Top 10 Moments From The Oscars 2023 Ceremony

Top 10 Moments From The Oscars 2023 Ceremony: This year’s Oscars ceremony didn’t see anything as dramatic as last year’s slap on stage. More so than that, there was no mix-up of categories or events that halted the proceedings of the live show. In fact, the academy, at its 95th award ceremony, honored some of the most diverse groups from across the world, with the two big wins for India standing out. For the most part, A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated the night with a whopping seven wins out of its 11 nominations, which included Best Picture and three of the four acting trophies for its cast.

Jimmy Kimmel hosted the show and was quick to notice the absence of Tom Cruise and James Cameron while even joking about the awards being too long for even Cameron to sit through. While there were a few blaring snubs for films such as “The Fabelmans” and “The Banshees of Inisherin,” the Oscar debut of Jenny pretty much made up for that. Well, almost. For now, let’s take a look at the ten best moments from this year’s Oscar ceremony.

10: Jimmy Kimmel addresses The Slap:

Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the ceremony for the third time, cracked several jokes about last year’s shocking Oscar moment when Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock live on stage for cracking a personal joke. “If any of you get mad at a joke and decide you want to get jiggy with it – it’s not going to be easy,” vowed Kimmel in a snarky nod to lyrics from one of Smith’s own hit songs. He then claimed how the various movie superheroes in the audience would protect him if something were to happen. Right before the Documentary section, he even acknowledged how around that moment, people would expect for something like a slap to unroll. “Hopefully, this time, it goes off without a hitch. Or at least without ‘Hitch,'” he said. Well, Kimmel was able to successfully maintain the security.

9: “Mom, I just won an Oscar!”: Ke Huy Quan Wins Best Supporting Actor

Ke Huy Quan, the 51-year-old actor who had mostly disappeared from Hollywood for over two decades, made a striking comeback with A24’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once” last year. But his comeback journey had already begun, as he capped the Best Supporting Actor category at the 95th Academy awards. He didn’t shy away from addressing his internal struggles as an Asian in the industry. While accepting the trophy, Quan said, “I spent a year in a refugee camp, and somehow I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage.

They say stories like this only happen in the movies, I can’t believe it’s happening to me. This is the American dream”, he said while becoming just the second Asian actor to ever win in the category. Fans were quick to react to pictures of Ke Huy Quan hugging his former “Indiana Jones” co-star Harrison Ford at the end of the ceremony while comparing it with the old image of the two sharing the frame.

8: Soon-to-be Mom Rihanna Performs Lift Me Up

There’s no denying Barbadian pop singer Rihanna’s unbounded talent. Before the live awards ceremony, during the red-carpet coverage, when she was asked about how her voice was doing, she had the most succinct answer – “Beautiful. God-given.” The 35-year-old pop icon, who is expecting her second child soon, performed her Oscar-nominated song “Lift Me Up” from MCU’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The song played as a heartfelt tribute to the late actor Chadwick Boseman in the box office hit last year, and fans were once again moved by the singer’s live performance that was accompanied by an orchestra and backup singers. While the song didn’t end up winning, it gave us yet another memorable stage performance from one of the best talents of our times.

7: Michael B. Jordan & Jonathan Majors Present An Award Together

Fresh from the acclaimed success of his debut feature “Creed 3”, Michael B. Jordan presented the award for Best Cinematography along with his co-star Jonathan Majors. The magnetic persona of two of Hollywood’s biggest actors at the moment injected an ineffable energy on stage, as Jordan even gave a shout-out to the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Angela Bassett, by shouting “Hey, Auntie” – a callback to the first film in the franchise where the two shared screen. While it wasn’t the year where Angela Bassett got her award, it was still heartwarming seeing her receive love and support from the two actors.

6: Netflix’s The Elephant Whisperers Wins Best Documentary Short Film

Out of the other nominees from the Best Documentary Short, India’s “The Elephant Whisperers” was a relatively humbling watch that wasn’t as much about the climate crisis or the impending doom of man as it was about the two coexisting in harmony. The monumental themes of human warmth, care, and love in order to survive were the ones that spoke universally. The short whispered to us that there is something bigger and extremely unique that connects man in the concrete jungle to an orphaned baby elephant in the natural wild. With that, Guneet Monga (who previously produced the Oscar-winning short documentary, “Period. End of Sentence”) bested other nominees in the category.

5: Navalny Director Dedicates Best Documentary Oscar to the Russian Political Prisoner

Although Shaunak Sen’s “All That Breathes,” which appeared to be one of the year’s strongest contenders, didn’t end up winning the Best Documentary Feature category. Daniel Roher dedicated the win for his documentary “Navalny” to the Russian political prisoner and Putin critic. “Navalny,” which was co-produced by HBO and CNN, makes for one of the most alarmingly timely documentaries of our times, and the win further compounds its striking themes of the dangers that authoritarian regimes pose. The acceptance speech ended with important words, “Alexei, the world has not forgotten your vital message to us all. We cannot, we must not be afraid to oppose dictators and authoritarianism wherever it rears its head.”

4: Naatu Naatu Shakes A Leg On The Stage

After SS Rajamouli’s much-acclaimed roaring and rousing mix of various genres – epic-mythological-action-superhero-bromance – made its echo heard worldwide, we finally saw its “Naatu Naatu” being performed live on stage at the Oscars this year. Deepika Padukone was the one who introduced the live performance on stage. While addressing the audience that went cheering just at the mention of the song, she described the dance number as, “An irresistibly catchy chorus with electrifying beats and killer dance moves to match have made this song a global sensation. In addition to being sung in Telugu and illustrating the film’s anti-colonialist themes, it’s also a total banger!” Renowned playback singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj performed the song and evoked a resonant standing ovation at the Dolby theater.

3: Michelle Yeoh Wins Best Actress

Ever since the release of “Everything Everywhere All At Once” hit theaters and streaming last year, Michelle Yeoh has garnered immense appreciation and accolades for her extraordinary performance in the film. Sharing the category with four other talented women, the Malaysian-born actress became the first Asian nominee. Well, her historic win for the multiversal film struck a chord with the global audience who had rooted for her to win. After all, it was a performance that turned a flawed and conservative mom through her own progressive and emotional journey – one that spoke supremely for its universal themes.

2: Naatu Naatu Wins Best Original Song

After its historic Golden Globes win, “Naatu Naatu” once again created Oscar history by becoming the first ever Indian song to win the Best Original Song. Composers MM Keeravani and lyricist Chandrabose took the stage to accept the award. The former even gave a musical speech that’s already won the hearts of millions of Indians. He said, “I grew up listening to the Carpenters, and now here I am with the Oscars,” and then went on to recreate the melody of the 70s pop cultural hit ‘Top Of The World’ with his own version. The joyous reaction of Deepika Padukone was captured on camera, but it was Ram Charan and Jr NTR’s overwhelming hug that flooded Twitteratis.

1: Everything Everywhere All at Once Wins Best Picture

Part of the brilliance of “Everything Everywhere All At Once” was the remarkable amount of ideas The Daniels had crammed into its story without it becoming an absurd kitchen-sink mess. The movie almost makes the hyper-visual style of its mantra amongst a cavalcade of insane multiverse sequences that brimmed with sensory overload and endless creativity. Thus, its win in the Best Picture category goes to show just how much the west is finally ready to honor films that are so out-there in their approach. The A24 film swept the ceremony, bagging seven Academy Awards, which included prizes for its direction, original screenplay, editing, and performances from promising actors Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis.