By Jesika Islam || Arts & Leisure Editor
The 89th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, took place this past Sunday, February 26, 2017, and it was memorable one. With Jimmy Kimmel hosting there was a slew of inappropriate, awkward jokes that did not go over well with neither the celebrities at the Oscars nor the people watching home. Every speech was politically charged, celebrities using their statuses to defend their beliefs and argue against most of President Trump’s policies such as women’s rights and the immigration ban. Kimmel also brought a tour bus full of fans to meet their celebrity crushes, making the confused, surprised, uncomfortable celebrities meet these star struck people; one couple even taking the most awkward photo of all time with Denzel Washington, who looked like he was being held hostage.
Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor, making him the first Muslim actor ever to win an Oscar. Best Make Up went to Suicide Squad. Best Costume Design was awarded to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, making it the first Harry Potter movie to win an Oscar.
Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress for Fences. Manchester by the Sea won Best Original Screenplay. Damien Chazelle received Best Director for La La Land.
Casey Affleck won Best Actor for Manchester by the Sea, and was given the award from Brie Larson, who stood with her hands at her side, refusing to clap as a silent form of solidarity for victims of sexual assault. Larson, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress last year for her portrayal of Joy Newsome in Room, has been a fierce advocate against sexual assault. Affleck has had two sexual harassment suits filed against him from women who worked on his set in 2010 for the film I’m Still Here. There was conversation around his nomination being a form of condoning sexual harassment. Best Actress went to Emma Stone for La La Land.
Finally the most memorable moment of the evening: Best Picture. Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway and Jordan Horowitz presented Best Picture to La La Land. Everyone believed the movie was clearly going to win Best Picture because it was modern musical about jazz, love, and California, whereas the next top contender was Moonlight, a film with a mostly black cast about an LGBTQ son of a crack addicted mother in Miami, whose best role model is his mother’s drug dealer. The cast of La La Land had begun their speeches when they were interrupted, with apologies that there had been a mistake, and the announcement that the true winner was Moonlight. The faces seen across the stage and crowd were of shock and total disbelief. Moonlight’s win made it the first LGBTQ movie to win Best Picture.
Junior Jesika Islam is the Arts & Leisure Editor. Her email jislam@fandm.edu.