On Sunday, March 10, 2024, the Oscars aired on ABC. This year’s Oscars were the 96th Academy Awards and were hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer.
To recall, the first Oscars were held on May 16, 1929, and were hosted by Douglas Fairbanks Jr., a founding member of the Motion Picture Academy, recognizing excellence in cinematic achievements. The most known awards that were presented this year, commonly referred to as the “Big Five,” consist of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. Now let’s take a deeper dive into the key moments of this spontaneous evening.
Oppenheimer Taking Home Seven Awards
This night was a huge success for Oppenheimer, a movie that tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his involvement in creating the atomic bomb during World War II, as they took home seven awards. Oppenheimer took home Best Picture, Directing, Actor in a Leading Role (Cillian Murphy), Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert Downey Jr.), Cinematography, Film Editing, and Original Score.
These seven Academy Award victories put it on the list of the most accomplished films ever. Additionally, Robert Downey Jr.’s win for Actor in a Supporting Role was his first Oscar win ever.
“I’m Just Ken” Performance
Ryan Gosling took people by surprise by performing his song “I’m Just Ken,” which was in the Barbie movie, during the evening. Gosling, Slash, and 65 Kens led the singalong with high spirits and even got the crowd singing. As Gosling held back laughter, he passed the mic to Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and America Ferrera. He even passed the mic to Emma Stone, which had fans of the two ecstatic as both were in La La Land as love interests.
A Surprise Pregnancy Announcement
A surprise pregnancy announcement that took everyone by shock was Vanessa Hudgens walking down the carpet unexpectedly pregnant! Hudgens, an American actor and singer, walked down the red carpet in all black and with a baby bump, welcoming her 1st child. Hudgens has been married to professional baseball player Cole Tucker since Dec. 2, 2023.