For the first time in two years, the Academy Awards seem to have found their footing back into normalcy. As Hollywood’s biggest night made its much-awaited return, viewers were definitely entertained. From incredible musical performances to emotional wins, it wouldn’t be tinsel-town without its fair share of viral moments. Here are all the highlights of the 94th Academy Awards, and why it’s one that’s definitely going down in history.
- Al Pacino, Robert De Niro & Francis Ford Coppola reunite for the 50th anniversary of The GodfatherA brief but very nostalgic moment to many, cinematic legends Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Francis Ford Coppola spent the evening amongst their peers celebrating The Godfather’s 50th anniversary. Revered by some as one of the greatest films of all time, Coppola quickly thanked the audience and his colleagues while on stage and even credited Robert Evans for the film’s success, putting their long-rumored feud to bed.
- A moment of silence for Ukraine
The Oscars shared a moment of silence in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Flashing a message on viewers’ screens, they stated “We’d like to have a moment of silence to show our support for the people of Ukraine currently facing invasion, conflict, and prejudice within their borders.”. A somber moment, the academy faced pressure from the country’s own president Volodymyr Zelensky prior to airing appealing for an appearance to help spread awareness of the country’s current disposition.
- They finally got to talk about Bruno
In the final live performance of the evening, John Leguizamo, who voiced the role of Bruno in Disney’s animated feature film Encanto, introduced Stephanie Beatriz and other members of the cast to perform their hit song “We don’t talk about Bruno”. Chart-topping rapper Megan thee-Stallion also joined in with a surprise cameo alongside Luis Fonsi and Becky G.
- Troy Kotsur makes history by nabbing Best Supporting Actor for his performance in CODA
An incredible win for Troy Kotsur and a heartwarming moment of representation for the deaf community, audiences from all over the world couldn’t help but turn emotional after the actor was announced Best Supporting Actor by The Academy. A back-to-back win for Kotsur, he also brought home a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, BAFTA, and Critic’s Choice Award for his performance in CODA. - Araiana DeBose triumphs as the first Afro-Latino, openly queer woman to win an acting Academy Award
Definitely an amazing night of representation for many communities, Ariana DeBose raised her flag high as she celebrated her win as Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story. An Afro-Latino Queer Woman, she is the first to have ever won an acting Academy Award. - For the first time in Oscar history, the academy gets an ASL interpreter
For the very first time in its 94-year history, The Academy Awards took an inspiring step forward by streaming a live feed of the show with American Sign Language interpretation making the ceremony accessible to over 70 million deaf individuals around the world.
- Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on stage
Saving the most controversial moment for last, in an astounding turn of events, Will Smith, who was nominated (and later won) for an Academy Award that evening stormed the stage whilst Chris Rock was performing his comedic monologue. Displeased by a joke Rock made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaven hair, Smith struck Rock across the face. A hard blow, Rock seemingly needed to take a moment before proceeding. Police said Chris Rock declined to file a formal police report of the incident.