Once again, Hollywood’s biggest night proved to be a star-studded affair as the 96th annual Academy Awards were held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday.
The much-awaited event saw an impressive line-up of nominees and a gathering of A-listers, all vying for the prestigious Oscars. Amidst all the glitz and glamour, it was Oppenheimer that emerged as the biggest winner of the night, taking home seven Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture award.
But the show was not without its fair share of surprises and chaotic moments. As Al Pacino took to the stage to announce the Best Picture winner, he chose to skip the traditional practice of naming all the nominees and simply went straight to announcing Oppenheimer as the winner. This abrupt move raised a few eyebrows among the audience.
The real chaos unfolded when Emma Stone, the star of Poor Things, suffered a wardrobe malfunction while walking up to the stage to accept her Best Actress award. The actress quickly acknowledged the glitch and with her characteristic grace and poise, powered through her emotional acceptance speech, paying tribute to her fellow nominees and sharing her excitement at being a part of Poor Things.
Emma’s win was one of four awards for Poor Things, a film in which she plays the character of Bella Baxter/Victoria Blessington, brought back to life by the brilliant but unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (played by Willem Dafoe).
This was her first Oscar win, and the actress shared her joy with the entire cast and crew of the film, thanking them for their contribution to making it a success.
Despite the brief hitch with her dress, Emma’s speech was one of the most heartfelt and memorable moments of the night. She thanked director Yorgos Lanthimos for the opportunity and spoke fondly of her experience of working with him and the rest of the team. The actress also paid tribute to her family, including her husband Dave and her daughter, who turned three in just a few days.
Aside from Emma’s wardrobe malfunction and Al Pacino’s memorable yet controversial announcement, the evening was full of other exciting moments as well.
UK film The Zone Of Interest won two Oscars, adding to the international flavor of the event. And Christopher Nolan, who has often been overlooked by the Academy, finally got his due recognition as he won the Best Director award for Oppenheimer.
The 2022 Oscars was a memorable affair, with deserving winners and some unexpected surprises. The talented nominees and winners have once again proven that the film industry is alive and thriving, despite the challenges of the past year.
