The 91st Academy Awards took place on February 24, 2019. Oscars are awarded to movies for excellence in various categories, from recognizing the movie itself, to the actors and actresses, as well as to costume design and makeup. However, this year’s award show was different from past shows for one standout reason: there was no host. After historically low ratings in 2018, the Academy sought out comedian Kevin Hart to host this year’s show. Soon after the announcement, attention was brought to a series of homophobic tweets by the comedian published between 2009-2011. Hart’s anti-gay tweets and other material he had used in his comedy routine led him to step down from the position of host of the 2019 Oscars. Ultimately, this meant that the show was left without a host, which made for an unconventional awards show.

As viewership of the Academy Awards has been on a significant decline in recent years, the Academy sought to shorten the program by limiting the number of live songs from five to two and by presenting four awards during commercial breaks. These award presentations would later be available online, along with their respective acceptance speeches. This proposal was met with harsh criticism, so the Academy elected to have all songs performed live and to present all twenty four awards during air time.

In terms of the breakdown of the respective winners, fan favorites such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book, and Black Panther were most notable from the bunch. Green Book, which tells the story of jazz pianist Don Shirley and his bodyguard, focuses on race in America in the 1960s. It took home the award for best picture and supporting actor by Mahershala Ali. Black Panther won for Original Score, Production Design, and Costume Design. It was also the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture.

Junior Delaney Dardet said, “I was so happy that Black Panther was awarded several Oscars. It was such a powerful movie that deserved recognition.”

But, it was Bohemian Rhapsody that won the most awards, with four Oscars overall. One of the more contentious awards was Lead Actor, won by Rami Malek who played Freddie Mercury, Queen’s frontman in the film. Criticism surrounding the portrayal of Mercury’s sexuality was rampant amongst many.

Senior Nico Simon said, “Rami Malek did an excellent job of portraying Freddie Mercury. I listened in an interview that Rami listened and analyzed Freddie Mercury’s speech and movements for months leading up to shooting the film. That kind of dedication deserves Oscars.”

Even without a host and initial controversy over the show’s duration, this year’s Oscars was certainly one for the books. It was a time for movie stars and fans alike to recognize the great cinematic works of the year.

Sources: Boston.com, Fortune, Vox, BBC, Variety

Photo Source: Flickr