The 6 Best Moments from the 2022 Oscars—& the 1 That Got *Really* Uncomfortable
The 94th annual Academy Awards was a night of firsts. It was the first time the Oscars had three co-hosts: Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. It was the first time Timothée Chalamet went shirtless on the Academy red carpet. And, honestly, it was the first time in a while we’ve loved every look we saw.
All in all, it was entertaining night, but these moments, in particular, really stood out to us. Here, the six best moments from the 2022 Oscars—plus the one that made everyone (and we mean everyone) feel extremely uncomfortable.
1. When Beyoncé opened the show
The singer performed “Be Alive” (from King Richard), which is nominated for Best Song. And she did it in the most Beyoncé way possible: with a full-blown production set in Compton.
2. When the opening monologue was actually funny
“This year, the Academy hired three women to host, because it’s cheaper than hiring one man,” Amy Schumer said. And then added, ““Know what’s in the In Memoriam package this year? The Golden Globes.”
3. When Troy Kotsur won Best Supporting Actor
The CODA star became the second deaf actor to win an Oscar. “This is dedicated to the deaf community, the CODA (Child of Deaf Adult) community and the disabled community,” he said. “This is our moment.” And the audience responded by waving their hands (in lieu of applause) to honor the deaf community.
4. When the Academy honored Ukraine
After Mila Kunis indirectly addressed the Russian invasion, Reba McEntire performed a beautiful rendition of “Somehow You Do.” Then, the Academy took a moment of silence to honor the people of Ukraine and encouraged everyone to offer support “in any way you are able.” #StandWithUkraine
5. When Ariana DeBose won best Supporting actress
She won the Oscar for playing Anita in West Side Story…60 years after Rita Moreno won the Academy Award for the same role.
6. When 'CODA' won Best Picture
Need we say more?
And the Wildest moment of the night
Here’s where things got uncomfortable. Chris Rock made an insensitive joke about the hair of Will Smith’s wife, Jada (who has alopecia). This prompted the King Richard star to storm the stage and slap Rock before yelling a few censored words. Although he seemed to laugh it off after, it was—hands down—the wildest moment of the 2022 Oscars. Smith later went on to win Best Actor and delivered an emotional and apologetic speech.
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