On Sunday, Hollywood's biggest stars congregated at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre to celebrate the 90th Academy Awards. While the ceremonial ending wasn't as exciting as last year's Moonlight versus La La Land mix-up, the night was certainly filled with memorable on-stage moments.
Despite some predictable wins across the major categories, there were a few moments of suspense. From Alison Janney's first Oscar win to Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph's banter, the night was ultimately grounded by a unanimous call for diversity, inclusivity, and accountability in light of the #metoo and #TimesUp movements.
In addition to jet-skis, hot dog cannons, and killer performances, the following moments remind us why we tune in to watch the Oscars each year.
Jimmy Kimmel's Opening Monologue
Playing host for the second time, Jimmy Kimmel made sure to address last year's Best Picture debacle as well as discussing prominent accusations of sexual harassment. “We can’t let bad behavior slide anymore. The world is watching us," he said. "We need to set an example. If we can work together to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, women will only have to deal with harassment all the time in every other place they go,” he continued. Watch the full speech above.
Jet Ski Giveway
Towards the end of his opening monologue, Kimmel joked that all acceptance speeches would be timed to keep up with the scheduled programming. While it didn't exactly go according to plan, Kimmel did throw in a jet ski for the person with the shortest acceptance speech. While many tried to obtain the top prize, it was Phantom Thread costume designer Mark Bridges who won in the end.
Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph Were the Best Presenters
Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph turned in one of the night's better hosting performances. Presenting the awards for Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Live Action Short Film, the duo stormed on stage in slippers with their heels in hand. After complaints of the night's formal dress code, the pair took their shot at the #OscarsSoWhite controversy stating, "Are the Oscars too black? Don’t worry, there are plenty more white people to come tonight."
#MeToo and #TimesUp Trailblazers Montage
In a segment dedicated to the recent online movements to call out sexual harassment, the likes of Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, Geena Davis and other “trailblazers” highlighted the necessary steps to make changes within the entertainment industry. Introduced by Ashley Judd, who formerly spoke out against Harvey Weinstein, the video montage celebrated the bravery of all those who came forward with the final message: “Get ready for some more Black Panthers, some more Wrinkle In Times. We’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
Twitter's first ad
Similarly, Twitter bought its first ever ad spot during the ceremony to promote the hashtag #HereWeAre. In response to the aforementioned viral movements which gained traction on the social media app, the likes of Ava DuVernay and Issa Rae were featured and highlighted female empowerment.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's Google Commercial
The notable couple sadly weren’t in attendance at this year’s ceremony but did make a hilarious cameo via a Google commercial. In the final commercial break, Teigen and Legend popped up in an ad for Google Assistant, in which Teigen attempts to search for a show while Legend sings his frustration.
Theatre Crashers
For this segment, Kimmel teamed up with Gal Gadot, Ansel Elgort, and Emily Blunt to surprise an audience at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The audience, who believed they were there to see a sneak preview of A Wrinkle in Time, were greeted with the stars throwing red vines and hot dog cannons.
Sufjan Stevens' Jacket
Sufjan Stevens took to the stage to perform his song "Mystery of Love" with St. Vincent's Annie Clark, Moses Sumney and Chris Tile, but it was his Gucci jacket that managed to garner the most attention. The song, which features on the soundtrack for Call Me By Your Name, was ultimately upstaged by Stevens' purple pin-stripe tuxedo, complete with dragon embroidery throughout.
Jordan Peele's Big Win
In a historic win for the night, Jordan Peele became the first black person to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. During his acceptance speech, the director commented on his initial doubts about writing the script. “This means so much to me. I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible,” Peele said on stage. “I thought it wasn’t gonna work, I thought no one would ever make this movie, but I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, then people would hear it and people would see it.”
Kobe Bryant and Gary Oldman Backlash
While most were happy with the outcomes, others had doubts over Gary Oldman and Kobe Bryant's wins. The choice to award Oldman, who won Best Actor for his role in Darkest Hour, was met with criticism from some on social media after domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife surfaced. Oldman has publicly denied these allegations, which first appeared in 2001.
Similarly, basketball star Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. While many of his peers were quick to congratulate the star, his win sparked backlash with some criticizing the Academy's decision to nominate Bryant after he was accused of rape in 2003. Said criminal charges were later dropped as the accuser decided against testifying.
Common, Andrea Day, 10 Activists
Common and Andrea Day gave a powerful performance of "Stand Up For Something" from the Marshall soundtrack. The pair also shared the stage with notable activists including #MeToo’s Tarana Burke, Sandy Hook Promise’s Nicole Hockley, and Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards.
Jennifer Garner Became a Meme
Let's be honest, there was always going to be at least one meme to emerge from the big night. Step up Jennifer Garner, whose sudden realization had Twitter users wondering just what conclusion she had stumbled upon. What do you think it was?
Frances McDormand
Last but not least is Frances McDormand's acceptance speech for Best Actress. The 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri leading lady made a powerful call for women to stand up. “If I may be so honored to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, the actors, Meryl, if you do it everybody else will come on,” McDormand said in her acceptance speech. “The filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographers, the composers, the songwriters, the designers.” And stand up they did.
What was your favorite moment of the night? Let us know in the comments below.
For more on the 2018 Oscars, check out some of the best, worst and WTF outfits from the night here.