End clap for the 95th Academy Awards. The biggest celebrities of Hollywood cinema gathered this Sunday, March 12 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles to reward the most outstanding works of the past year. After a turbulent edition in 2022, marked by the slap of Will Smith inflicted on Chris Rock, the Oscars had a more peaceful ceremony, sometimes leaving the impression of being on automatic pilot, and determined to make no room for controversy. .
Despite the boredom that has sometimes been the tip of its nose, the high mass of the seventh art also offered some strong emotional moments, both from the winners and from the artists who came to perform on stage. GQ looks back on the most significant moments of these Oscars 2023.
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The heartbreaking speech of Ke Huy Quan
He was one of the first rewarded during this 95th ceremony and probably the most obvious. Almost 40 years following his film debut in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom by Steven Spielberg, in which he played Demi-Lune, Ke Huy Quan received his first Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his stunning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. The dream conclusion to a season of ceremonies in which the 51-year-old actor will have won (almost) everything.
His formidable speech will have been the opportunity for him to evoke his tumultuous journey and his long crossing of the desert until his return in the film by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. “My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp and I find myself here on the biggest stage in Hollywood. They say stories like this only happen in movies. I can’t believe this is happening to me. This is the American dream. […] You have to believe in dreams. I almost gave up on mine. Everyone, keep your dreams alive!”
Bollywood sets the Oscars on fire with “Naatu Naatu”
Like every year, the artists nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Song were invited to perform on stage and offer a little vitality in a ceremony that can sometimes seem long – and that’s an understatement. Rihanna and Lady Gaga were undoubtedly the most anticipated stars of the evening, but those who set the Dolby Theater on fire were from India. From the blockbuster RRR, the song “Naatu Naatu” gave rise to a flamboyant spectacle, like SS Rajamouli’s film. The guests of the ceremony got up from their seats to dance. The mission is accomplished and the Oscar for best original song totally deserved.
Lady Gaga, made simple
Currently filming Joker: Madness for two with Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga was originally not to participate in the 95th Oscar ceremony. To everyone’s surprise, the actress and singer finally made it to the Dolby Theater and gave a clean but stunning performance of her “Hold My Hand”, present on the soundtrack of Top Gun : Maverick. In a black T-shirt and ripped jeans, she put aside the pomp and artifice of such an event to return to pure emotion and gave new strength to her famous ballad.
Brendan Fraser’s incredible comeback
Between Austin Butler, Colin Farrell, Bill Nighy and Paul Mescal, Brendan Fraser found himself in one of the toughest categories of these 2023 Oscars: that of Best Actor. His live performance in The Whale moved the voters and the actor thus won the first Oscar of his career. Upset when he arrived on stage, the 54-year-old actor did not hide his surprise. “Is that what the multiverse looks like?” he joked as he picked up his prize.
This recognition of the most prestigious ceremony in American cinema comes following a long dark period for Brendan Fraser. Former action movie superstar as The Mummy, the actor was the victim of a sexual assault in the summer of 2003 and went through a long period of depression following health problems related to the violent stunts performed during his career. “I’m grateful to Darren Aronofsky for giving me a creative lifeline and getting me on board the right ship. He bared our whale hearts so we might see into our souls like no one else might.”
The consecration of Michelle Yeoh
The 95th Oscars ceremony will have been placed under the sign of returns. After Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser, it is another important Hollywood figure who experienced professional recognition this year. At 60, Michelle Yeoh thus became the first actress of Asian origin to win the Oscar for best actress thanks to her exceptional performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Aware of the historic nature of the moment, Michelle Yeoh delivered a political speech, calling on people of Asian origin not to give up on their ambitions, despite the discrimination they may suffer. “For all the little boys and girls like me watching tonight, this is a symbol of hope and possibility. This statuette is proof that when you dream big, dreams can come true. And ladies, ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you’ve gone too far, that you’re asking too much. […] This is history in motion.”
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