From Michelle Yeoh’s history-making win to Dolly De Leon serving main character energy, these Oscar moments gave us the buzz we needed.
Related: All The Historic Nominations At This Year’s Oscars
And just like that, the 2023 awards season has come to a close with the conclusion of the 95th Academy Awards. As the biggest awards show of the year, the Oscars is deemed the pinnacle of cinematic excellence as a new set of nominees are given the famous golden statuette. Despite all its pomp and circumstance, the Oscars has rarely failed to give us those fun, wild, unexpected, and cheer-worthy moments. And this year’s awards was no exception.
Redemption and POC excellence was on display as the best of movies in 2022 was honored by The Academy, such as Everything Everywhere All At Once taking home Best Picture among other accolades. Here are some of those stand-out moments that we will be talking about for the days and weeks to come.
REDEMPTION WINS
Inevitably, people will have a lot to say on who won and lost at the ceremony. But one thing most can agree on is how seeing certain nominees triumph make for a spirit-healing moment. In particular, Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser bagging Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Best Leading Actor respectively was a moment worth cheering. For Ke Huy Quan, it’s been decades since he’s acted in Hollywood, with his role in EEAAO being the comeback role that gave him the opportunity he deserved. As for Fraser, his performance in The Whale reminded many why he was a superstar in the 90s and 2000s. Their wins capped off their redemption arcs, as it should have.
RIHANNA SKIPPING THE CHAMPAGNE CARPET
rihanna has arrived at the oscars 😭 she’s so funny
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) March 12, 2023
pic.twitter.com/NIcxZM4rgE
When you’re a queen like Rihanna, you can get away with a lot of things, including skipping the Oscars’ red, or should we say, champagne carpet. Technically, she did walk the carpet and stunned as she flaunted her baby bump and performed Lift Me Up during the show. But still, it was very on-brand for her to show up to the venue dressed as if she’s going to the groceries.
LADY GAGA SERVING DUALITY
Lady Gaga really took us on a loop in the past 24 hours. First, she wasn’t going to attend or perform. Then, she was going, but not performing. Finally, not only did she show up, but she performed, too. And she did all that while giving us multiple sides to herself. On the champagne carpet, Gaga stunned in a daring Versace dress and bold makeup, a welcome departure from the old Hollywood glam she’s served in the past. Then, during her heartfelt performance of Hold My Hand, she stripped it back and removed all her makeup and just wore jeans and a t-shirt. Who’s doing it like her?
LADY GAGA HELPING A PHOTOGRAPHER
Lady Gaga stops to help photographer who fell at the #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/4w4MNCO89X
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 13, 2023
Even superstars aren’t above helping people in need. While on the carpet, a photographer near Gaga slipped, which caused the Oscar winner to run to his aide and see if he was okay.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JONATHAN MAJORS GIVING ANGELA BASSETT A SHOUTOUT
Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors give a shoutout to Angela Bassett: “Hey Auntie, we love you.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/xIQlVq8AOZ
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 13, 2023
Congratulations to Jamie Lee Curtis to her win. But admittedly, seeing Angela Bassett lose her second Oscar left a sour taste in many people’s mouth. Even Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors felt Bassett deserved some love. So, as the co-stars were presenting Best Cinematography, Jordan and Majors gave a shoutout to the icon saying, “Hey Auntie, we love you.” Deserved.
DOLLY DE LEON HAVING SNACKS AT THE OSCARS
Even if she was snubbed of a Best Supporting Actress nomination, Dolly De Leon still made the most of her Oscars invite, wearing a suit that said, “I’m the captain now.” And if that wasn’t enough, she also had her own snacks and assortment of candies during the show. We love a practical queen.
DANIEL SCHEINERT TALKING ABOUT DRAG
Despite the inherent beauty in it, drag is seen by others as a threat to society, with some going as far as to outlaw it. During one of his many speeches, EEAAO co-director Daniel Scheinert made sure to call out the hate saying, “Dressing in drag is a threat to nobody.” Louder for the people at the back!
KE HUY QUAN HUGGING HARRISON FORD
And now…..
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) March 13, 2023
….. there's not a dry eye in the house. pic.twitter.com/GbKFL965hb
We got another Indiana Jones and Short Round reunion at the 2023 Oscars when Ke Huy Quan and Harrison Ford hugged each other as the EEAAO cast and crew accepted the award for Best Picture. It really was a full-circle moment to see these two reunite on the Oscars stage.
WOMEN TALKING WINNING AN OSCAR
The Oscars once again snubbed deserving women for the Best Director category. One name sorely missing from the nominees list is Sarah Polley, the director and writer of Women Talking. So, it felt like all forms of correct to see Polley take home the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, making sure that the film wouldn’t go home empty handed. Women, period.
MICHELLE YEOH SPITTING FACTS
Deserved to the tenth power is how we feel about Michelle Yeoh winning Best Actress, her first-ever Oscar and the first Asian woman to win Best Actress in The Academy’s history. But what we love even more was when, during her speech, she said something that summed up the historic moment. “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 tell you that you’re past your prime.”
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