Seth Lamey
The 96th Oscars celebrated many of the top 2023 films in the mainstream and independent scenes. Host Jimmy Kimmel guided the audience with witty jokes, clips, and help from eclectic presenters and past winners. A lot of wins were easily predictable but were nonetheless deserved and a few surprises sprung up. Oppenheimer proved too explosive for the competition, winning seven awards out of their thirteen nominations.
Director Christopher Nolan and his producer Emma Thomas took home the Best Picture award and Nolan won his first Best Director Oscar. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. swept the Best Actor and Supporting Actor categories. Oppenheimer also took home statuettes for Best Editing (Jennifer Lame), Best Cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema), and Best Musical Score (Ludwig Goransson).
Poor Things was the second most awarded film of the night, taking home four wins including Emma Stone winning her second Oscar in Best Actress in a Leading Role. The Yorgos Lanthimos film also won Best Costume Design, Best Hairstyling and Make-up, and Production Design. The Academy “spread the love” throughout the show, awarding wins for The Holdovers, The Zone of Interest, Anatomy of a Fall, and American Fiction.
Listed below are the complete listed winners, along with links to reviews to nearly every nominated film and instant analysis of major category wins in comparison with our Film Obsessive critics’ predictions.
Best Picture
The Oscar goes to…Oppenheimer (Universal)
Oppenheimer proved to be a force of nature this awards season and that continued at the Academy Awards. The sprawling but swift biopic drama based on American Prometheus etches itself in film history for producers Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and their cast/crew.
Actor in a Leading Role
The Oscar goes to…Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy takes home his first Oscar win in as many nominations, proving to be a force as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Christopher Nolan biopic. Our prediction had Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers here, thinking the awards body would give the toss-up to the veteran actor. Murphy had already taken home wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Murphy’s speech showed him to be honored, humble, and grateful.
Actor in a Supporting Role
The Oscar goes to…Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Third time is the charm for Robert Downey Jr, who took home his first Oscar for his cunning performance as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. Our staff correctly predicted this win, as he cleaned up during the awards circuit at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. RDJ completed his career comeback, powering through early troubles to delivering pop culture icons like Tony Stark and dramatic defining performances as seen in Oppenheimer. His speech exuded gratitude and charisma as one would expect from the charming actor.
Actress in a Leading Role
The Oscar goes to…Emma Stone – Poor Things
Emma Stone collected a second Oscar to go along with her win from La La Land. This was a slight upset in our predictions, as our staff gave Lily Gladstone the edge for Killers of the Flower Moon. Our reasoning was awarding a first time nominee over a veteran presence. Ironically, this mindset was how the Best Actor in a Leading Role win went for Cillian Murphy over Paul Giamatti. Stone puts a bow on a fine career and legacy (two wins and five nominations). She won the statue for the eccentric Bella Baxter in Poor Things. Stone fought through a raspy voice, broken dress, and some tears to give a warm and emotional speech.
Actress in a Supporting Role
The Oscar goes to…Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Da’Vine Joy Randolph took home her first Oscar in as many nominations. This was an overwhelming selection by our staff critics as well. Randolph dominated the awards season circuit with wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Her performance in The Holdovers showed her ability to add grace and humility to a bittersweet drama as Mary Lamb. Randolph heart-warming speech reflected her character’s warmth.
Directing
The Oscar goes to…Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan won his second solo Oscar (writing for Memento) and first Best Director statue. We predicted this correctly, and it reflected the awards circuit as Nolan had already picked up the Golden Globes and DGA awards. This honor is a cherry on top of a sweeping year for Nolan and Oppenheimer.
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Oscar goes to…Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
Our prediction had a toss-up between Barbie and American Fiction, with a nod going to the Gerwig/Baumbach work. In a nice gesture of “spreading the love,” Cord Jefferson took home the Oscar for American Fiction. The timely adaptation of the novel Erasure won out with voters and edged out some tough competition.
Writing (Original Screenplay)
The Oscar goes to…Justine Trier and Arthur Harari – Anatomy of a Fall
Our staff correctly predicted this win! Justine Trier and Arthur Harari delivered a wholly original and gripping screenplay that intermixes courtroom drama with flashbacks and revelations. This is a well deserved win and added more diversity among the winning selections of the “major” awards.
Alongside these, the Academy also awarded statuettes to the following:
- Film Editing: Jennifer Lame, Oppenheimer
- Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer
- Music (Original Score): Ludwig Goransson, Oppenheimer
- Music (Original Song): “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish & Fienneas O’Connell, Barbie
- Production Design: Poor Things
- International Feature Film: The Zone of Interest
- Animated Feature Film: The Boy and the Heron
- Costume Design: Poor Things
- Documentary Feature Film: 20 Days in Mariupol
- Documentary Short Film: The Last Repair Shop
- Makeup and Hairstyling: Poor Things
- Animated Short Film: War is Over!
- Live Action Short Film: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
- Sound: The Zone of Interest
- Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One
