STARS PAY TRIBUTE TO SNUBBED ROBBIE
No nomination, but Margot still lauded at Oscars
She may have missed out on a nomination but Aussie-born star Margot Robbie was front and centre of Monday’s Oscars ceremony.
Academy host Jimmy Kimmel paid tribute to Robbie by crediting her for the worldwide hit Barbie and for putting the “giant hit together”.
“Now ‘Barbie’ is an icon thanks to Greta Gerwig who many people believe should be nominated for Best Director. I know you are clapping, but you’re the ones who didn’t vote for her, by the way,” Kimmel told the packed Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
“Don’t act like you had nothing to do with this.
“I don’t want to leave out Margot Robbie. Margot put this giant hit together,” he said.
Another Aussie to take centre stage was Chris
Hemsworth, who joined his upcoming Mad Max film Furiosa co-star Anja Taylor Joy to present the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film to those behind War is Over: Inspired by the Music of John (Lennon) and Yoko (Ono).
One of the most popular wins on the night went to Robert Downey Jr who finally won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
It was third time lucky for the Oppenheimer star who beat a stacked field including legend Robert De Niro and Ryan Gosling.
He thanked Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan “I needed this job more than it needed me”, before paying tribute to his producer wife Susan Downey, whom he jokingly referred to as a “veterinarian.”
“She found me a snarling rescue pet and you loved me back to life,” he said. “And that is why I am here”.
Former wrestler and movie star John Cena brought some light relief to the stage appearing completely naked expect for a strategicallyplaced large envelope and sandals while presenting the Oscar for Best Costume Design.
“Costumes, they are so important, maybe the most important thing there is. I can’t open the envelope without …,” the buffed former wrestler joked before being draped in a satin curtain to preserve his modesty.
The skit was “inspired” by the infamous streaker who crashed the Oscars stage in 1974 as David Niven was introducing Elizabeth Taylor.
Singer Billie Eilish and actor Ryan Gosling both got standing ovations after performing their Oscarnominated Best Original Songs – Eilish performing a haunting rendition of her Barbie ballad What Was I
Made For?, while Gosling gave a resounding rendition of I’m Just Ken, also from the Barbie movie.
Gosling kicked off his hilarious performance sitting behind co-star Robbie before joining hit maker Mark Ronson and dozens of Kens on stage, including some of his Barbie co-stars.
Previous Best Actor winners Matthew McConaughey, Brendan Fraser, Forest Whitaker, Nicolas Cage and Ben Kingsley paid tribute to this year’s nominees before the favourite, Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy was named winner.
Murphy received a rapturous reaction from the audience and stood still to soak it all up before making his acceptance speech.
“I’m a little overwhelmed. Thank you to the Academy. Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, it’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you have taken me on over the last 20 years. I owe you more than I can say,” he said.
“I’m a proud Irishman standing here tonight.”
Oppenheimer also took out the Oscar for Best Director and Best Picture – making it the biggest winner on the night.
The Oscar for Best Actress went to a clearly-shocked Emma Stone for Poor Things, who revealed she had damaged her dress “I think it happened during I’m Just Ken”,” she said.
“The other night I was panicking, as you can kind of see, that happens a lot. That maybe something like this could happen … and (director) Yorgos (Lanthimos) said to me: ‘Please take yourself out of it.’ He was right,” Stone said fighting back tears.
The night got off in true Hollywood style – with a surprise pregnancy
Best Actor winner announcement and an unfortunate stack on the red carpet.
High School Musical actress Vanessa Hudgens chose the Oscars red carpet to confirm she is expecting her first child with professional baseball player Cole Tucker. Wearing a floor-length, figurehugging black gown, the 35-year-old actress cradled her baby bump as she beamed for the snapper squad.
In an equally unforgettable moment – but perhaps for all the wrong reasons – actress and media personality Liza Koshy, known for her roles in Players, Work It, and Transformers – took an epic tumble after tripping on her red fishtailed Marchesa dress and towering heels.
““I’m a little overwhelmed.
Cillian Murphy