The Greatest, Worst, and Most Heartwarming Moments of the 2023 Oscars

Nothing practically as dramatic as a sure slap occurred at the 95th Academy Awards—which might be for the most effective. Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as dominated the evening with seven wins, of its 11 nominations, together with Greatest Image, and three of the 4 appearing trophies for Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis. All Quiet on the Western Entrance additionally had a powerful exhibiting with 4 wins all through the night. The night was crammed with feel-good moments, from Ruth E. Carter profitable a second Oscar (she’s the primary Black girl to take action) to a donkey cameo to an electrifying efficiency of RRR’s “Naatu Naatu.” Right here had been the most effective and worst moments of the evening.

Most secure opening monologue

The Academy Awards opened with a monologue from host Jimmy Kimmel, who joked about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock on stage final 12 months, with a nod to the crisis team that was put in place to keep away from the same second. The late evening host additionally quipped about Batgirl’s premature demise to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger and Seth Rogen’s position in Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans. Kimmel famous that John Williams is the oldest nominee within the awards present historical past, the shortage of girls administrators within the Greatest Administrators class, in addition to the Academy shutting out The Lady King and Until’s from the awards. The monologue, as an entire, was a secure alternative after the chaos of final 12 months’s award ceremony.

Sweetest second

Ke Huy Quan has one hell of a comeback story. The actor grew to become recognized and beloved early in his profession, with back-to-back roles as Quick Spherical in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Knowledge in The Goonies.

Within the early 2000s, although, Quan retired from appearing attributable to lack of alternatives. In 2018, he was so moved by Loopy Wealthy Asians that he determined to get again into appearing.

Two weeks after that call, Quan auditioned for Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as. And the remainder is historical past: On Sunday evening, Quan grew to become the primary Vietnam-born actor to win an Oscar—Greatest Supporting Actor for his position as Waymond in Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as.

“My mother is 84 years previous, and she or he’s at house watching,” Quan mentioned in his acceptance speech. “Mother, I simply received an Oscar! My journey began on a ship. I spent a 12 months in a refugee camp. And by some means, I ended up right here, on Hollywood’s greatest stage. They are saying tales like this solely occur within the films. I can’t imagine it’s taking place to me. This, that is the American dream!”

The actor was born in Saigon, fled to a refugee camp in Hong Kong at age seven, and moved to Los Angeles in 1979, 5 years earlier than his breakout position.

“Goals are one thing it’s important to imagine in. I virtually gave up on mine. To all of you on the market, please maintain your desires alive! Thanks a lot for welcoming me again. I really like you.”

Most divisive on Twitter

When Jamie Lee Curtis received Greatest Supporting Actress—for her Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as position as IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre—the web wasn’t fairly positive the way to react. Curtis was nominated in the identical class as her Every little thing In every single place All at As soon as costar Stephanie Hsu (for her position as Pleasure/Jobu Tupaki), in addition to Angela Bassett, for her position as Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Perpetually. A number of folks had plenty of emotions: to some, it was a well-deserved profession win for an older actress who had spent years within the style movie trenches. To others, it was yet one more instance of a white performer boxing out ladies of shade. Bassett, particularly, has spoken at size about her struggles in Hollywood—regardless of persistently delivering wonderful work.

Greatest reminder that Disney owns ABC

Between presenting Oscars, Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy took the stage to debut the complete trailer for the live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The complicated second shortly reminded viewers that Disney now owns a number of media firms, together with ABC. The trailer noticed combined critiques with many saying Bailey sounds angelic, however questioning the character of the CGI.

Greatest shock cameo: a donkey in homage to The Banshees of Inisherin

Jenny the Donkey undoubtedly stole the scene in The Banshees of Inisherin. The cuddly sidekick to Greatest Actor nominee Colin Farrell sadly met an early finish attributable to Brendan Gleeson’s character. Earlier than the award for Greatest Costume Design was introduced, Kimmel shocked the viewers by bringing out a donkey onstage. It was a heartwarming second for the Banshees followers and he joked that Jenny is formally an emotional help animal, providing hugs and properly, emotional help to the nominees on this aggravating day. Vulture did confirm, nonetheless, that it was not the precise donkey from the film, it was “only a random donkey.”

Happiest birthday

For a lot of attendees, the Oscars are a once-in-a-lifetime expertise. To show 31 on the Oscars—after which be sung blissful birthday by the viewers onstage—doesn’t occur greater than as soon as. James Martin, who starred in An Irish Goodbye (which received Greatest Dwell Motion Quick Movie), was “the beating coronary heart of our movie,” according to director Ross White.

“It’s his birthday at present (and) this was at all times the second most essential factor of the day,” White instructed the PA information company backstage.

“We simply wished to verify he had an additional particular second so it was wonderful to have everybody singing for him on the Dolby Theater—how ridiculous!”

Greatest banger

Indian actress Deepika Padukone launched a riveting dwell efficiency of “Naatu Naatu” from the action-drama RRR, carried out by Rahul Sipligunj, Kaala Bhairava, and a crew of wildly gifted dancers. (“Naatu Naatu” was the primary tune from an Indian manufacturing to be nominated for Greatest Unique Music—which it received—though RRR itself was snubbed.)

“An irresistibly catchy refrain, electrifying beats, and killer dance strikes to match have made this subsequent tune a worldwide sensation,” Padukone mentioned. “It performs throughout a pivotal scene in RRR, a film in regards to the friendship between real-life Indian revolutionaries Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem.”

“Along with being sung in Telugu and illustrating the movie’s anti-colonialist themes,” she continued, “it’s additionally a complete banger.”

Ruth E. Carter makes historical past

Black Panther: Wakanda Perpetually received its first Oscar of the evening for Greatest Costume Design, the identical award the primary film received again in 2019. Ruth E. Carter, the costume designer for each movies, took house the golden statuette—making her the primary Black girl to win two Oscars. She devoted the award to her mother who lately died on the age of 101, saying “This previous week, Mable Carter grew to become an ancestor. This movie ready me for this second. Chadwick, please handle Mother.”

Rihanna’s efficiency

Ever since Rihanna announced her second pregnancy on the Super Bowl Halftime Show, the hope for extra performances and music has gone out the window. In a uncommon efficiency, the Bajan famous person took the Oscars stage to sing the “Greatest Unique Music” nominated, “Raise Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Perpetually soundtrack. She delivered a vocally-strong efficiency of the heartfelt ballad that was meant as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman written by Grammy Award profitable Nigerian singer Tems, director Ryan Coogler, and composer Ludwig Göransson.

Write to Moises Mendez II at moises.mendez@time.com.