Oscars 2023: 5 highlights to look out for in tonight's telly catch-up
Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Oscar for lead actress, attends the Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA. Pic: Doug Peters/PA Wire
Michelle Yeoh gave an inspirational speech after becoming the first Asian to win best actress at the 95th Academy Awards for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
She fought off competition from two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, Ana De Armas, Andrea Riseborough and Michelle Williams.
Accepting her prize, the 60-year-old said: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. Dream big, dreams do come true.
“I have to dedicate this to my mum, all the mums in the world because they are really the superhero’s and without them none of us would be here tonight. She’s 84 and I’m taking this home to her.”
She added: “This is history in the making.”
Yeoh has already won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in the offbeat comedy drama. Her Academy Award win makes her not only the second non-white person to win the Oscar for best actress, but also the first from an Asian background.
The multiverse sci-fi epic, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, claimed seven prizes including best directing and best picture, the biggest of the night.
- For more, click here.
Brendan Fraser won the Oscar for actor in a leading role.
The actor, 54, won the top accolade for his role in The Whale, thanking director Darren Aronofsky for “throwing me a creative life-line”.
“So this is what the multiverse looks like,” he said, accepting the award.
“I thank the academy for this honour… Darren Aronofsky for throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship The Whale.
Addressing his fellow best actor nominees, he continued: “You laid your whale-sized hearts bare…and it is my honour to be named alongside you in this category.” Fraser went on to thank his family and sons, as well as his co-star in The Whale, Hong Chau.
“I want to tell you that only whales can swim at the depths of the talent of Hong Chau,” he said.
“I started in this business 30 years ago…there was a facility that that I didn’t appreciate at the time until it stopped.”
- Read an interview with Fraser on his award-winning role here.
John Travolta became emotional as he introduced an in memoriam segment which began with a tribute to his late Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John.
The actor fought back tears as he introduced the segment saying of those who have passed: "they've touched our hearts, they've made us smile, and became dear friends, who we will always remain hopelessly devoted to".
Names appeared on the screen including Irene Papas, Robbie Coltrane, Kirstie Alley, Angela Lansbury, Irene Cara, Ray Liotta, Nichelle Nichols, Burt Bacharach, Vangelis, James Caan and Raquel Welch.
Elizabeth Banks tripped as she took to the stage at the Oscars to present the award for best visual effects but quickly managed to steady herself.
She was joined by a person wearing a bear costume in reference to her recent film Cocaine Bear and quipped: “Oh my God. He tripped me.”
Cocaine Bear has arrived at the #Oscars
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 13, 2023
See the full winners list: https://t.co/W5iOmTPKi2 pic.twitter.com/xklTux7cnS
- Outdoor shots for the bearsploitation picture were taken in Co Wicklow - reviewed by Declan Burke here.
Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the 95th Academy Awards in spectacular fashion.
The US TV host and comedian entered the stage attached to a parachute, in a nod to best picture nominee Top Gun: Maverick.
“Give me a second I need to adjust my danger zone. My Banshees are caught in my Inisherin right now,” he said “I know that being here is a dream come true for some people, thank you for inviting me.” Minutes before the show began, Kimmel’s late-night talk show side-kick Guillermo could be heard over the PA.
“When the teleprompter says wrap it up, wrap it the f*** up…have fun and don’t drink too much. Salut,” he said.
- As is tradition, RTÉ2 will be broadcasting the highlights from the awards on Monday, March 13 at 9.30pm.
