Jimmy Kimmel was actually funny (sorry Jimmy Fallon) while also exhibiting bold behavior on the Oscars stage during the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony. Tweeting to President Donald Trump on the big screen was only one of the bold moments of the night. Mr. Kimmel started the avalanche of ongoing statements of resistance. Hollywood proved to the world, despite its unmatchable privilege, that it is united against President Trump and his fascist, racist regime.
When Iran’s The Salesman won Best Foreign Language film, director Asghar Farhadi had a colleague accept the award on his behalf. The note he left expressed that he was standing in solidarity with the Muslim community who had been banned by President Trump’s recent executive action. Beyond that sobering moment, we were reminded, as opposed to last year, that Hollywood is indeed diverse as films of color were recognized and praised across the board. Mahershala Ali, Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner for Moonlight, is the first Muslim actor to win an Academy Award. The incomparable powerhouse Viola Davis took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Fences and Moonlight, a film celebrating both the black community and the queer community, took home Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture of 2016.
The big snafu of the night occurred when legends Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Bonnie and Clyde, read the wrong Best Picture winner from the Oscars stage and the cast and crew of La La Land gathered to receive their accolades and give their speeches. Warren Beatty came sheepishly to the mic and announced his mistake: he had received the Best Actress envelope, which read Emma Stone, La La Land. What followed was a gracious handoff from the producers of La La Land to a very excited Barry Jenkins and the cast and crew of Moonlight. The mix-up ended the night on a welcome surprise.
The following is the list of the night’s winners:
Best Supporting Actor – Mahershala Ali – Moonlight
Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Suicide Squad
Best Costume Design – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Best Documentary Feature – OJ: Made in America
Achievement in Sound Editing – Arrival
Achievement in Sound Mixing – Hacksaw Ridge
Best Supporting Actress – Viola Davis – Fences
Best Foreign Language Film – The Salesman
Best Animated Short Film – Piper
Best Animated Feature Film – Zootopia
Best Production Design – La La Land
Best Visual Effects – The Jungle Book
Best Film Editing – Hacksaw Ridge
Best Documentary Short Subject – The White Helmets
Best Live Action Short Film – Sing
Best Lighting – La La Land
Best Original Score – La La Land
Best Original Song – “City of Stars” – La La Land
Best Original Screenplay – Manchester By the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay – Moonlight
Best Director – Damien Chazelle – La La Land
Best Actor – Casey Affleck – Manchester By the Sea
Best Actress – Emma Stone – La La Land
Best Picture – Moonlight
Joey Armstrong is a hospital chaplain from Western New York. He is also a playwright and amateur cartoonist. Follow him on Twitter @chaplainmystic and Medium, where he writes more reviews for film and television.
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