“Oppenheimer,” a solemn three-hour biopic that became an unlikely billion-dollar box-office sensation, was crowned best picture at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood.
After passing over arguably Hollywood’s foremost big-screen auteur for years, the Oscars made up for lost time by heaping seven awards on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, including best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and best director for Nolan.
The most closely watched contest of the Academy Awards went to Emma Stone, who won best best actress for her performance as Bella Baxter in “Poor Things.”
The night’s first award was one of its most predictable: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for best supporting actress, for her performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers.” Robert Downey Jr.’s supporting performance in “Oppenheimer” gave him his first Oscar.
The war in Gaza was on the minds of many attendees, as was the war in Ukraine. A year after “Navalny” won the same award, Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing chronicle of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, won best documentary.
Sunday’s broadcast, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, had plenty of razzle dazzle, including a sprawling song-and-dance rendition of the “Barbie” hit “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling, with an assist on guitar by Slash as a sea of Kens swarmed the stage.
Jack Quaid, Florence Pugh, Ellen Mirojnick, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Ludwig Göransson, Charles Roven, Robert Downey Jr., Luisa Abel, Emma Thomas, Hoyte van Hoytema, Ruth De Jong, Christopher Nolan, Josh Hartnett, Ashley Everett and Claire Kaufman, from left, accept the Best Picture award for “Oppenheimer” onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Finneas, left, and Billie Eilish perform “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Raney Aronson-Rath, from left, Vasilisa Stepanenko, Mstyslav Chernov, Evgeniy Maloletka, Michelle Mizner, and Derl McCrudden accept the award for best documentary feature film for “20 Days in Mariupol” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Scott George and The Osage Singers perform ‘Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)’ from “Killers of the Flower Moon” onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
John Cena speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Mary Steenburgen, from left, Lupita Nyong’o, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rita Moreno, and Regina King present the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Robert Downey Jr. accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role for “Oppenheimer” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Ryan Gosling performs ‘I’m Just Ken’ from “Barbie” onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Cillian Murphy accepts the Lead Actor award for “Oppenheimer” onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Nicolas Cage, from left, Matthew McConaughey, Brendan Fraser, Ben Kingsley, and Forest Whitaker presents the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
<> onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
(L-R) Sally Field, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Yeoh, Charlize Theron and Jessica Lange speak onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Al Pacino speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
(L-R) Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish perform onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role for “The Holdovers” during the Oscars on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Host Jimmy Kimmel, joined by film crew members, speaks onstage during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
