As anticipated by the most recent predictions, it is CODAby Sian Heder, who on Sunday won the Oscar for best film under the beard of The Power of the Dog, by Jane Campion, a long-time favourite. “Remake” feel good » French success The Aries family, CODA recounts the tribulations of a young girl who is the only one with hearing in her family. This is the first time the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has honored a production featuring a mostly deaf cast in this way. Another page of history: the first director twice nominated in this category, Jane Campion won the Oscar for best director. Dune, by Denis Villeneuve, left with the most Oscars, six. However, what we are most likely to remember from this 94th ceremony is that Will Smith went on stage to punch Chris Rock in the face.
During his presentation, the latter joked at the expense of a few celebrities seated on the floor, including Jada Pinkett Smith, the spouse of Will Smith, who sported a magnificent shaved head (the actress revealed in 2021 to suffer from alopecia). “I can’t wait to see you in G.I. Jane 2, Jada,” Chris Rock said. What has – literally – made Will Smith jump. After hitting him, Will Smith insulted a visibly stunned Chris Rock from his seat. Moved to tears, Will Smith later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richardwhere he plays the father of Venus and Serena Williams.
Will Smith’s gesture on video:
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the middle of the Oscars ceremony last night?
Chris Rock has poked fun at the hair loss of Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia. “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth,” the actor yelled. pic.twitter.com/DyRA3I0Gjr
— Views (@viewsfrance) March 28, 2022
The evening had however started rather well, with a fabulous musical performance by Beyoncé. Co-hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes then offered an opening number with sometimes funny, sometimes laborious gags. The “gay, gay, gay!!! served in chorus to the Governor of Florida galvanized the room. Then, a second opening number (!) saw Amy Schumer serve a very well-done comedian to the audience, joking that she hadn’t seen any of the films in the running: a satirical echo of a sad reality. A real moment of hilarity, shortly following, when Regina Hall came to parody health protocols by offering to test a few beautiful chosen actors behind the scenes.
Overall, the three hosts did a great job, finding the right balance between the humorous, the political and the social.
In keeping with tradition
The ceremony was rich in touching moments, such as Ariana DeBose’s vibrant speech when she received the Oscar for best supporting actress for West Side Story. With emotion, she evoked her belonging to the Latino and LGBTQ communities, and how such an award proves that there is a place – the cinema – where all people from various margins can feel in their place. The LGBTQ issue came up often, especially when Jessica Chastain, winning the Oscar for best actress for The Eyes of Tammy Fayein turn denounced politicians fond of homophobic laws “who seek to divide us”.
Impossible, moreover, not to have the thrill when Troy Kotsur went to pick up the Oscar for best supporting actor for CODA. One of the original voices from the animated film Charmactor and comedian John Leguizamo for his part recalled the Mexican origins of Oscar, the golden statuette, which would have once been modeled in the image of Emilio Fernández, a young actor who then became a director and producer.
Another highlight: this sober minute of silence for Ukraine accompanied by a message inviting donations for the besieged population. After having, fortunately, ruled out the idea of involving the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Academy made the right choice. Flanked by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino to celebrate 50 years of his masterpiece The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola launched “Viva Ukraine! “.
For the rest, the format of the ceremony has more or less remained in keeping with the august tradition, with its presentations of uneven outfits, its lengths and intermittent uneasiness, its musical numbers that we like or which we might do without, to taste. …
For those who appreciate the long-standing ceremony, vices and virtues included, it exuded an almost comforting “old-fashioned” side. Even Will Smith’s stunt came to provide that extra bit of scandal that we will remember for a long time.
