“Green Book,” Universal Pictures’ film about race relations in the U.S. South in the early 1960s, was crowned best picture of 2018, an upset win that dashed Netflix’s hopes that “Roma” would garner the streaming giant’s first top Oscar.
Alfonso Cuaron won the Academy Award for directing “Roma,” his Spanish-language look at family and class in Mexico. The movie won three awards and still gave Netflix some bragging rights, even if it wasn’t for best picture, after a costly Oscar campaign for the film.
Olivia Colman, Rami Malek Win Top Acting Award
Olivia Colman won the Academy Award for best actress for her portrayal of Queen Anne in the Fox Searchlight film “The Favourite,” a big upset for the category.
“Oh it’s genuinely quite stressful,” Colman said from the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. She called out the work of her two co-stars, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, whose characters vie for their queen’s favor in the picture.
Rami Malek won the Academy Award for best actor in a leading role for his portrayal of rock ’n’ roll frontman Freddie Mercury in the 20th Century Fox film “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The success of the film, about an immigrant, gay man living his life unapologetically, is “proof that we are longing for stories like this,” Malek said from the stage.
‘Spider-Man’ Adds to Marvel’s Growing Awards Pile
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” won the Academy Award for best-animated feature, grabbing an Oscar for Sony Pictures and adding to the pile of awards amassed Sunday by Walt Disney’s Marvel Entertainment, which also garnered statuettes for “Black Panther.”
“Black Panther” and its staff grabbed early Oscars for costume and production design. Production co-designer Hannah Beachler became the first African-American ever to win that award, while Ruth Carter’s win for costumes was also a first.
Cuaron Wins for Foreign Film, Cinematography
“Roma” and its director Alfonso Cuarón netted two early awards for best cinematography and best foreign-language film, giving Netflix a couple of wins. The Spanish-language black-and-white movie looks at class in Mexico through the life of a domestic servant.
Cuarón sent word to the pressroom that he wouldn’t be appearing backstage for questions until later, when the results are in for his bids for best director and best original screenplay. “Roma” is one of eight movies up for best picture.
African-Americans Are Early Academy Award Winners
Many of the early awards went to African-Americans, showing Hollywood is getting the message after excluding minority groups from key roles and jobs for years. The winners included best supporting actress for Regina King, for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Mahershala Ali for his portrayal of virtuoso musician Dr. Don Shirley, and costume and production-design Oscars for “Black Panther.”
“Thank you for honoring African royalty and the empowered way women can look and lead onscreen,” Ruth Carter, who won for costume design, said from the stage.
Key figures in the industry have gone so far as to demand “inclusion riders” in contracts, pressing studios and producers to give women and minorities a better shot at major acting and behind-the-scenes roles.
The Oscars were also the first for a film from Disney’s Marvel cinematic universe.
Regina King Wins for ‘Beale Street’ Role
Regina King won the first big award of the night for her supporting role in “If Beale Street Could Talk,” in which she plays a mother working tirelessly to free her innocent son from prison. The film is the first English-language adaptation of a James Baldwin work for the big screen.
“To be standing here, representing one of the greatest artists of our time, James Baldwin, is a little surreal,” King said from the podium.
“Black Panther,” a best-picture nominee, garnered its first Oscars of the night, winning for costume design and drawing a thundering ovation from the audience. It also won for production design, giving co-designer Hannah Beachler the first-ever such award for an African-American.
First Hostless Oscars Open With Queen Tribute
The Oscars kicked off with a tribute to Freddie Mercury, with rock group Queen performing with Adam Lambert as frontman. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a biopic about the late, great rocker, is one of eight pictures vying for best picture, though none of the band’s music is nominated.
The Oscar producers ended up without a host after choosing comedian and actor Kevin Hart, who was forced to step down over a backlash against old jokes judged homophobic. The last time the show went without a host was in 1989. That telecast was panned and Walt Disney Co. filed a copyright infringement lawsuit after an actor dressed as a Snow White image performed a duet with Rob Lowe, without clearance, according to Variety.
Hostless Oscars Opens With Netflix Poised to Make History
The first hostless Oscars in 30 years got underway in Los Angeles, with Netflix Inc. threatening to upend decades of tradition by becoming the first streaming company to snare Hollywood’s most-coveted award with its best-picture nominee “Roma.”
Seven other nominees stand in its way, many tackling social issues. “Green Book” and “BlacKkKlansman” explore U.S. race relations, while films about Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and Queen Anne deal with sexual orientation. “Black Panther” is the first superhero movie with an African-American in the lead role, while “A Star Is Born” retells a Hollywood classic. “Vice” looks at the life of Vice President Dick Cheney.
The following is the complete list of Oscar winners from Sunday night’s 91st Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Best Picture “Green Book” (Universal) A Charles B. Wessler/Innisfree Pictures/Participant Media/DreamWorks Pictures Production; Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly and Nick Vallelonga, Producers
Best Director Alfonso Cuarón in “Roma” (Netflix)
Best Actress Olivia Colman in “The Favourite” (Fox Searchlight)
Best ActorRami Malek in “Bohemian Rhapsody” (20th Century Fox)
Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali in “Green Book” (Universal)
Best Supporting Actress Regina King in “If Beale Street Could Talk” (Annapurna Pictures)
Best Original Song “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” (Warner Bros.) Music and Lyrics by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt
Best Original Score “Black Panther” (Walt Disney)Music and Lyrics by Ludwig Goransson
Best Adapted Screenplay “BlacKkKlansman” (Focus Features)Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee
Best Original Screenplay “Green Book” (Universal) Written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly
Achievement in Visual Effects “First Man” (Universal) Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm
Best Documentary Short Subject “Period. End of Sentence.” (A Pad Project Production) Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton
Best Animated Short Film “Bao” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb
Best Live Action Short Film “Skin” (Salaud Morisset) A New Native Pictures Production
Best Animated Feature Film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Best Foreign Language Film “Roma” (A Netflix/Participant Media/Esperanto-Filmoj Production)
Achievement in Sound Mixing “Bohemian Rhapsody” (20th Century Fox) Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali
Achievement in Sound Editing “Bohemian Rhapsody” (20th Century Fox) John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone
Achievement in Cinematography Alfonso Cuarón in “Roma” (Netflix)
Achievement in Production Design “Black Panther” (Walt Disney) Hannah Beachler, Jay Hart
Achievement in Film Editing “Bohemian Rhapsody” (20th Century Fox) John Ottman
Achievement in Costume Design “Black Panther” (Walt Disney) Ruth Carter
Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling “Vice” (Annapurna Pictures) Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia DeHaney
Best Documentary Feature “Free Solo” (National Geographic) A National Geographic Documentary Films/Little Monster Films/Itinerant Media/Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation Production
