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Oppenheimer named Oscar Best Picture

Emma Stone beats the odds to win Best Actress

by Jennie Kermode

Oppenheimer

As film fans around the world had been expecting, Oppenheimer triumphed at tonight's Oscars, taking home a total of seven awards. The runner up was Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things, with four, and the big surprise of the night was Emma Stone winning best Actress for her performance as Bella Baxter. Everyone had expected that prize to got to Lily Gladstone for their superb work in Killers Of The Flower Moon, but the two performances are so different that they're very difficult to compare. Stone herself seemed shocked and stressed how impressed she was by all of the other women nominated, as well as reminding viewers that film is a collaborative art and that she could not possibly have achieved that success without support from an amazing team.

It was a fantastic night in Los Angeles, kicking off around 2pm local time as guests began arriving on the red carpet. The ceremony was slightly delayed by a protest march as people took made use of the cameras to express their concern about those currently under bombardment in Gaza. There was a more serious mood than usual, and upon winning the award for Best International Feature Film (the first time ever for a UK production), the Zone Of Interest team said they rejected their Jewishness being used as cover for a regime which would do what Israel is now doing in Gaza. Johnathan Glazer said that he wanted the film to be about the present and now we treat each other now, not just what happened in the past.

Cillian Murphy, named Best Actor for Oppenheimer, said "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb. And for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world. So I would really like to dedicate this to the peacemakers everywhere." Describing himself as a little overwhelmed, he added "I'm a very proud Irishman standing here tonight."

The first award of the night, Best Supporting Actress, went to Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers. In an emotional awards speech the star, clad in a shimmering silver gown, said that not only did she never expect to win an award like this but she never expected to become an actor in the first place. "I thank you to all the people who have stepped in my path and has been there for me, who has ushered me and guided me," she said. "For so long I've always wanted to be different, and now I realise I just need to be myself...Ron Van Lieu, I thank you. When I was the only black girl in that class, you saw me and you told me I was enough. And when I told you I don't see myself, you said, 'That's fine. We're going to forge our own path. You're going to lay a trail for yourself.'" That trail has now taken her all the way to the top.

Celebrating his Best Supporting Actor win - and the first win of the night for Oppenheimer - Robert Downey Jr expressed his gratitude to all the people who helped him to recover from his past struggles so that he could get to where he is today. "I would like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy, in that order," he said. "I would like to thank my veterinarian - I mean wife, Susan Downey. She found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life. That's why I'm here."

For others, Oscar success was marred by ongoing tragic circumstances. "I will be the first director on this stage who will say I wish I never made this film," said Best Documentary award winner Mstyslav Chernov of 20 Days In Mariupol. "I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities. I wish to give all the recognition to Russia not killing tens of thousands of my fellow Ukrainians. I wish for them to release all the hostages, all the soldiers who are protecting their lands, all the civilians who are now in their jails." he went on to express his hope that the film's win will help Ukraine to achieve justice, "because cinema forms memories, and memories form history."

In light of the stunning content that Studio Ghibli has been producing for so many years, it's strange that it has taken them so long to get Oscar attention, but there was a lot of love for The Boy And The Heron's win tonight. Japan went on to score a second victory when Godzilla Minus One won best VFX, also attracting loud cheers and, perhaps, bolstering Cillian Murphy's theory about the world in which we live. "Incredible! Godzilla Minus One wins an Academy Award for special effects. In my lifetime. Fantastic!" tweeted genre legend John Carpenter.

There was a general sigh of relief when the award for Best Original Screenplay went to Anatomy Of A Fall given the controversy which has just arisen over The Holdovers, whose screenwriter stands accused of plagiarism; but disappointment from fans of that film that it did not do better after a promising run earlier in awards season.

Black was the colour of the night on the red carpet, but there were also some fabulous pink dresses as Barbie continued to inspire the stars. Sadly for fans of the doll, despite its massive success at the box office it didn't do so well with Academy voters, winning only in the Best Song category. Receiving her award for What Was I Made For? made Billie Eilish the youngest ever two time Oscar winner as her tune pipped I'm Just Ken to the post. nevertheless, it was Ryan Gosling's heartfelt performance of the latter that really stole the show on the night.

Those awards in full:

Best Picture