The 96th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, was a night filled with glamour, surprises, and a celebration of cinematic excellence. The blockbuster biopic “Oppenheimer” was the star of the evening, widely expected to outshine all competition.
The Oscars, which aired live on ABC, started an hour earlier than usual due to daylight saving time. Despite the time shift, the show adhered to many of the Academy Awards’ time-honored traditions. Past winners returned as presenters, and a big studio epic was poised for a significant awards haul.
However, the event was not without its share of controversy. Demonstrators were expected to protest the Israel-Hamas war near the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The war in Ukraine was also on the minds of some attendees, particularly the journalist filmmakers behind the documentary favorite, “20 Days in Mariupol”.
The 2023 movie year was marked by a prolonged strike over the future of an industry grappling with the onset of streaming, artificial intelligence, and shifting moviegoer tastes. Despite these challenges, the Academy embraced both “Oppenheimer,” the lead nominee with 13 nods, and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” the year’s biggest hit with more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales and eight nominations.
The red carpet preshow began at 6:30 p.m. EDT, with E! kicking off its red-carpet coverage at 4 p.m. EDT. The show was available to stream via ABC.com and the ABC app with a cable subscription.
The telecast featured five past winners in each acting category announcing winners for the first time since 2009. All of the best original song nominees were performed, including the most likely winner, “What Was I Made For” from “Barbie,” performed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.
In the end, the 96th Academy Awards was a night that celebrated the magic of cinema, reminding us of the power of storytelling and the importance of art in our lives.
