The 2023 Academy Awards have finally arrived, signaling the end of an awards season full of stunning red carpet moments and engaging acceptance speeches. With Jimmy Kimmel taking center stage as the host of the show, all eyes were on who took home the golden statues.
Tension was high in the air for Best Picture. Everything Everywhere All at Once brought home awards from multiple outlets, including Critics Choice Awards, PGAs and Indie Spirit Awards - but The Fabelmans picked up Best Drama at the Golden Globe Awards, and All Quiet on the Western Front nabbed Best Film from BAFTA. The race was close!
The Best Actress prize seemed to be merely a formality for Michelle Yeoh, after many critics raved about her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once since Cannes last year. While Ana De Armas, Andrea Riseborough, and Cate Blanchett remained contenders for this year's honors, there's no denying that Yeoh stood a strong chance of being declared winner. Brendan Fraser took home Best Actor for his performance in The Whale, with all nominees being first-time contenders in the category, including Paul Mescal (Aftersun), Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin), and Austin Butler (Elvis). Fraser's wins at both Critics Choice Awards and SAGs had already set him apart as one of the frontrunners here. Meanwhile, Bill Nighy's touching performance in Living is still fresh in everyone's memory - making it clear that no single actor should be underestimated ever!
Sponsored
In terms of directing talent, it looks like Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert were most likely to take out Best Director for their work on Everything Everywhere All at Once - having already taken home multiple wins throughout awards season so far. Steven Spielberg wasn't quite done yet, though - his 9 nominations overall plus 2 previous Oscars made him a compelling contender too! Finally, Naatu Naatu from RRR by composer M.M Keerava looked ready to make its way as strongly into Oscar night, taking home Best Original Song as its sound resonated with audiences around the globe. To recap: all our favorite stars dressed their best, while collecting their well-deserved statuettes; Stay tuned until next year, because it's bound to be an unforgettable night filled with shocks, surprises, fashion thrills & spills!