‘Love will make you do crazy things.’
The Academy Awards aka Oscars, currently in its 94th edition was live on ABC on Sunday, March 27, 2022, and alongside the oohs and the aahs, it brought unforgettable DRAMA.
It’s no news about Jada Pinkett Smith opening up on Red Table Talk about being diagnosed with alopecia, apparently, Chris Rock who had taken to stage to present the best documentary award decided to make a not so cool – a G.I. Jane joke about it which landed him a slap from an extremely unamused, furious Will Smith after which Rock, taken aback responded with – ‘Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me.’
Sean “Diddy” Combs, who got up stage to introduce the next agenda in effort to deflate the tension said: “I did not know that this year was gonna be the most exciting Oscars ever. Will and Chris, we’re gonna solve that like family at the Gold party.” The Smiths smiled. “But right now we’re moving on with love.”
Soon after, Smith won his very first Oscars for his impressive performance in King Richard. In his tearful acceptance speech, he apologized to the Academy and spoke about the importance of family.
“I want to apologize to the Academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. This is a beautiful moment and I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all of the people. Tim and Trevor and Zack and Saniyya and Demi and Aunjanue and the entire cast and crew of ‘King Richard,’ Venus and Serena, the entire Williams family. Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams,” Smith said.
“Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. Making this film, I got to protect Aunjanue Ellis, who is one of the strongest, most delicate people I’ve ever met. I got to protect Saniyya and Demi, the two actresses that played Venus and Serena,” he said, as he began to tear up. “I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know to do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. You got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business, you got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you got to smile and you got to pretend like that’s okay.”
After the incident with Rock, Smith’s publicist Meredith O. Sullivan, Oscar producer Will Packer and best actor nominee Denzel Washington came by to talk to Smith during the commercial breaks. In his speech, Smith revealed what Washington said to him.
“Thank you, Dee. Denzel said a few minutes ago, ‘At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the Devil comes for you,’” Smith said.
Despite the drama which shocked the audience, Smith kept the end of his speech light and joked about being invited back to the Oscars.
“To my mother — a lot of this moment is really complicated for me — but to my mother, she didn’t want to come out. She had her knitting friends; she has a knitting crew that she’s in Philly watching with. Being able to love and care for my mother and my family, my wife — I’m taking up too much time. Thank you for this honor. Thank you for this moment. And thank you on behalf of Richard and Oracene [Price] and the entire Williams family. Thank you. I hope the Academy invites me back,” Smith said before exiting the stage.
In reaction, in a tweet the Academy stated it does not condone any form of violence:
“The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Award winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”
Full list of winners as culled from CNN:
BEST PICTURE
“Belfast”
“CODA” *WINNER
“Don’t Look Up”
“Drive My Car”
“Dune”
“King Richard”
“Licorice Pizza”
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“West Side Story”
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jessie Buckley, “The Lost Daughter”
Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story” *WINNER
Judi Dench, “Belfast”
Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Ciaran Hinds, “Belfast”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA” *WINNER
Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”
J.K. Simmons, “Being the Ricardos”
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“Drive My Car” *WINNER
“Flee”
“The Hand of God”
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom”
“The Worst Person in the World”
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
“Audible”
“Lead Me Home”
“The Queen of Basketball” *WINNER
“Three Songs for Benazir”
“When We Were Bullies”
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“Ascension”
“Attica”
“Flee”
“Summer of Soul” *WINNER
“Writing with Fire”
ORIGINAL SONG
“King Richard”
“Encanto”
“Belfast”
“No Time to Die” *WINNER
“Four Good Days”
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“Encanto” *WINNER
“Flee”
“Luca”
“The Mitchells vs. The Machine”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“CODA” *WINNER
“Drive My Car”
“Dune”
“The Lost Daughter”
“The Power of the Dog”
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Belfast” *WINNER
“Don’t Look Up”
“King Richard”
“Licorice Pizza”
“The Worst Person in the World”
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Javier Bardem, “Being the Ricardos”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
Will Smith, “King Richard” *WINNER
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” *WINNER
Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
Penelope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers”
Nicole Kidman, “Being the Ricardos”
Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”
DIRECTOR
Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast”
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” *WINNER
Steven Spielberg, “West Side Story”
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“Dune” *WINNER
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
“West Side Story”
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Dune” *WINNER
“Nightmare Alley”
“The Power of the Dog”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
“West Side Story”
COSTUME DESIGN
“Cruella” *WINNER
“Cyrano”
“Dune”
“Nightmare Alley”
“Westside Story”
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND
“Belfast”
“Dune” *WINNER
“No Time to Die”
“The Power of the Dog”
“Westside Story”
ANIMATED SHORT FILE
“Affairs of the Art”
“Bestia”
“Boxballet”
“Robin Robin”
“The Windshield Wiper” *WINNER
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
“Ala Kachuu — Take and Run”
“The Dress”
“The Long Goodbye” *WINNER
“On My Mind”
“Please Hold”
ORIGINAL SCORE
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune” *WINNER
“Encanto”
“Parallel Mothers”
“The Power of the Dog”
VISUAL EFFECTS
“Dune” *WINNER
“Free Guy”
“No Time to Die”
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home”
FILM EDITING
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune” *WINNER
“King Richard”
“The Power of the Dog”
“Tick, Tick… Boom!”
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Coming 2 America”
“Cruella”
“Dune”
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye” *WINNER
“House of Gucci”
