Taika pulls an Oscar out of the hat
Kiwi favourite wins award for best adapted screenplay
For Kiwi audiences the one big question surrounding the 92nd Academy Awards was would Taika Waititi win? The second big question was how many of the six nominations would Jojo Rabbit, his divisive but mostly acclaimed anti-war satire, score?
Thankfully, the wait for Waititi was not long, with the local director winning his first Oscar for best adapted screenplay with Jojo Rabbit early on in the three-hour-plus ceremony.
Looking uncharacteristically nervous after accepting the award Waititi nevertheless gave a heartfelt speech, thanking his mum after revealing she was the one who gave him Christine Leunens’ book Caging Skies, which he’d adapt into Jojo Rabbit.
“This film wouldn’t have existed without you doing that,” he said.
If the first part was thankful, the second half was inspiring, with the director saying, “I dedicate this to all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories, we are the original storytellers and we can make it here, as well.”
But there’s no doubt the night belonged to South Korean director and screenwriter Bong Joon-ho, whose thriller Parasite proved infectious to the Academy.
In what can only be described as a huge upset or shock twist, the Korean-language film took home four awards, almost a clean sweep of all the major categories, winning best international feature film, best original screenplay, best director and the big kahuna, best picture, and making history as the first non-English feature to win the coveted prize.
“Thank you, I will drink until next morning,” Bong said, looking stunned after accepting the gold trophy.
Other surprises included Eminem performing his 2002 Academy Award-winning song Lose Yourself and Ray Romano dropping an unbleeped F-bomb on stage right before announcing the winner for best makeup and hair styling.
Piano man Elton John made an appearance, hammering away at the keys with Rocketman’s (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again. Let’s hope he’s not too jet lagged for his three-night run at Mt Smart which kicks off this Sunday.
Joaquin Phoenix had the last laugh winning best leading actor for his performance as the Joker in the film of the same name. But his speech was no laughing matter as he gave “voice to the voiceless”, in a rambling, tangential fashion, before eventually thanking the people in the room.
“I’ve been a scoundrel . . . selfish, cruel at times, hard to work with and I am grateful so many of you . . . have given me a second chance. When we help each other, when we guide each other towards redemption, that is the best of humanity.”
Renee Zellweger crowned her comeback by claiming victory in the category of best leading actress for her role as Judy Garland in the biopic Judy, before giving Phoenix a run for his money in her equally roundabout acceptance speech.
And then almost half an hour after its scheduled finish it was crunch time. Could Waititi win again? Could he do the double? Could a film about Nazis, with Hitler as a character, really win best picture, no matter how much hate it was anti and satirising? Sadly, nein.
The night belonged to Bong HoonJo and his Parasite. A film that made history by blowing up the tired assumption and perceptions of what an Academy Award-winning best picture should look like.
Scarlett Johansson lit up the red carpet at the Oscars in a Oscar de la Renta strapless gown embellished to the rafters. She was nominated for two awards — best actress for Marriage Story and best supporting actress for Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit.