The 2023 Oscars: Brendan Fraser to Ke Huy Quan, A night of unexpected moments and joyous speeches
By Mahir Ahmed, MA Global Media and Communications
Every year there is an obvious tension when the Academy Awards roll around, but the 95th Academy Awards played out a bit differently. Viral images from the night have circulated the internet, such as the red (or more aptly, the champagne-coloured) carpet, and Ken Huy Quan hugging Harrison Ford has captured the minds of fans and critics alike.
This year’s best actor award went to Brendan Fraser, beating out Austin Butler and Colin Farrell. He thanked director Darren Aronofsky for throwing him “a creative lifeline” after years of minor roles. The divisive drama also won for best makeup and hairstyling despite pushback against the suit created to make Fraser look like he weighed 600lbs.
With all the highlights, Guillermo Del Toro made Oscars history, as his adaption of Pinocchio took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature during the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, allowing the Mexican filmmaker to get to a place where no other director has been before. During his acceptance speech, Del Toro said, “Animation is cinema. Animation is not a genre. Animation is ready to be taken to the next step. Keep animation in the conversation.”
Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian to win Best Actress. Her co-star, Ke Huy Quan is just the second Asian to get the Supporting Actor award and the first Oscar winner of Vietnamese descent, and costume designer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth E. Carter became the only Black woman with two career Oscars with a win Sunday and in 2019.
Jamie Lee Curtis was named best supporting actress for her performance triumphing over Angela Bassett and Kerry Condon. It was the veteran actor’s first-ever nomination. “I know it looks like I am standing up here by myself but I am hundreds of people,” she said before emotionally paying tribute to those in both the film and her life.
In the interim, anti-colonialism epic RRR scored the first Original Song victory for a film from India with the unbelievably catchy “Naatu Naatu,” beating out songs by Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Principal songwriter M.M. Keeravaani‘s acceptance speech was sung to the tune of a Carpenters song.
Sarah Polley won the Oscar for adapted screenplay for the female-led drama Women Talking. “I want to thank the Academy for not being mortally offended by the words women and talking being so close together,” she said during her speech. Polley is only the ninth woman to win this category.
Top Gun: Maverick did not go completely unnoticed during the festivities, as it won the prize for Best Sound while James Cameron’s hit sequel Avatar: The Way of Water won for visual effects. Navalny was crowned Best Documentary Feature, and when Alexei Navalny’s wife, Yulia, used the occasion to address her husband directly, “Stay strong, my love”, she said, addressing him on stage.
David Byrne made an appearance, performing ‘This Is A Life’ to the soundtrack of Everything Everywhere All At Once while wearing the infamous hot dog fingers from the film on his hands.
“Dreams are something you have to believe in,” Ke Huy Quan declared. He pointed at the camera and added, “Please keep your dreams alive.”
Not to be outdone, Michelle Yeoh urged us to “dream big, and dreams do come true.”
An emotional in-memoriam segment was led by John Travolta, whose Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John died in August 2022. Other featured figures included Louise Fletcher, Ray Liotta, Robbie Coltrane, Angelo Badalamenti, James Caan, Angela Lansbury, and Burt Bacharach.
Despite seven nominations, Spielberg’s drama The Fabelmans failed to win in any of its categories. Todd Field’s drama Tár, which received six nominations, and Baz Lurhmann’s Elvis, which received eight nominations, were also snubbed.
I wouldn’t say that Everything Everywhere All at Once was my favourite film of the year, (that goes to The Banshees of Inisherin!) but Everything Everywhere All at Once is a work of bonkers audacity and the sort of film that no rational person would ever call “Oscar bait.” Everything Everywhere All at Once walked away with seven awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, becoming the biggest winners of the night.
Featured Photo Caption: Michelle Yeoh accepts the award for Actress in a Leading Role (Credit: Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
