Oscars 2019: 7 Historical Wins From the Night (VIDEOS)
It was a big night for this year’s Academy Awards, which saw a number of historical wins occur.
Among the history-making wins were firsts for people of color, as well as the most female winners in a year. Below, we’re breaking down the biggest moments, from Spike Lee’s long-awaited win to Mahershala Ali‘s double-take.
All Hail the King
Regina King earned her first Oscar at the ceremony for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk, and it put her in a rather exclusive category. King is only one of three African-American actresses to take home honors from the Oscars as well as the Emmys. As fans will remember, King won an Emmy for her role in the short-lived Seven Seconds.
A Director Wins Best Cinematography
Roma director Alfonso Cuaron added a history-making win to his many accolades at this year’s ceremony, as he took home the honor for Best Cinematography. The accomplished filmmaker is the first director to take home the honor in that category, making the win all the more sweet. It is also the first time that Netflix has won an Oscar in cinematography.
Second Time’s the Charm
Mahershala Ali made history with his Best Supporting Actor win for Green Book — the actor is now the first African-American to win twice in the category. Ali made his Oscars debut for Moonlight in 2017, for which he won for his role as Juan — a gangbanger with a heart of gold. The actor is two-for-two with the win, as this is only his second nomination.
Ruth E. Carter’s Marvelous Costume Win
Ruth E. Carter’s win included two historical accomplishments, as she became the first African-American woman to win for Best Costume Design. The designer, who has worked on numerous films including Selma, Amistad, and Malcolm X, also managed to pull of the first win for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her work for Marvel’s Black Panther was honored by her win.
The First in Production Design
As part of the Black Panther Production Design team, Hannah Beachler became the first African-American to win in the category. Her emotional speech reflected the significance of the moment as she thanked the team she worked with.
It’s About Time
After years of not winning, acclaimed director Spike Lee finally took home his first competitive Oscar (he was given an honorary Oscar in 2016). Lee took home the prize for Best Adapted Screenplay along with his fellow writers. It was a big moment when Lee’s name was called by friend Samuel L. Jackson, who was overtaken by Lee in what’s sure to become an iconic hug.
Women Get Animation
Overall it was a historically rich night for the Oscars as the show concluded with the highest number of female winners at a ceremony ever. Olivia Colman’s Best Actress win took the total to 15, but the category for Best Animated Short Film saw its first pair of exclusively female winners, which was special in and of itself, as Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb took home the honor for their short BAO.
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