Live coverage: Stars get political at Oscars
The 89th Academy Awards, hosted by late night personality Jimmy Kimmel, kicks off at 8:30 p.m. The Oscars celebrate Hollywood’s finest in film, but this year, politics is in the spotlight.
With recent awards shows overtaken by artists offering commentary on President Trump and current events, watch with The Hill as we track the top moments from Sunday night’s event.
Best picture award comes with drama
12:19 a.m.
The award for best picture was accidentally handed out to “La La Land”—widely seen as the favorite for the top prize—until the recipients realized that the card inside the envelope instead read “Moonlight.”
Warren Beatty, the final presenter, said the card read Emma Stone, who stars in “La La Land,” which led him to announce the wrong winner.
Before the mixup, Beatty, an actor and Democrat who has previously reportedly flirted with a political bid, slipped in a reference to today’s politics.
“Our goal in politics is the same as our goal in art, and that’s to get to the truth,” Beatty said alongside Fay Dunaway when presenting the final prize, noting increasing diversity in the U.S. and “our respect for diversity” throughout the world.
The drama caused many on social media to draw parallels to the 2016 election, with Michael Moore joking that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote, is the president.
OMG! A huge fuck-up in who won! HILLARY CLINTON IS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 27, 2017
Best actor, actress winners
12:01 a.m.
Casey Affleck won the award for best actor for his performance in “Manchester By the Sea,” marking his first Oscar win and second nomination.
Emma Stone accepted the prize for best actress for her work in “La La Land,” her first Oscar win. The film was nominated 14 times, tying past records for most nominations.
Stone made a subtle political statement at the awards ceremony, wearing a small gold Planned Parenthood pin on the corner of her dress.
Kimmel tweets at Trump
10:51 p.m.
Kimmel noted that two hours into the ceremony, Trump has not made a public comment about the awards show.
As his phone was mirrored on a large screen on stage, Kimmel tweeted, “u up?” to the president, adding in a second message “#Merylsayshi” – another nod to the actress’s ongoing back-and-forth with Trump.
Hey @realDonaldTrump u up?
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) February 27, 2017
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) February 27, 2017
Kimmel also trolled Trump over his recent statements about Sweden, telling Swedish cinematographer Linus Sandgren, “We’re so sorry about what happened in Sweden last week. We hope your friends are OK.”
Sandgren was accepting the Academy Award for his work on “La La Land” at the time of the joke.
Trump was criticized last week after raising alarm at a rally over “what’s happening last night in Sweden,” mentioning other terrorist attacks despite the fact that no such event had occurred in Sweden. The White House later claimed that he was referencing rising crime rates in Sweden.
White Helmets win
10:40 p.m.
The makers of “The White Helmets,” a film highlighting the atrocities of the six-year Syrian civil war, won an Oscar for best short-subject documentary.
The film’s cinematographer Khaled Khateeb was barred by U.S. officials from entering the United States this weekend, reportedly as a result of the Syrian regime’s cancellation of his passport. Khateeb is a volunteer for the Syrian Civil Defense forces, also known as the White Helmets.
The film’s representatives who accepted the award said he was unable to attend and read a short statement on Khateeb’s behalf that highlighted the need to “stop the bloodshed in Syria and around the world.”
Statement read on behalf of Raed Al Saleh, head of the White Helmets: “Work on the side of life…stop the bloodshed in Syria.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/KlaAN5zR6v
— ABC News (@ABC) February 27, 2017
“To save one life is to save all of humanity.” -The White Helmets. Congrats @SyriaCivilDef on your #Oscars win. https://t.co/uP5scA6iLE
— Dr. Sanjay Gupta (@drsanjaygupta) February 27, 2017
Audible ad features passage from “1984”
10:30 p.m.
An ad for the online audio book service Audible featured actor Zachary Quinto reading a passage from the novel “1984,” whih some read as a political statement aimed at the Trump administration.
Audible Oscars Commercial: Zachary Quinto – “1984” https://t.co/PqFA2Fci7i
— Jay McDowell (@_JGMcDowell) February 27, 2017
Was @audible_com subtweeting Trump with that 1984 excerpt? #Oscars
— Jonathan Bass (@jbakerbass) February 27, 2017
Has anyone else noticed how good these commercials are? That @audible_com commercial with 1984? Better than anything during the Super Bowl!
— BookManiaLinda (@LindaWonder) February 27, 2017
The @audible_com commercials are trolling 45 and I love it! #Oscars
— Cinematic Legend (@ItsRomy) February 27, 2017
Mexican actor invokes border wall
10:15 p.m.
Gael Garcia Bernal, a Mexican actor who’s been critical of Trump, got political while presenting two awards, saying “As a Latin-American, as a migrant worker, as a human being, I'm against any form of wall that wants to separate us.”
Gael Garcia Bernal: “As a Latin-American, as a migrant worker, as a human being, I’m against any form of wall that wants to separate us.” pic.twitter.com/PEQzUTwUHD
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2017
New York Times, Hyatt air Oscars ads
10:05 p.m.
The New York Times ran its first-ever TV ad during the ceremony with a spot that appears to target the Trump administration titled “The Truth.”
The ad lists conflicting statements that all start with three words, “The truth is.”
“The truth is the media is dishonest,” reads one statement, which appears to be a reference to President Trump’s repeated assertion that the media is dishonest.
Hyatt also aired a new spot, titled “For a World of Understanding” featuring travelers in locations including Thailand, Morocco and Spain.
Ad Week reports that the ad campaign aims to highlight small moments of understanding, such as when a woman on a train notifys another woman that her head scarf has fallen off.
Irani film wins best foreign language film
9:59 p.m.
“The Salesman” wins for best foreign language film. It’s director, Asghar Farhadi, is boycotting the Academy Awards following President Trump’s order barring people from seven predominately Muslim countries, including Iran, from entering the U.S.
Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer, accepted the award on behalf of Farhadi and read a brief statement from him.
Farhadi said that his absence was a sign of “respect for people of my country and other six countries” affected by Trump’s travel ban, calling it “inhumane.”
Full statement read on behalf of Asghar Farhadi, winner for Iranian film “The Salesman.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/x2TaTFKA9J
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2017
Viola Davis wins best actress in supporting role
9:50 p.m.
Viola Davis walked away with the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for her work in “Fences,” her first Academy Award win and third nomination.
With her win, she became the second African-American woman to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony. While her acceptance speech steered clear of any direct political statements, her emotion filled address drew plaudits on social media.
“I became an artist & thank God I did. We are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.” #Oscars @violadavis
— Antonio Minino (@AntonioMinino) February 27, 2017
Viola Davis thanks Denzel Washington: “O captain, my captain.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/cEFVijFa5K
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 27, 2017
Jokes about divided nation continue
9:18 p.m.
The jokes about divide in America persisted throughout the night, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson saying that the only thing to bring people together in “these highly-charged political times” would be his live performance of a song from the animated movie “Moana.”
Johnson introduced his co-stars from the film to perform, but didn’t sing himself.
Cadillac ad: ‘We can be one’
9:12 p.m.
Cadillac ran an ad during the ceremony that some felt had political undertones, though ahead of the Oscars the company said it’s a “celebration of the incredible American spirit.”
.@Cadillac says its #Oscars ad isn’t a political statement It is “a celebration of the incredible American spirit.”
— Ad Age (@adage) February 27, 2017
‘Suicide Squad’ artist dedicates win to ‘immigrants’
9:02 p.m.
One of the winners for best makeup and hair styling dedicated his award “to all of the immigrants” nothing that he is Italian and works all over the world.
1st speech referencing Trump by member of winning make-up team for Suicide Squad: “I’m an immigrant. This is for all the immigrants” #Oscars
— Screen International (@Screendaily) February 27, 2017
Second award – best makeup and hair styling – dedicated “to all of the immigrants. #Oscars2017
— Amanda Becker (@AmandaBecker) February 27, 2017
First ‘fake news’ joke
9 p.m.
Kimmel joked following the first award that CNN, the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times would have to leave the room before the event could continue.
“We have no tolerance for fake news,” Kimmel said. “Fake tans we love.”
The White House took heat last week for blocking certain news organizations, including CNN and The Hill, from an off-camera press gaggle.
First Muslim actor wins Oscar
8:51 p.m.
Vulture points out that with his best supporting actor win, Mahershala Ali is the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar.
With his Best Supporting Actor victory for MOONLIGHT, Mahershala Ali is the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar.
— Vulture (@vulture) February 27, 2017
Political hits start with opening monologue
8:40 p.m.
Kimmel took aim at Trump with a number of jokes throughout his opening monologue.
“I want to say thank you to President Trump,” he said. “I mean, remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist?”
Kimmel also said he was thankful that the Department of Homeland Security allowed French actress Isabelle Huppert, nominated for best actress for her performance in “Elle,” into the country for the awards ceremony, jabbing Trump’s immigration executive order that sparked backlash in January.
“Nice dress by the way, is that an Ivanka?” Kimmel paused to ask Meryl Streep, who is nominated for her 20th Oscar and has been the target of ire from Trump in the past.
Jimmy Kimmel called Meryl Streep “overrated" and made everyone give her a “totally undeserved" standing ovation https://t.co/wgZQ3hBkVE pic.twitter.com/7nE0mBDFIQ
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) February 27, 2017
He also joked that Trump would tweet about the awards show “in all caps during his 5 a.m. bowl movement tomorrow.”
Jimmy Kimmel: “I want to say thank you to President Trump. Remember last year when it seemed like the Oscars were racist?” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/QFgkNYr7Or
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2017
Jimmy Kimmel just asked Meryl Streep if she’s wearing “an Ivanka.”
— Rebecca Shabad (@RebeccaShabad) February 27, 2017
Countdown to the first award begins
7 p.m.
Some celebrities got political the moment they stepped on the red carpet Sunday, with blue ribbons pinned onto their gowns and tuxedos.
Social media users were quick to to start asking questions about what the ribbons were, as stars including Lin Manuel Miranda of “Hamilton” fame, actress Ruth Negga of the nominated film “Loving” and Barry Jenkins, the director of “Moonlight,” hit the red carpet with the extra piece of adornment.
According to reports, the ribbons are blue American Civil Liberties Union pins expressing support for the ACLU and its work.
The #blueribbon most important #accessary at #Oscars2017 tonight. Stand with the #Aclu #feasties #batb #fashion #redcarpet pic.twitter.com/7GsxRP2cgk
— Catherine Ashton (@DesigningAshton) February 26, 2017
What’s That Blue Ribbon Stars Are Wearing on Oscar Red Carpet? https://t.co/X0gDm6B3Z4 pic.twitter.com/g0NCdlUZf5
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) February 26, 2017
As the red carpet interviews continue and the countdown to Kimmel’s monologue begins, here are five things In the Know’s Judy Kurtz says to watch for at this year’s Oscars.
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