The 96th Academy Awards has come and gone, and this year’s ceremony saw many deserving Black talent finally get their flowers. From Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Best Supporting Actress win for her work in The Holdovers to Cord Jefferson snagging the Best Adapted Screenplay award for American Fiction, it was a welcome change to see the Academy recognize and celebrate Black talent in Hollywood. Read on for Black wins at the ceremony, as well as other unforgettable moments from this year’s Oscars.
Kris Bowers’ “The Last Repair Shop” wins Best Documentary Short
Composer and pianist Kris Bowers’ short documentary “The Last Repair Shop” won Best Documentary Short at the festivities. The documentary follows a Los Angeles warehouse run by just four people committed to taking care of over 80,000 student musical instruments.
After receiving the award, Bowers and fellow director Ben Proudfoot spoke of the importance of art education to BET.
“We’re living in pretty traumatic times and spending less than 30 seconds on Instagram I can feel pretty anxious and depressed,” Bowers said. “And you have so many kids that don’t have the tools to process those feelings.”
He added, “The arts are an incredibly important vehicle to communicate through these times.”
American Fiction wins Best Adapted Screenplay
One of 2023’s most pivotal films, “American Fiction,” raked up an impressive five nominations at this year’s Oscars. Though fans were disappointed the film didn’t receive any awards for its performances, Cord Jefferson’s Best Adapted Screenplay win was a major victory.
“This means the world to me,” he said during his acceptance speech. “Thank you so much to the Academy, and thank you so much to everybody who worked on the film. I’ve been talking a lot about how many people passed on this movie and discussing it and I worry that sometimes it] sounds vindictive, and I don’t want to be vindictive, I’m not a vindictive person anymore. I’ve worked very hard to not be vindictive anymore.”
Later, he urged Hollywood to take more risks
“And it’s more a plea — it’s a plea to acknowledge and recognize that there are so many people out there who want the opportunity that I was given…. I understand that this is a risk-averse industry, I get it,” he said, according to People.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph wins Best Supporting Actress
Tears were flowing when Randolph won Best Supporting Actress for her work on The Holdovers. In an emotional speech, she recounted her decade-plus-long journey, how her mom shaped her career, and thanked those who were steadfast in their belief in her talent.
“For so long, I’ve always wanted to be different and now I realize I just need to be myself,” she said during her acceptance speech.
Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” brings the house down
Gosling may not have won Best Supporting Actor for his work in 2023 sensation Barbie, but he was an undeniable star of the evening. The actor’s performance of “I’m Just Ken,” alongside songwriter Mark Ronson, guitarist Slash, and several other Kens from the box office hit, brought the house down, and is already one of the night’s most memorable moments. With a nod to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, props, a Barbie pink bedazzled suit, and strong vocals, the actor captivated viewers virtually and IRL.
Oppenheimer dominated
No films were recognized like Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The film, which unpacks the eponymous man who helped create the atomic bomb, won Best Picture, the biggest award of the evening, as well as six other awards, including Best Director for Nolan, Best Lead and Best Supporting Actor for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downing Jr. respectively.
