Oppenheimer’s atomic success and Ryan Gosling’s Kenergy light up the 2024 Oscars.
The 96th Academy Awards glittered with stars to celebrate the year’s best in film. Leading the pack was Christopher Nolan's monumental Oppenheimer, a sweeping epic that delved into the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the enigmatic physicist behind the atomic bomb. With a staggering 13 nominations, Oppenheimer clinched seven prestigious Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy's portrayal of Oppenheimer himself, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr.'s poignant performance, his first Academy Award in his illustrious career spanning over four decades.
While Oppenheimer dominated the night, Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things emerged as another notable contender. This Frankenstein-inspired tale captivated audiences and critics alike, earning Emma Stone the Best Actress award for her compelling performance. The film also secured multiple victories in the crafts categories for costume design, hair and makeup, and production design.
The evening also witnessed a significant milestone for acclaimed filmmaker, Wes Anderson, who clinched his first Oscar win for Best Live-Action Short with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Meanwhile Anatomy of a Fall triumphed in the Best Original Screenplay category, while American Fiction emerged victorious for Best Adapted Screenplay, distinguishing itself as the sole streaming film to claim an award on the night.
Adding an electrifying touch to the proceedings was Ryan Gosling, whose vibrant performance of "I'm Just Ken" injected a surge of Kenergy into the ceremony. Dressed in a pink suit and gloves reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe's iconic style, Gosling paid homage to the classic film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Joined by a battalion of Kens, alongside director Greta Gerwig and co-stars America Ferrera and Margot Robbie, Gosling's performance epitomized the essence of entertainment and spectacle.
The ceremony also embraced the cultural phenomenon of Barbenheimer, which saw a rivalry between blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer which famously opened in the cinemas on the same date last year. Before honouring the stunt community in film, The Fall Guy co-stars Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer) and Ryan Gosling (Barbie) playfully roasted the rivalry between the two blockbusters, igniting laughter and camaraderie amidst the competitive spirit.
Read the full list of winners below:
Best picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Best actress
Annette Bening, Nyad
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Emma Stone, Poor Things - WINNER
Best director
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer - WINNER
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Best actor
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer - WINNER
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Best original song
“The Fire Inside" from Flamin' Hot
"I'm Just Ken" from Barbie
"It Never Went Away" from American Symphony
"Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)" from Killers of the Flower Moon
"What Was I Made For?" from Barbie - WINNER
Best original score
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Poor Things
Best sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest - WINNER
Best live action short film
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - WINNER
Best cinematography
El Conde, Edward Lachman
Killers of the Flower Moon, Rodrigo Prieto
Maestro, Matthew Libatique
Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema - WINNER
Poor Things, Robbie Ryan
Best documentary feature film
Bobi Wine: The People's President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol - WINNER
Best documentary short film
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island In Between
The Last Repair Shop - WINNER
Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó
Best film editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer - WINNER
Poor Things
Best visual effects
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One - WINNER
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Best supporting actor
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer - WINNER
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Best international feature film
Io Capitano (Italy)
Perfect Days (Japan)
Society of the Snow (Spain)
The Teachers' Lounge (Germany)
The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) - WINNER
Best costume design
Barbie, Jacqueline Durran
Killers of the Flower Moon, Jacqueline West
Napoleon, David Crossman and Janty Yates
Oppenheimer, Ellen Mirojnick
Poor Things, Holly Waddington - WINNER
Best production design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things - WINNER
Best makeup and hairstyling
Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things - WINNER
Society of the Snow
Best adapted screenplay
American Fiction, Cord Jefferson - WINNER
Barbie, Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig
Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan
Poor Things, Tony McNamara
The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer
Best original screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - WINNER
The Holdovers, David Hemingson
Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer
May December, Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik
Past Lives, Celine Song
Best animated feature film
The Boy and the Heron - WINNER
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best animated short film
Letter to a Pig
Ninety-Five Senses
Our Uniform
Pachyderme
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko - WINNER
Best supporting actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers - WINNER