HOLLYWOOD, CA — The 96th Academy Awards, held on March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre, celebrated the cinematic achievements of 2023. Christopher Nolan’s biographical epic, Oppenheimer, emerged as the evening’s dominant force, securing seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy.
Oppenheimer, chronicling the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb, led the nominations with 13 nods. The film’s accolades included Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score. Murphy’s portrayal marked his first Oscar win, making him the first Irish-born actor to receive the Best Actor award.
Emma Stone clinched her second Best Actress Oscar for her role in Poor Things, a film that also won awards for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Stone’s win was considered a surprise, as Lily Gladstone had been a strong contender for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon.
The ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the fourth time, featured notable performances, including Ryan Gosling’s rendition of “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, and Billie Eilish and Finneas performing “What Was I Made For?”, which won Best Original Song. Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo delivered a heartfelt duet during the “In Memoriam” segment.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph received Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Holdovers, while The Zone of Interest won Best International Feature Film and Best Sound. Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron was awarded Best Animated Feature. Killers of the Flower Moon, despite ten nominations, did not secure any awards.
The broadcast attracted approximately 19.5 million viewers, marking a 4% increase from the previous year and the highest ratings for the Oscars since 2020. The success of films like Oppenheimer and Barbie contributed to renewed interest in the awards ceremony.
The 96th Academy Awards highlighted a year where both artistic excellence and commercial success were celebrated, reaffirming the Oscars’ relevance in contemporary cinema.