The buzz around Hollywood is palpable as the 96th Academy Awards rolled out its red carpet last night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and boy, did it deliver on the promise of glitter and gold. On a night that saw "Oppenheimer" hoisting the lion's share of statuettes, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, the ceremony threw in a mix of surprising wins and sure bets. Christopher Nolan's epic swept seven out of its 13 nominations, solidifying its place in cinematic history, according to Al Jazeera.
Prying eyes also turned to the live stage performances which were, purportedly meant to give this year's gala an extra spark of excitement. The "Barbie" summer hit, which scored a win for Best Song, brought Ryan Gosling to the microphone to perform "I’m Just Ken," backed by none other than Marc Ronson, as per KXAN. With scores of dancers in tow, Gosling's number was predicted to be a showstopper, with entertainment anchor Sam Rubin hinting at "several major names from the movie in ‘surprise’ cameos during this giant number."
The star-studded event, however, was not without its moments of poignancy. The touching sibling duo of Billie Eilish and Finneas performed their soulful hit "What Was I Made For?" from the very same "Barbie" film. Meanwhile, Jon Batiste struck a deeply personal chord with his performance of "It Never Went Away," from his documentary "American Symphony," chronicling his wife's battle with leukemia. Becky G also turned up the heat with "The Fire Inside," a Diane Warren composition from the Hulu-streamed flick "Flamin' Hot."
As the night unfolded, Eilish went on to claim her trophy for "What Was I Made For?" signaling dual recognition including a Grammy for Song of the Year and, a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. The Oscars also had its own "cultural moment" as Scott George, alongside the Osage singers, performed "Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)" from Scorsese's film, respectively marking George's place as the first Indigenous nominee in the Oscars Best Original Song category, as noted by KXAN.
