma Stone and more took home Academy Awards during Sunday’s ceremony.
7:44 p.m. I scored 20 out of 23 correct on my predictions. Still thinking about one of the categories I missed — lead actress. And I’m remembering what Da’Vine Joy Randolph said earlier in the evening when she won, expressing hope that she’d be back someday. I believe Lily Gladstone will return to the Oscars someday too and, hopefully, she’ll be holding a trophy when the ceremony ends. — G.W.
7:41 p.m. There may be some angry responses to Stone winning over Gladstone — though in terms of screen time and narrative position, Stone was a much more traditional lead than Gladstone was — but there was not a slap in sight. Maybe I’ll see you guys, and Giamatti, at In-N-Out. Now I’ve got to stop because “Abbott Elementary†is on. — M.M.
7:40 p.m. Inside the Dolby, I got the sense that people did not know how to immediately process Emma Stone winning, even though, as Glenn has mentioned, that race was neck and neck. The way Al Pacino announced the final award didn’t help. A lot of folks in my row started rushing out even before Kimmel was done with his remarks. Though, to be fair, I was seated pretty close to what seemed like the “Oppenheimer†and “Poor Things†squads so maybe they were off to celebrate. As for me, I’m relieved there wasn’t a bad kind of surprise at my first Oscars because that means I get to call it a night. — T.B.
7:31 p.m. “Subdued†is one way to put it, Mary. Anticlimactic would be another and not just because we knew it was coming. C’mon, Al. His energy pretty much was like, “Yeah, whatever … ‘Oppenheimer.’†Not exactly the best way to end the evening. But on the whole, a pretty terrific show. — G.W.
Emma Stone’s win for ‘Poor Things,’ her second in the category, came in a tight race with Gladstone, who would have been the first Native American to win the Oscar for best actress.
7:30 p.m. Al Pacino delivers a subdued announcement of “Oppenheimer’s†best picture win, which is fitting in a rather depressing way. Winning any Oscar, particularly best picture, is a very big deal and the worst part of awards seasons is, inevitably, the fatigue caused by all those predictions (sorry, Glenn) and previous award shows. “Oppenheimer†is a wildly ambitious, thematically significant and exquisitely crafted film that helped boost the film industry when it needed it most. All those involved, and all those who watched it, should be thrilled. And so should Kimmel, who oversaw a surprisingly fleet and entertaining Oscars telecast, with just the right amount of schmaltz, down to the final image of Messi peeing on Kimmel nemesis Matt Damon’s Hollywood Boulevard star. — M.M.
7:24 p.m. I started feeling an Emma Stone win could be possible when “Poor Things†won for production design, costumes and makeup and hair. But I did predict Lily Gladstone would take this. I can’t begrudge Stone her win for her go-for-broke performance in “Poor Things.†It’s acting for the ages. And yet … I loved Gladstone’s quiet power in “Killers of the Flower Moon†too. An Oscar for her would have meant so much to so many people. — G.W.
Our team at the 96th Academy Awards runs down the moments you need to know about and why they mattered.
7:24 p.m. Well, Glenn, you called it. Despite much anticipation for “Killers of the Flower Moon’s†Lily Gladstone becoming the first Native American to win an Oscar, a wildly emotional Emma Stone wins best actress for “Poor Things.†Not an upset by any means, but it was the only race in which the winner was in question. “Guys, make sure you tear up that envelope so there’s no confusion about Best Picture,†Kimmel says as she leaves, referring to the “La La Land†and â€Moonlight†fiasco. — M.M.
7:15 p.m. “Oppenheimer’s†Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas are just one of the producer couples nominated for best picture; “Barbie’s†Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley are the other. Maybe that’s why the telecast seems so much more personal than in other years. Or not. But … trivia! — M.M.
7:07 p.m. I love how Nolan kept glancing down at the Oscar as if he can’t really fathom that he’s holding it. Lovely speech. — G.W.
7:06 p.m. Martin Scorsese, at 81, is the oldest director to be nominated for an Oscar — for “Killers of the Flower Moon†— but, of course, Christopher Nolan won for “Oppenheimer.†Maybe next year, or the year after, Marty. — M.M.
7:04 p.m. “I’m a very proud Irishman tonight.†I’m going to have to start that St. Patrick’s Day celebration a little early and toast Cillian Murphy — as soon as the show ends! — G.W.
7:04 p.m. The biggest problem with “Oppenheimer†was that it forced Cillian Murphy to lose his Irish accent, which is the best accent in the world. Otherwise, we all knew he would win best actor, and he did. Erin go bragh. — M.M.
7 p.m. I’m wondering what happened to Bradley Cooper’s tie! — G.W.
7 p.m. During best actor intros, Nicholas Cage describes how Paul Giamatti got the lazy eye his character had in “The Holdovers†— he wore contact lenses that left him blind in that eye while filming. “Would I have done that,†Cage said. “Hell yes, but he did.†I actually wondered about this during the film, so thank you Nicholas Cage! — M.M.
6:57 p.m. Four Oscars left — actor, director, actress, picture! — G.W.
Here are all the looks from the 2024 Oscars red carpet, from Emma Stone to Emily Blunt, Lupita Nyong’o to Zendaya.
6:54 p.m. Creeping up on the three-hour mark, the In Memoriam segment begins (with, I regret to disclose, interpretive dancers). I feel like the show is definitely going to run long (Kimmel did promise overtime). But glad they’re not rushing this — Hollywood has lost a light of bright lights this year. — M.M.
6:50 p.m. Not sure if the cameras caught this, but right after Billie and Finneas finished their acceptance speeches, they turned back towards the presenters Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Billie made eye contact with both and broke out into a little excited dance and then the three embraced before walking off stage. — T.B.
6:49 p.m. Billie Eilish trying to make herself somehow invisible while heading offstage before that commercial break was endearing, as was her unguarded speech. — G.W.
6:48 p.m. Ludwig Göransson wins for “Oppenheimer’s†original score, and lands in the unfortunate slot between the “I’m Just Ken†performance and Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s best song win for “Barbie’s†“What Was I Made For.†Eilish thanks her friend Zoe “for playing Barbies with me†and her dance and choir teachers, even the one who “didn’t like me.†The famous siblings become the youngest two-time Oscar winners in history, and here is where I remind everyone that the pair’s breakout hit “Ocean Eyes†was written for a performance at Revolution Dance, my local dance studio. First L.A. Times Studio then La Crescenta! — M.M.
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter made history by winning the original song Oscar for her ‘Barbie’ ballad ‘What Was I Made For?’
6:39 p.m. Ryan Gosling and his army of Kens got EVERYONE on their feet. If they weren’t bopping along or waving their cellphone flashlights, they were recording the whole performance on their phones. An audible gasp when Slash came out. The entire energy of the auditorium changed. — T.B.
6:38 p.m. Turning “I’m Just Ken†into a Busby Berkeley production with 65 dancers plus a Slash guitar solo? And fireworks? And another wild Kate McKinnon reaction shot? That’s going to go down as one of the great performances in Oscar history in a show that has, overall, been pretty damn great. Terrific winners, memorable speeches. — G.W.
The Oscar-nominated actor led an ensemble of 65 dancers in the live rendition of the ‘Barbie’ musical number, with Mark Ronson and Simu Liu in tow.
6:37 p.m. Ryan Gosling has restored my faith in Oscar dance numbers. Actually “restore†is not the right word because I have always hated them. But this? Is there another actor who would have had this much fun with this much extravaganza after losing the Oscar? I feel like I am going to have to start re-watching “Barbie†and every Gosling movie ever instead of finishing this damn blog. The “stab in the heart with a champagne glass� The big lift in a sea of Barbie faces? Can this please happen every year? No one else — I am definitely not advocating for more dance numbers. Just “I’m Just Ken.†Every year. — M.M.
6:27 p.m. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema makes a pitch for celluloid when he wins for “Oppenheimer,†which continues its march to best picture. The telecast thus far has been all that it should be — at times humorous, electric, moving and glitch-free. But in terms of awards, it seems to be unfolding as predicted. Glenn, you’ve suggested that Emma Stone could beat Lily Gladstone, which would certainly create a lot of backlash and controversy. Do you see any other potential surprises at this point, beyond Wes Anderson not showing up? — M.M.
6:22 p.m. Wait, Wes Anderson didn’t show up to collect his first-ever Oscar? He does hate giving speeches. I gave him an award once at a Los Angeles Film Critics dinner and he wouldn’t touch his food because he was so nervous. Anyway, I’m thrilled one of our greatest filmmakers finally has an Oscar. — G.W.
6:12 p.m. Great win for “20 Days in Mariupol,†Mstyslav Chernov’s searing account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities committed during the siege of the titular industrial port city. It’s the first Oscar in Ukrainian history and should be required viewing for every person holding office in Washington. “Cinema forms memory and memories form history,†Chernov said, accepting the award. — G.W.
6:10 p.m. Um, did the L.A. Times just win an Oscar? “The Last Repair Shop,†the story of a group of local craftsmen who repair and maintain student’s musical instruments, was co-produced by L.A. Times Studios and it just won the documentary short category. Not only that, but Kate McKinnon and America Ferrera were the presenters. Wow! — M.M.
It’s a quest for a dress that these students could have never imagined. Thanks to a corps of community volunteers and donors they are ready for their red carpet walk on Sunday.
6:08 p.m. I’m sorry, I got distracted by L.A. Times Studios winning an Oscar. The stage looks great from the audience — I’m up in the mezzanine so it’s a bit of a different angle than you get on TV. The lighting sort of phases into red at times but it’s generally a goldish hue. During breaks it’s sometimes a bit green. — T.B.
Directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers and co-distributed by L.A. Times Studios and Searchlight, the film took home the documentary short award on Sunday.
6:06 p.m. Kimmel is a mensch! Hey Tracy, can you explain to us the lighting situation in the seats? Because on screen, there seem to be flickers of red when the cameras pull back. Production designers Alana Billingsley and Misty Buckley have done an amazing job with the set — how does it look from the IRL audience? — M.M.
6 p.m. As we pause to take in this performance by Jon Batiste, I’d like to share that I finally busted open the snack box Jimmy Kimmel left under everyone’s seat. The Oscars are too long to go without any snacks. — T.B.
5:55 p.m. Whichever nominated films walk away empty-handed will now have to accept the fact that they won fewer Oscars than “Godzilla.†Though it’s tough to imagine a group of filmmakers expressing more joy, or carrying more merch, than the “Godzilla†crew. — M.M.
5:53 p.m. A “Godzilla†movie had never been nominated for an Oscar. Now a “Godzilla†movie has won an Oscar! — G.W.
5:53 p.m. The “Twins†reunion we didn’t know we needed. — G.W.
5:48 p.m. Batman jokes! I rest my case. — T.B.
5:48 p.m. There is definitely a mood of comedic rivalry and deep camaraderie in this year’s Oscars — Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito rib Michael Keaton for killing both of them in his “Batman†movies. Before giving the visual effects award to “Godzilla.†Yes, “Godzilla†has won an Oscar. — M.M.
5:48 p.m. Downey thanks his terrible childhood and the academy “in that order†and continues the pattern of recognizing people who rarely get thanked by giving a shoutout to his stylist and “my entertainment lawyer of 40 years, half of which he spent trying to get me insurance and get me out of the hoosegow. Thanks, bro.†As someone who remembers his post-prison-sentence return in “Gothika†(where he met his wife, Susan), he has indeed come a long way. — M.M.
5:44 p.m. Iron Man getting handed his Oscar by O.B. In a race that also included the Hulk. Who says we’re over superheroes? — T.B.
5:43 p.m. Well, we know who Tim Robbins voted for! — G.W.
5:43 p.m. As past winners honor supporting actor nominees, Tim Robbins slips and refers to Robert De Niro’s “Oscar-winning, er, Oscar-worthy†performance but the Oscar goes to (say it with me all you Oscar pundits) Robert Downey Jr. for “Oppenheimer.†— M.M.
5:36 p.m. We’re an hour and a half into the ceremony. “If this was an AMC theater, the movie would be starting right now,†says Kimmel. Sad but true. — G.W.
5:36 p.m. Loved Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling taking the “Barbenheimer†rivalry to full Oscars smackdown. “You know when it’s ‘Barbenheimer’?†Gosling asked. “Because you’ve been riding our coattails.†“Thanks for Ken-splaining,†Blunt replied, adding: “Robert Downey Jr. didn’t have to paint on abs to be nominated for an Oscar.†Between that and Kimmel’s multiple Downey jokes in the intro, RDJ seems to be Oscars’ new Jack Nicholson.†— M.M.
5:32 p.m. Nice to give the stunt community a shoutout. Now how about their own Oscar, like the recently added casting category? — G.W.
5:32 p.m. As predicted, “Zone of Interest†wins the Oscar for international film. Accepting the award, writer and director Jonathan Glazer references both the October attack on Israel and Israel’s retaliation in an effort to remind us that the inhumanity that fueled the Holocaust still endangers it all. It’s the first mention of the war in Gaza and it’s meticulously worded. — M.M.
From the red carpet to acceptance speeches onstage, politics found its way into this year’s Academy Awards
5:27 p.m. Then again, watching the audience’s reaction to the stirring performance of “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)†from “Killers of the Flower Moon,†I remain confident in my Lily Gladstone pick for lead actress. — G.W.
5:20 p.m. Loved that bit, which wasn’t rehearsed yesterday because they were afraid the academy was going to nix it. Costumes are very important, haha. These were good wins for “Poor Things†as production design and costumes could well have gone to “Barbie.†I don’t think it means that “Poor Things†will pull off a best picture upset. But Emma Stone winning lead actress? Maybe? — G.W.
5:20 p.m. Putting aside the (very welcome) sight of an almost totally nude John Cena doing a “remember that Oscar streaker†bit with Kimmel before delivering the costume design Oscar — well, I actually cannot put it aside — but the result was “Poor Things’†Holly Waddington won. What do you think this means for the future of “Poor Things†in terms of best picture, Glenn? Or, perhaps, the statue itself? I mean, seeing Cena, I had to wonder if it was time for an Oscar makeover. — M.M.
At the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday, wrestling star turned actor John Cena made his Oscars debut — exposing way more than audiences were expecting to see.
5:12 p.m. I did. And there goes “Maestro’s†only hope for an Oscar tonight. I thought it might win makeup. “Poor Things†was a definite favorite and deserved winner for production design. — G.W.
5:11 p.m. “Poor Things†picks up two, with Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston winning for makeup and hair styling, and James Price and Shona Heath winning for production design. Did you have picks in these categories, Glenn? — M.M.
5:06 p.m. Billie and Finneas started their performance with their backs towards the audience, and for a brief moment I wondered if that was the only angle we were going to see. Not sure what they showed on TV, but they got a standing ovation. — T.B.
5:05 p.m. Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell’s performance of “What Was I Made For?†really played in that room. The reaction shots Kate McKinnon (a.k.a. Weird Barbie) being profoundly moved makes me hope that the camera will find her again when the song wins the Oscar later on tonight. — G.W.
If “What Was I Made For?†had seemed for weeks like a lock at the Oscars, Billie Eilish and Finneas’ performance of the song on Sunday’s telecast faced some stiff competition from renditions of the other nominated tunes.
5:04 p.m. Cord Jefferson, writer and director of “American Fiction,†wins adapted screenplay. The film also marks the first time two Black actors are nominated in lead — Jeffrey Wright — and supporting — Sterling K. Brown — roles for the same film. — M.M.
4:52 p.m. No reaction shot from the dog? — G.W.
4:52 p.m. There are coupled nominees in both screenplay categories — “Anatomy of a Fall’s†Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for original; “Barbie’s†Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for adapted screenplay. “Anatomy of a Fall†wins for original. Everyone take this moment to give your spouse/partner an accusatory side-eye, “We’d totally be at the Oscars if only you had suggested we write a screenplay.†— M.M.
4:48 p.m. Well, that animated feature Oscar going to “The Boy and the Heron†was a bit of a surprise. I thought “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse†would win simply because it was so widely seen. But it was also the middle chapter in a trilogy, and I think some voters weren’t inclined to reward it when they’d have another chance to acknowledge the series when the final film rolls around. Plus, there was a Hayao Miyazaki movie among the nominees — maybe his last. — G.W.
4:45 p.m. I’m apparently sitting right by the animated features crews. I’d noticed the “Nimona†folks in front of me earlier. The loudest applause near my section was for “Robot Dreams,†and when “The Boy and the Heron†won, a small group jumped up in celebration. — T.B.
4:44 p.m. “War is Over,†inspired by the music of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, wins for animated short film. Nominees did not get intros from past winners, but the truly beautiful stage is constructed in a way that made clips from past winners and nominees vivid, if brief. Sean Lennon used the U.K.’s Mother’s Day to send best wishes to his 91-year-old mother Yoko Ono. — M.M.
4:36 p.m. Now I know right before the commercial break ends you get a mysterious voice warning you, “Back in 30 seconds, check what’s in your teeth!†— T.B.
4:34 p.m. Boy, after that beautiful speech, I truly hope that Randolph gets to do this more than once too. (Love the reaction shot of Paul Giamatti in tears.) — G.W.
4:33 p.m. “I have to do a special shoutout to my publicist, and I know you all say don’t talk about publicists but you don’t have a publicist like I do.†Randolph stands up for another group that suffered during the strikes. — M.M.
“For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different, and now I realize I just need to be myself,†the “Holdovers†star said from the Oscars stage.
4:31 p.m. Oh no, I’m already crying! — T.B.
4:29 p.m. This is, I think, the 58th award Da’Vine Joy Randolph won for “The Holdovers.†Her performance as the grieving mother in the movie was that good. — G.W.
4:28 p.m. Am totally loving the personal relationships being honored in each of these detailed introductions, starting with Jamie Lee Curtis calling Jodie Foster her “bestie,†but I am already very, very worried about how long this show is going to be. So far it is worth it.
And the winner is Da’Vine Joy Randolph. More proof that “predictable†can be glorious. — M.M.
4:25 p.m. They did this 15 years ago, having a past winner introduce each acting nominee. It’s kinda awesome and, I think, meaningful for the nominees. Having Rita Moreno introduce America Ferrera … that’s a golden moment. — G.W.
4:23 p.m. “Union strong!†— G.W.
4:23 p.m. Oh, I don’t know. I am a fan of the standard jokey intro that mentions a ton of the nominees and isn’t afraid to be a bit cheesy, even as throwing a few zingers — a reference to the strikes included, “No, not the directors, you guys caved immediately.†Also appreciated the standing-ovation shoutout to all the below-the-line folks who suffered during the strikes. “I’m going to make sure this show goes really long tonight so you get a ton of overtime.†— M.M.
4:21 p.m. Between that Yorgos Lanthimos pun and the line directed to the “Anatomy of a Fall†dog — “I haven’t seen a French actor eat vomit like that since Gérard Depardieu†— this Kimmel monologue is a little rough. — G.W.
4:19 p.m. Messi the Dog is in the building! “Anatomy of a Fall†better win something — no one can bear his sad-dog face. “When I watched ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ I had my mail forwarded to the theater†— best joke on the length of the nominated movies, which averaged 138 minutes. — M.M.
4:14 p.m. Kimmel shouts out the absence of Greta Gerwig from the director category — “You’re all clapping and you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her.†Bold. —M.M.
4:13 p.m. “We are already five minutes over … and I’m not joking.†Kimmel acknowledging the late start. — G.W.
4:12 p.m. Jimmy Kimmel just proves my point by admitting he hasn’t eaten in three weeks during a very clever bit in which he shows up in the famous “you’re beautiful†“Barbie†bus stop scene. I feel vindicated. — M.M.
4:11 p.m. Well, one surprise is that it’s just now starting — a few minutes late, as protesters delayed people getting to the Dolby. Outside of that … hmmm … Emma Stone maybe winning lead actress over Lily Gladstone? — G.W.
3:59 p.m. Hello from inside the Dolby Theatre! The mysterious voice from above is telling everyone to get to their seat ASAP. This is my first time at any awards show, and as expected, I got lost on the way here, drove by two groups of protesters demanding a cease-fire at Gaza, and was mistaken for staff and as an uninvited guest. I spotted a number of famous faces along the way including “Past Lives†director Celine Song, “Barbie’s†Simu Liu and past winner Brendan Fraser. — Tracy Brown
Hundreds of protesters converged on Hollywood ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre to call for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
3:59 p.m. Trivia fact-check! Thank you Glenn. As you can imagine, that is one of my favorite scenes in any movie ever. I kinda hoped there would be a Christmas scene in “Barbie†because Holiday Barbie is always glorious. As we move closer to the actual show, do you think there will be any actual surprises, aside from me not knowing my Oscar trivia? — M.M.
3:54 p.m. Mary … you want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. I’ll give you the moon, Mary. OK … maybe not the moon … but the title of another Christmas movie nominated for best picture … “It’s a Wonderful Life.†— G.W.
3:50 p.m. A bit more trivia: Giamatti is nominated for his role in “The Holdovers,†which I believe is the first Christmas film ever to get a best picture nomination. — M.M.
3:49 p.m. Paul Giamatti doubling down on his double-double makes me happy. He says he’s not getting out of the car this time, so look for his car pulling into the drive-through off Sunset Boulevard later on tonight. — G.W.
3:48 p.m. Paul Giamatti says he’ll be heading to In-N-Out after the Oscars just as he did after the Golden Globes, which resulted in a viral moment. But does he know that the best way to eat the fries is to dip them first into a vanilla milkshake? Maybe not. (Warning: Does not work with animal-style). And now I’m hungry, which is only fitting — even with Ozempic, the Oscars are a celebration of fasting in Hollywood, not to mention a very long show with very few available snacks. At least for those of us at home, there will be commercial breaks, which were definitely lacking in Netflix’s first-ever streamed SAG awards. — M.M.
3:39 p.m. Even with this being his fourth time hosting, seeing Kimmel in a tux is still a bit surreal for me — and I know for him. To me, he’s still “Jimmy the Sports Guy†on KROQ’s Kevin and Bean morning radio show. What the hell is he doing up on this stage being all fancy? — G.W.
3:37 p.m. The extra earliness of it all makes me think of Maggie Smith’s line in 1978’s “California Suiteâ€: “Why do they have these things so early? I mean, no woman can look good at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Except, possibly Tatum O’Neal.†(For the youthful among us, O’Neal was a teenager at the time.) But everyone looks great on the red carpet. Including Jodie Foster, who was also a teen actor in 1978 and now is nominated for “Nyad,†in which she plays her first queer character. In fact, this year is the first time two queer actors are nominated for openly gay characters — Foster and Colman Domingo in “Rustin,†which is kind of astonishing.
And in case you are wondering, I have stocked up on trivia for this show, which I fear will be if not boring — I am definitely looking forward to the “I’m Just Ken†number as well as the possibility of Gladstone’s well-deserved win — then even more predictable than usual. (I assume Christopher Nolan has been busy clearing shelf space.) Not that, after the year of the Slap, I don’t value a little bit of predictability. And Jimmy Kimmel is back as host and he’s always good, even when there’s a best picture announcement crisis. Yes indeed, predictability is not always a bad thing at all. — Mary McNamara
3:23 p.m. Good afternoon, Mary! It feels odd for the ceremony to be starting with the sun still so high in the sky. The Oscars are too late in the calendar, but the ceremony this year is too early in the day. I sound like Goldilocks. What’s going to be my “just right†moment tonight? Ryan Gosling decked out in a bright pink suit singing “I’m Just Ken†in what composer Mark Ronson promises will be an “absolute bananas spectacle� Lily Gladstone becoming the first Native American woman to win the lead actress Oscar? Christopher Nolan smiling (?) when “Oppenheimer†wins best picture? I’d give $100 to hear this oh-so-proper Englishman exult and declare himself “King of the World†when that happens. But I’m not holding my breath. What are you looking forward to seeing tonight? — Glenn Whipp
3 p.m. If you’re wondering how so many of the stars you’ll see on today’s telecast are managing not to topple over in their sky-high stilettos, fear not — they’ve had practice.
Some of them, anyway. Twenty-four hours before the Oscars, dozens of celebrities arrived at the Dolby Theatre to rehearse their musical numbers and practice handing out gold statuettes. The Academy Awards is the only award ceremony that actually requires presenters to attend a run-through prior to the live show. Some of them use the opportunity to run through their wardrobe choices as well, including Kate McKinnon and America Ferrera, who had on strappy heels that were far fancier than the rest of their casual attire. Presumably, the “Barbie†co-stars wanted to test-drive their shoes to make sure they were reliable — even if that meant being uncomfortable at 9 a.m. on a Saturday.
Not everyone went that route, including Zendaya, who opted for loafers, and Steven Spielberg, who had on sneakers. The latter immediately walked to the front of the stage, whipped out his cellphone and took a photograph of the audience, where seat placards with headshots noted who would sit where in the crowd.
If the director shared that photo with anyone, he passed on more private information than I’m able to reveal here. Press who witnessed roughly one hour of rehearsal on Saturday were forbidden from revealing, well, basically everything: The seating plans, who is presenting what categories, what the script entails, how the stage looks. During his practice round, Spielberg had a funny bit where he named a deceased Hollywood luminary as the pretend winner. But even naming who that person was would give away too much about the category he’s associated with.
For the record, Spielberg was scolded for not sticking to the script — presenters are supposed to open an envelope and read the name of a potential real winner, noting it’s “for rehearsal only.†When he went his own way, a stagehand gently requested he use an actual nominee’s name instead.
“No,†the filmmaker replied, “that’s bad luck.†—Amy Kaufman
From the Oscars to the Emmys.
Get the Envelope newsletter for exclusive awards season coverage, behind-the-scenes stories from the Envelope podcast and columnist Glenn Whipp’s must-read analysis.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
