HOLLYWOOD, CA — A little rain couldn’t put a damper on Hollywood’s biggest night as the 92nd Academy Awards kicked off Sunday with style and drama. So much this year seemed to be a given with the same four actors sweeping the pre-Oscars award season as well as the Oscars, but the biggest prize of the night was also a historic upset. South Korean film “Parasite” took home the top prize — the first time a foreign language film ever won the award for Best Picture.
The best-picture category — the final prize of the night — kept the stars glued to their seats. Director Sam Mendes’ World War I epic “1917” was the favorite to take home the Best Picture prize, but, instead, the psychological thriller “Parasite” made history.
The film came into the night with a groundswell of support, and “Parasite” Director Bong Joon-Ho also took home the Oscar for Best Director.
The award even took Joon-Ho by surprise.
“After winning the award for Best International Feature, I thought I was done for the day and was ready to relax,” he joked.
Only the sixth movie ever nominated for both best picture and best international film, “Parasite,” was the darkhorse, scoring a true upset Sunday night. Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” also had the potential to pull an upset. Like “1917,” the film already had a Golden Globe Award, and it also won the Critics Choice Award for best picture.
The comic-book villain origin story “Joker” had a leading 11 nominations heading into the Dolby Theatre ceremony, but it appeared to be a longshot for best-picture recognition. Also vying for the prize was director Martin Scorsese’s ensemble mob drama “The Irishman,” the racing thriller “Ford v Ferrari,” World War II satire “Jojo Rabbit,” Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” and the Netflix divorce drama “Marriage Story.”
The top contenders in the acting categories each swept the awards season leading up to the big night, so it would haved counted as an upset if actors other than Joaquin Phoenix, Renée Zellweger, Brad Pitt or Laura Dern took home golden statues. In fact, Pitt took home the first major award of the night, winning his first acting Oscar, the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood.” Dern soon followed suit, winning Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Marriage Story.” Phoenix and Zellweger also took home best acting trophies.
For the second year in a row, the Oscar ceremony was held without a host, relying instead on a laundry list of big-name presenters and performers to hold the audience.
Steve Martin and Chris Rock opened the night with jokes poking fun at every elephant in the room from last year’s controversy that led to the hostless Oscars to the dearth of female director and black actor nominees.
Last year’s Oscar-winning actors — Rami Malek, Olivia Colman, Regina King and Mahershala Ali — returned to present the prizes to this year’s top performers, continuing an Oscar tradition.
The show again featured performances of the Oscar-nominated original songs.
Elton John performed “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” co-written with Bernie Taupin, from the film about John’s life, “Rocketman.” Cynthia Erivo performed “Harriet’s” Oscar-nominated song “Stand Up,” co-written by Erivo and Joshuah Brian Campbell.
Randy Newman performed his song “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4.”
Idina Menzel and AURORA performed “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II,” a song written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Joining them were the performers who lend their voices to the character of Elsa in Denmark, Germany, Japan, Latin America, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain and Thailand.
Chrissy Metz performed “I’m Standing With You,” the nominated song from “Breakthrough” written by Diane Warren.
Questlove also performed during the ceremony, along with newly minted Grammy winner Billie Eilish and Janelle Monae. The show also featured a “guest-conducted segment” by Eimear Noone, the first woman to conduct during an Oscar telecast.
The Complete List of Winners
Best Picture
“Ford V Ferrari””The Irishman””Jojo Rabbit””Joker””Little Women””Marriage Story””1917″”Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood”“Parasite” — WINNER
Actor in a Leading Role
Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker” — WINNER
Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”
Actress in a Leading Role
Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”Renée Zellweger, “Judy” — WINNER
Actor in a Supporting Role
Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”Al Pacino, “The Irishman”Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”Brad Pitt,”Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — WINNER
Actress in a Supporting Role
Kathy Bathes, “Richard Jewell”Laura Dern, “Marriage Story” — Winner
Scarlett Johansson, “Jojo Rabbit”Florence Pugh, “Little Women”Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”
Directing
Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”Todd Phillips, “Joker”Sam Mendes, “1917” Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”Bong Joon-Ho, “Parasite” — WINNER
Costume Design
“The Irishman””Jojo Rabbit””Joker”“Little Women” — WINNER“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Film Editing
“Ford V Ferrari” — WINNER“The Irishman””Jojo Rabbit””Joker””Parasite”
Music (Original Score)
“Joker” — WINNER“Little Women””Marriage Story””1917″”Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Short Film (Animated)
“Dcera (Daughter)”“Hair Love” — Winner“Kitbull””Memorable””Sister”
Short Film (Live Action)
“Brotherhood””Nefta Football Club”“The Neighbors’ Window” — WINNER“Saria””A Sister”
Sound Editing
“Ford V Ferrari” — WINNER“Joker””1917″”Once Upon a Time in Hollywood””Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Sound Mixing
“Ad Astra””Ford V Ferrari””Joker”“1917” — WINNER“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Animated Feature Film
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World””I Lost My Body””Klaus””Missing Link”“Toy Story 4” — WINNER
Cinematography
“The Irishman””Joker””The Lighthouse”“1917” — WINNER, Roger Deakins“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Documentary Feature
“American Factory” — WINNER“The Cave””The Edge of Democracy””For Sama””Honeyland”
Documentary Short Subject
“In the Absence”“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)” — WINNER“Life Overtakes Me””St. Louis Superman””Walk Run Cha-Cha”
International Feature Film
“Corpus Christi,” Poland”Honeyland,” North Macedonia”Les Misérables,” France”Pain and Glory,” Spain“Parasite,” South Korea — WINNER
Makeup and Hairstyling
“Bombshell” — WINNER“Joker””Judy””Maleficent: Mistress of Evil””1917”
Music (Original Song)
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” — “Toy Story 4”“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” — “Rocketman” — WINNER“I’m Standing With You” — “Breakthrough””Into the Unknown” — “Frozen II””Stand Up” — “Harriet”
Visual Effects
“Avengers: Endgame””The Irishman””The Lion King”“1917” — WINNER“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Production Design
“The Irishman””Jojo Rabbit””1917”“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — WINNER“Parasite”