Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy hug after winning Best Picture award for Oppenheimer. Photo / Getty Images
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy hug after winning Best Picture award for Oppenheimer. Photo / Getty Images
It was a huge night for stars of Oppenheimer after the film took home seven of the 13 awards they were nominated for at the the 96th Academy Awards.
Despite the industry seeing the historic WGA and Sag-Aftra strikes last year, Hollywood came together again at the DolbyTheatre in Los Angeles to celebrate their best, their brightest and some names who just might be the next big thing.
Emily Blunt and John Krasinski arrived at the Academy Awards, putting on a united front with their red-carpet appearance after divorce rumours began swirling in January.
Seen at the Golden Globes earlier this year, fans speculated Krasinski told Blunt: “I can’t wait to divorce.” However, a source told US Weekly shortly after: “There are no issues with Emily and John. They are absolutely not talking about divorce.”
The couple appeared loved-up on the Oscars carpet, giggling and joking with one another.
Giving an emotional speech, the star told her peers: “To every actor out there still waiting in the wings for their chance, let me tell you: Your life can change in a day,” the first-time Oscar winner said. “It’s not a question of if but when. Keep going.”
Elsewhere, War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko, took home the award for Best Animated Short. New Zealand’s Wētā FX worked on the film behind the scenes.
A memorable moment in the show came as host Jimmy Kimmel mentioned the historic 1974 show when Robert Opal, an LGBT activist and teacher managed to enter the annual ceremony after posing as a journalist. Once side stage, he stripped down and ran across the stage naked making a peace sign with his fingers as Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor to present the Best Picture nominees.
Joking “wouldn’t it be crazy if a nude man ran across the stage today”, a naked John Cena poked his head out from behind a stage prop.
Approaching the actor, Kimmel asked him, “What’s going on?” and said he should be running across the stage naked right now. Cena noted he had changed his mind, “You should be ashamed right now for making such a tasteless joke”, he told Kimmel.
The star did ultimately walk across the stage naked to present the Best Costume Design to Poor Things.
Following the shock moment, Best Supporting Actor was presented to Robert Downey Jr. for his role as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. It marks the first time the actor has won an Oscar. He has been previously been nominated in 1993 for Best Actor in Chaplin, and in 2009 for Best Supporting Actor in Tropic Thunder.
Robert Downey Jr. accepts the Best Supporting Actor award for Oppenheimer. Photo / Getty Images
Paying tribute to his wife, Susan Downey in his acceptance speech, the star said, “She found me a snarling refuge pet and loved me back to life. That’s why I’m here,” before telling his peers “I needed this job more than it needed me. I stand here before you a better man because of it.”
One of the most highly anticipated performances took place at this year’s Oscars with Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson performing the hit Barbie song, I’m Just Ken.
Emerging from behind his Barbie co-star Margot Robbie in the audience, Gosling embodied “Kenergy” wearing a dazzling hot pink suit and made his way onto the stage where he was joined by an array of stars including Slash and Simu Liu.
He then made his way into the crowd where he passed the mic to his peers including Barbie director Greta Gerwig, Robbie and former co-star Emma Stone then returned to the stage bringing a cameraman with him.
Fans have already taken to X sharing their thoughts with one person saying “Ryan Gosling kinda an icon for life”, another said “bravo Ryan Gosling”.
Returning to a presenting model last used 15 years ago in which five previous winners in each acting category announce this year’s nominees and present the winner, Cillian Murphy was awarded Best Actor for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer.
Cillian Murphy accepts the Lead Actor award for "Oppenheimer" onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards. Photo / Getty Images
It marks the first time he has both been nominated and won an Oscar.
Murphy won out against Colman Domingo for Rustin, Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction.
Moments later, the film’sdirector Christopher Nolan was awarded Best Director by Steven Spielberg, accepting his first-ever Oscar - despite being nominated eight times. He thanked the academy and the audience for his win.
Nolan’s film has proven a frontrunner this award season, winning large at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and the Bafta Film Awards.
Taking home Best Actress, the second-last award of the night, was Emma Stone for Poor Things. It marks the second time she has won an Oscar after taking home the same award in 2017 for La La Land.
Emma Stone accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a leading role for Poor Things. Photo / AP
Stone won out against Annette Bening for Nyad, Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon, Sandra Hüller for Anatomy of a Fall andCarey Mulligan for Maestro.
Walking on stage, the star suffered a wardrobe malfunction with the zip on the back of her dress breaking and jokingly told the audience, “Don’t look at the back of my dress” after a teary speech in which she told Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos: “Thank you for the gift of a lifetime in Bella Baxter”.
Presenting Best Picture was Al Pacino, who announced Oppenheimer had taken out the biggest award of the night.
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy accept the Best Picture award for Oppenheimer. Photo / Getty Images
The movie was the most nominated film this year with 13 nods. It took home seven awards overall including Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Score.
