The 2021 Oscars were perhaps the strangest in the Academy's 93 years, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Without the usual glitz and glamour we've come to expect, the winners took centre stage in what was the Oscar's most diverse year to date.
Necessary health and safety precautions meant that only 200 stars were actually in attendance in Los Angeles, but that didn't mean there wasn't plenty of drama and gaffes. From Chadwick Boseman's perceived snub to Daniel Kaluuya's rip-roaring acceptance speech, here are 12 of the most important moments from last night's award ceremony.
1. Chadwick Boseman's 'snub'
The late Chadwick Boseman missed becoming the 16th posthumous winner in the 93-year history of the Oscars. His performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom lost out to Anthony Hopkins in The Father.
Only two actors have won non-honorary Oscars after their deaths: Peter Finch, who won Best Actor for Network in 1976, and Heath Ledger who won Best Supporting Actor for 2008's The Dark Night.
Boseman — who passed away last year, aged just 43, following a battle with colon cancer — is best known for playing the title superhero in Black Panther. He also earned accolades for portraying Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get On Up.
Many took to Twitter to pay tribute to Boseman, noting that he will be remembered, Oscar or no Oscar.
2. Anthony Hopkins makes history
Anthony Hopkins picked up his second Best Actor Oscar for his devastating portrayal of an old man struggling with dementia in The Father. At the age of 83, this makes him the oldest recipient of the legendary award. He previously won for portraying Hannibal Lector in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs.
Despite Hopkins being wholly deserving of the accolade, many expected the award to go to the late Chadwick Boseman — and they voiced their upset online.
Hopkins also beat out Riz Ahmed and Steven Yeun for the coveted statue.
The night took a more disappointing turn, however, when Hopkins was not present to accept the award, or make a speech. Joaquin Phoenix, who introduced the category, accepted it on his behalf.
3. Hopkins' tribute to Chadwick Boseman
Anthony Hopkins released a belated acceptance speech following his surprising Oscar win. Recording from his home in Wales, he paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
"Good morning, here I am in my homeland in Wales. At 83 years of age I did not expect to get this award, I really didn’t and I’m very grateful to the Academy and thank you," he said, before speaking of Boseman as someone "who was taken from us far too early".
"Thank you all very much. I really did not expect this so I feel very privileged. Thank you," he concluded.
4. Frances McDormand takes home Best Actress
Frances McDormand won her third Best Actress Oscar for her turn in Nomadland. She portrays a woman called Fern who takes to the road following the tragic death of her husband and the collapse of a Nevada factory town.
McDormand has previously won the coveted award for her performance in 1996's Fargo and 2017's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
5. Yuh-Jung Youn becomes the first Korean actor to win an Oscar
Youn, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Minari, became the first Korean actor to win an Oscar. And she certainly made sure to make the most of the historic moment.
"Mr Brad Pitt, finally, nice to meet you," she said to the actor. "Where were you while we were filming in Tulsa?" she added, referencing the fact that Pitt's Plan B Entertainment produced the feature. Later, when she was asked about the exchange, and what Pitt smelled like, she retorted: "I didn’t smell him. I’m not a dog."
During her speech, Youn also paid homage to Glenn Close, saying, "How can I win [over] Glenn Close!" and told her fellow nominated actresses — including Amanda Seyfried — "we cannot compete [with] each other".
6. Chloé Zhao also makes history
Nomadland's Chloé Zhao won the Oscar for Best Director, making her the first woman of colour to win the prize, as well as only the second woman in history to scoop the directing prize.
Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman to win Best Director for 2008's The Hurt Locker.
Only seven women have ever been nominated in the category, with two of those coming this year. Zhao beat out Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), Lee Isaac Chung (Minari), David Fincher (Manc), and Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round).
Zhao was praised online, with many highlighting that it was also a win for Asian representation within the academy.
7. Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson's win for diversity
Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson won for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for their work on Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, making them the first black women to ever win in the category.
Their powerful speech touched on how underrepresented people of colour are in this department.
"I can picture Black trans women standing up here. And Asian sisters. And our Latina sisters. And indigenous women. And I know that one day it won't be unusual or groundbreaking. It will just be normal," Neal asserted.
8. Emerald Fennell brings girl power
The British actor, writer and director became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Screenplay in 13 years — following Diablo Cody's win for Juno back in 2007.
Fennell won for Promising Young Woman, which she wrote and directed. "They said write a speech, and I didn't—because I just didn't think this would ever happen," she said while accepting the award.
9. Daniel Kaluuya makes a sex joke
Daniel Kaluuya — who became the first black, British actor to win an Oscar — arguably delivered the best speech after scooping the Best Supporting Actor award for Judas and the Black Messiah.
The actor who portrayed Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton initially started by thanking his mother: "I'd like to thank my mum. Thank you so much for pouring into me. You gave me everything, you gave me your factory settings so I could stand at my fullest height."
Things took a hilarious twist, however, when he touched on his parents' sex life. "My mum and my dad...they had sex. It's amazing! I'm here!" he said at the end of the speech, much to his mother and sister's embarrassment, who were watching the ceremony via video link in London.
10. Tyler Perry's moving acceptance speech
As he accepted the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Tyler Perry urged the nation to reject hate and "stand in the middle".
"It is my hope that all of us would teach our kids, and not only to remember, just refuse hate. Don't hate anybody," the actor and director said. "I refuse to hate someone because they are Mexican, or because they are Black, or white, or LGBTQ," Perry, 51, said.
"I refuse to hate someone because they are a police officer. I refuse to hate someone because they are Asian. I would hope that we refuse hate," he continued, stating that he dedicated his award to "anyone who wants to stand in the middle — no matter what's around the walls — stand in the middle, because that's where healing happens."
11. Glenn Close's eighth consecutive loss
Glenn Close also made history, but in a more disappointing way, as she has now lost eight times, without any wins.
The Hillbilly Elegy actor lost in the Best Supporting Actress category to Minari's Yuh-Jung Youn. This loss meant that Close has become the most Oscar-nominated woman to never win an award. She is also the only living actor to have lost eight times, tying with the late Peter O'Toole.
But the star seemed to be in good spirits throughout the ceremony. The 74-year-old impressed viewers and fellow attendees alike with her knowledge of the 1998's song Da Butt, and she even showed how to perform the song's famous dance! Cue the twerking...
12. The In Memoriam snubs
While the In Memoriam segment is never easy to put together, this year's iteration was perhaps one of the most disappointing segments we have ever seen.
Without live music, and a rapid-fire succession of photographs, many were disappointed that clips of the work of Chadwick Boseman, Olivia de Havilland, Sean Connery, Christopher Plummer, and Naya Rivera were not featured. All five actors passed away this year.
