Earlier this week, celebrities from around the world celebrated their past year of filmmaking at the prestigious Academy Awards. For their 92nd show, the Academy decided to switch things up and host the ceremony in the beginning of February, as opposed to the decade long ritual of waiting for the end of the month. As for many award shows, the new air date was hardly the most talked-about or shocking statistic of the night. In case you missed it, here are the top most memorable events of the night from the red carpet to the stage!
Red Carpet Looks:
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Natalie Portman vs. Misogyny
Natalie Portman sure made a statement Sunday night with a gorgeous Dior cape and gown, with a custom twist. The ensemble, which reportedly took more than 900 hours to make, included the names of female directors who were snubbed for the best director category. Some of the names included Lorene Scafaria, Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig, Marielle Heller, and Melina Matsoukas. Shockingly, this is the ninth year this decade that the best director category has only featured male nominees. Portman told the Los Angeles Times that she, “wanted to recognize the women who were not recognized for their incredible work this year in my subtle way.” Portman’s fashion statement definitely brought a spotlight to one of the biggest snubs of the night!
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Spike Lee’s Touching Tribute
Natalie Portman is not the only famous celeb to recognize famous co-workers. Spike Lee decided to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant who was tragically killed in a helicopter accident just a few short weeks ago. Lee wore a colorful purple and gold Gucci suit adorned with Bryant’s jersey number, 24, and a pair of Nike shoes created by the late basketball player. Lee and Bryant’s relationship goes way back, as the pair filmed the 2009 documentary, “Kobe Doin’ Work” together.
The Main Event:
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Parasite Claims Best Picture
Non-English films have struggled in the past to be recognized as a great work at the Oscars. In the history of the award, no foreign film had ever won Best Picture, and only ten have even been nominated for Best Picture. While incredible, Parasite’s win was completely unexpected, as World War I action thriller, 1917, was the presumed winner for most of the awards season. The film’s Best Picture win, combined with Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Film (formerly Best Foreign-Language Film) meant hearing director Bong Joon-Ho and his translator, Sharon Choi, give incredible and heart-felt speeches again and again. Jong-Ho’s charming personality and humourous candor inspired a large and loyal fanbase called the Bong Hive.
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Eminem’s Unexpected Performance
Eminem took everyone by surprise during his performance of “Lose Yourself,” his award-winning song from seventeen years prior. Although performers showcasing their latest hit is not uncommon at the Oscars, Eminem’s appearance is truly a surprise, as it was unannounced and unexpected by the audience and viewers alike. Though in retrospect, this concert was not totally out of the blue. During the 2003 Oscars, “Lose Yourself” won an Oscar for the musical category of Original Song, however the rapper was not present to receive the award, and therefore did not have the chance to perform it live. Although shocked, audience members gave a standing ovation to finish out the musical dedication.
Article Links:
https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/2/10/21130841/oscars-2020-milestones-parasite-best-picture
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51487161
https://twitter.com/AmyKinLA/status/1226661824994480131
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/spike-lee-kobe-bryant-tribute-oscars/index.html
https://oscar.go.com/news/2020/eminems-oscars-2020-performance-of-lose-yourself
https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/2/10/21130841/oscars-2020-milestones-parasite-best-picture