Last night the 93rd annual Academy Awards were held. In terms of winners and losers, this year’s Oscars were relatively predictable. “Nomadland” cleaned up, taking home Best Picture, Director, and Actress. Daniel Kaluuya finally received the recognition he deserves with a Best Supporting Actor win. And Emerald Fennell became the first woman since Diablo Cody in 2008 to be awarded Best Original Screenplay.
The award show itself, however, wasn’t the spectacle fans are used to seeing. Coinicidng with Covid regulations, the 2021 Academy Awards were held in a hybrid format; some nominees going virtual while some managed to be in-person. Nevertheless, when you put celebrities in a room together, entertainment is inevitable. So without further ado, here are the best moments (in my opinion) from this year’s Academy Awards.
Thomas Vinterberg Dedicates His Speech to His Late Daughter Ida
Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round” won Best International Feature last night, and the Danish director’s win was long overdue. The film, which Vinterberg comments “celebrates life,” is dedicated to his daughter Ida who was killed in a car accident four days into the shooting of “Another Round.” Ida was supposed to be in the film and in an emotional statement, Vinterberg expresses his adoration for filmmaking as a way to honor his daughter’s life. It was a beautiful moment.
Yuh-Jung Youn Wins Best Supporting Actress; Shouts Out Brad Pitt
“Minari” star Yuh-Jung Youn picked up the film’s only win last night with her Best Supporting Actress dub. And deservedly so, Youn is hilarious and heartwarming as the unconventional grandma of the Korean-American household depicted in “Minari.” The actress herself embodied the quirky character in her hilarious acceptance speech; waving to Brad Pitt and calling out the people who mispronounced her name.
Daniel Kaluuya Pays Tribute to Fred Hampton and Induces Cringe from Family Members
Daniel Kaluuya took home Best Supporting Actor for his role as Fred Hampton in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The British born actor acknowledged the strives made by Hampton and the Black Panther party, emotionally reflecting on their sacrifices for the current black community. He then followed in Vinterberg’s footsteps by honoring the “celebration of life,” although Kaluuya did so by thanking his Mom and Dad for having sex because otherwise he wouldn’t be here. It’s hard not to love Kaluuya, although judging by his Mom’s reaction, I suspect an awkward phone call sometime today.
Tyler Perry Receives The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Multi-hyphenate industry tycoon Tyler Perry was recognized last night in his acceptance of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Perry, whose provided countless jobs through his production headquarters in Atlanta, delivered a powerful speech recounting his own struggles with homelessness and his mother’s childhood during the Jim Crow period. The producer pleaded with viewers to “refuse hate and blanket judgement”, a statement poignant and hopefully influential during this dark period of American history. The power of movies, people. Never underestimate it.
