The 95th annual Academy Awards took place on March 12, 2023, and it was an eventful one. Not only did the Oscars have 18.7 million people watching this year, but there was a 12% increase of viewers from last year. From fashion to awards to amazing performances, it was a ceremony to remember!
Brendan Fraser won Best Actor for his amazing performance in the emotional and moving film The Whale. It was a well deserved award considering the effort he put into his roll but there was also a lot of controversy regarding the category. Austin Butler starred in the hit movie Elvis, a fan favorite and commercial success that grossed $287 million dollars worldwide. Many believed the award should have gone to Butler instead of Fraser.
Michelle Yeoh made history as the first Asian actress to win Best Actress for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Everything Everywhere All at Once took home seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Director ( Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), and Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). Ke Huy Quan, who had difficulty finding roles after being a child actor in The Goonies and the Indiana Jones franchise, delivered an emotional acceptance speech. “Dreams are something you have to believe in,” he said. “I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive.”
This year’s red carpet theme was shades of white and champagne. Jamie Lee Curtis wore a long crystal gown in champagne, while Michelle Yeoh wore a tiered white strappy gown by Christian Dior. Others wearing white included Halle Berry, Michelle Williams, and Tems. Florence Pugh, Ana de Armas, and Rooney Mara went for an oyster shade, while the palest of pinks was also popular—worn by Andrea Riseborough and The Whale star Hong Chau. Fan Bingbing and Malala Yousafzai wore silver. Although champagne and white were the most popular colors, some stars lucked out by wearing a contrasting bright yellow—including the costume designer Ruth Carter, The Banshees of Inisherin star Kerry Condon, Winnie Harlow, and Sandra Oh.
All in all, the 2023 Oscars were back in full fashion and made for an eventful and exciting evening.