Film, TV + Theatre

Oscars 2023: Memorable moments and the winners list

Dreams do come true

13.03.2023

By Kye Lin Lung

Featured images from Getty
Oscars 2023: Memorable moments and the winners list

The 95th Academy Awards capped off film awards season earlier today as big names in the movie industry celebrated at the Dolby Theatre in the Ovation Hollywood. Stars were decked in their bedazzled gowns and sleek suits to honour the movies released in 2022. This year’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, kicked off the show with a witty, 13-minute monologue, which didn’t miss out on poking fun at last year’s infamous Oscar slap. He also introduced his unofficial star-studded “crisis team”, which included Adonis Creed, the Mandalorian, a Spider-Man and Steven Spielberg, joking that if anyone in the audience “commits an act of violence,” they’d be “awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.”

 

It’s safe to say we can all breathe a sigh of relief as this year’s Oscars was drama-free. Instead, tears were shed for the night’s historical moments and tear-jerking tributes. From Everything Everywhere All At Once winning seven awards—including Best Picture and Best Director—to many first-time Oscar winners, such as our Malaysian queen Michelle Yeoh, who won Best Actress, and Telegu film RRR, which won Best Original Music for Naatu Naatu

Ahead, you’ll find our picks of the memorable moments you may have missed—plus the complete list of winners and nominees of the 95th Academy Awards 2023.

Award highlights

Michelle Yeoh is the first Asian to win Best Actress

History was made with Michelle Yeoh’s win for Best Actress and being the first Asian woman to win the award. Last year’s winner, Jessica Chastain, and Halle Berry—the first Black actress to win the same award in 2002—presented the award.

Yeoh delivered a touching acceptance speech where she said, “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof that dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody ever tell you that you are past your prime.” Additionally, she thanked her co-stars and crew before sharing a special dedication to her mum, whom she said was watching from home in Malaysia. She also added: “And to my extended family in Hong Kong where I started my career. Thank you for letting me stand on your shoulders, giving me a leg up, so I can be here today.”

 

Brendan Fraser wins Best Actor and his first Oscar

Brendan Fraser hits a milestone by being a first-time Oscar winner for his role in The Whale. In his emotional acceptance speech, he thanked the film’s studio, A24, for making such a bold film, along with the team that made it all happen. Fraser then recalled his 30-year career in Hollywood and ended it by thanking his children—two of whom were there to support him—and his “best first mate,” partner Jeanne Moore.

 

Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis both win their first Oscars

Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis from Everything Everywhere All At Once scored their first Oscar wins for the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories. Ke took the stage and gave an emotional shoutout to his 84-year-old mother watching from home: “Mom, I just won an Oscar!” Meanwhile, Curtis dedicated her award to her fans: “To all the people who have supported the genre movies that I’ve made for all these years; the thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, we just won an Oscar together!”

 

Lady Gaga performs a stripped-down version of Hold My Hand

Lady Gaga showcased a side to her that we rarely see at a grand awards show. For her performance, she was dressed in a T-shirt and ripped jeans, and went makeup-free as she sang the Oscar-nominated original song from Top Gun: Maverick, Hold My Hand. Before her performance, cameras also captured a sweet moment of her helping a fallen photographer while on the red carpet. How can you not love her?

 

Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors show support to Angela Bassett after her Oscar snub

Viewers took to social media to vent about how Angela Bassett deserved to win the Best Supporting Actress award over Curtis. In solidarity, Micheal B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors showed their support as they presented the Best Cinematography award. Jordan started his speech by saying, “Hey Auntie, we love you.””

 

John Travolta honours Olivia Newton-John

John Travolta became teary-eyed on stage as he introduced the ‘In Memorium’ segment to honour the actors, actresses and artists behind the scenes who passed last year. In his words, “They’ve made us smile, and became dear friends who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to.”

 

A full circle moment for Ke Huy Quan and Harrison Ford on stage

It was an “Aww” moment for fans of the Indiana Jones franchise when Harrison Ford and Kee Huy Quan reunited on stage and hugged each other. Ford presented the award for Best Picture, which went to none other than Everything Everywhere All At Once.

THE COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES AND WINNERS

(Note: The winner of each category is highlighted in bold.)

Best picture

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

Triangle of Sadness

Women Talking

 

Best actor in a leading role

Austin Butler, Elvis

Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brendan Fraser, The Whale

Paul Mescal, Aftersun

Bill Nighy, Living

 

Best actress in a leading role

Cate Blanchett, Tár

Ana de Armas, Blonde

Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie

Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans

Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

 

Best supporting actor

Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin

Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway

Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans

Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin

Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

 

Best supporting actress

Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Hong Chau, The Whale

Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin

Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

 

Best director

Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

Todd Field, Tár

Ruben Östlund, Triangle of Sadness

 

Best original song

‘Applause’, Tell It Like a Woman

‘Hold My Hand’, Top Gun: Maverick

‘Lift Me Up’, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

‘Naatu Naatu’, RRR

‘This Is a Life’, Everything Everywhere All at Once

 

Best documentary feature

All That Breathes

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Fire of Love

A House Made of Splinters

Navalny

 

Best live-action short

An Irish Goodbye

Ivalu

Le Pupille

Night Ride

The Red Suitcase

 

Best cinematography

All Quiet on the Western Front

Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Elvis

Empire of Light

Tár

 

Best makeup and hair

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

The Whale

 

Best costume design

Babylon

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

 

Best international film

All Quiet on the Western Front

Argentina, 1985

Close

EO

The Quiet Girl

 

Best documentary short

The Elephant Whisperers

Haulout

How Do You Measure a Year?

The Martha Mitchell Effect

Stranger at the Gate

 

Best animated short

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

The Flying Sailor

Ice Merchants

My Year of Dicks

An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It

 

Best production design

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

Babylon

Elvis

The Fabelmans

 

Best original score

All Quiet on the Western Front

Babylon

The Banshees of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

 

Best visual effects

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Batman

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Top Gun: Maverick

 

Best original screenplay

The Banshees of Inisherin

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Fabelmans

Tár

Triangle of Sadness

 

Best adapted screenplay

All Quiet on the Western Front

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Living

Top Gun: Maverick

Women Talking

 

Best sound

All Quiet on the Western Front

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Batman

Elvis

Top Gun: Maverick

 

Best editing

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Tár

Top Gun: Maverick

 

Best animated feature

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

The Sea Beast

Turning Red

 

For more reads on TV and film, head here.

 

 

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