OSCARS! 2020 92nd Annual Academy Awards Live Blog

It’s here! Today is the day that all movie fanatics like myself crave. Hang out with One Take Kate and check in on my Live Blog observations during the 2020 Oscars Red Carpet broadcast and the biggie – the 92nd Annual Academy Awards. Images and Videos will be added in after the Broadcast!

*** Live Blog – If you want to start from the beginning of the 2020 Oscars onward then read from the bottom up; want to read from the End to the Start? Begin in the next paragraph ***

Jane Fonda takes us out with thanking us for watching and I’m going to thank you for reading along on this 2020 92nd Annual Academy Awards Live Blog; and for all your support of One Take Kate over these past 7 years of creating movie content for you. It’s my passion and I love to do it. This year’s Oscars certainly worked hard to create a space of normalisation not just for a specific set of people of colour but earnestly working to deliver a truly inclusive display of all people, all preferences, cultures and physical abilities. I loved it and I’m here to see and hear everyone’s stories. It’s through highlighting and celebrating diversity and “putting someone like me” on the screen that those watching around the world can see themselves and feel buoyed up to go out there and get this Oscars glory for themselves. Yes!

Jane Fonda takes the stage to present the award for Best Picture. OH WOWOWOWOOW! Parasite wins Best Picture! I’m shook! This is SO fantastic. Parasite takes out Best Picture, Best International Feature Film and Best Directory and Bong Joon Ho’s cast and crew join in on stage in celebration. “We never imagined this to ever happen, we are so happy!” “I feel like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now.” In a strange moment the lights went out and the shot threw to a confused Jane Fonda and they were calling it a night in terms of the broadcast, as the cast and crew stood in their place; the audience of Hollywood’s community yelled “Up! Up! Up!” indicating they wanted the stage lights to come up so we can hear more from these creators about how they feel in this moment.

Remy Malek takes to the stage to present the Best Actress award, huge talent in this category so this is going to be incredibly tough to choose. Could it be Cynthia?! Geez I hope so! Rene Zellweger you beauty! You’ve won it for your performance of Judy Garland in JUDY. I’m yet to see this winning performance but yes, JUDY is in my “To Be Reviewed” pile so I can’t WAIT to see that. A gracious and wonderful speech honouring Renee’s fellow nominees and also her Stage Mom, cast, crew and production. The gal from Empire Records has done well! “Our heroes unite us…” says Renee and that although Judy Garland did not win this award in her time, Renee hopes that this win is an extension of the legacy that Judy created.

George McKay introduced Olivia Coleman to the stage to present the Best Actor award. Gosh she is SO funny, I know she’s reading a script but still! “Said that last Oscars was the best night of his life” she’s amazing. First Oscar Win and Fourth nomination for Joaquin Phoenix. Each of his speeches have been interesting so let’s see where this goes. Being in his industry Joaquin says “It’s our opportunity to give voice to the voiceless.” “I think we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world.” Joaquin made an impassioned comment on climate change, veganism, systems of change. “I’ve been a scoundrel all my life, cruel at times, hard to work with…and I’m here because so many of you have given me a second change.” “When we guide each other to redemption, that’s the best of humanity.” “Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow” is the line that Joaquin finished his speech with, a lyric written by his brother River, at the age of 17. Incredibly moving.

Sit up straight Take Two! It’s Steven Spielberg introducing Billie Eilish singing “Yesterday” for the In Memoriam section. Kobe was near the start and I’ve not stopped crying. Kirk Douglas, Peter Fonda, John Singleton, Rutger Hauer and so many more.

OH WOW! Best Director has been taken out by BONG JOON HO! Amazing! Brilliant! This is so wonderful and an immediate standing ovation. Beating out Sam Mendes and Quentin Tarantino are you kidding me?! Fantastic! “After winning Best International Feature I thought I was done for the day and ready to relax” he says. Bong said that when he was in school he held a quote deep in his heart to inform all he has done. “The most personal is the most creative” that qoute is from the great Martin Scorsese who he beat out in this very category. What a moment! Bong went on to say that when people in the US did not know his films, Quentin always put them on and thanked him deeply. Also thanking Sam Mendes and Todd Phillips (don’t bother) for sharing the category with them and that Bong wanted to get a “Texas Chainsaw” to divide the award into five pieces. “Thank you, I will drink till next morning!”

OK now I’m crying. Spike Lee takes the stage in his bespoke Kobe Bryant tribute suit to award the Oscar for Best Director…here we go!

Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin win for “I’m Going to Love Me Again.” “Wow this doesn’t suck” says the delightful Bernie Taupin as he receives the award for ROCKETMAN, his first nomination and win and said that it was gratification after 53 years of slogging at this. Elton’s thanks were great with a special nod to Taron Egerton. “This is a dream come true for us, we’ve never been nominated for anything like this.”

JOKER picks up it’s first (and hopefully only award tonight) for Best Original Score by composer Hildur Guðnadóttir; her message is “to the girls to the mothers, daughters that hear the music bubbling within, please speak up, we need to hear your voices.”

Look at this line up! Brie Larson! Sigourney Weaver! Gal Gadot! I want in on their Fight Club! These Superhero women came here to say that all Women and Superheroes. Irish conductor Eimear Noone appeared for this segment and this was for the first time in 92 years, that a Woman will be leading the Orchestra to perform tonight’s original motion picture scores. Fierce!

A less nervy Taika takes the stage to let us know that the Academy want to acknowledge the indigenious people the land that the Dolby Theatre and indeed Hollywood resides on. Mauri Ora!

Sir Elton takes the stage at the Oscars as he has so many years before, before he joins us in New Zealand at the end of the week. Performing the new track from ROCKETMAN, Elton has a great time in a very Vegas flavour numbered.

Great video package before the Best International Feature Film and of COURSE it goes to the very deserving PARASITE who Bong Joon Ho is careful to point out that most of the cast and crew are in attendance for this historic first nomination and first win for a South Korean film. “I’m ready to drink tonight” says Bong!

Introduced by Zazie Beetz, Cynthia Erivo takes the stage to perform “Stand Up” from HARRIET in which she also stars. Oooooh it’s good, super scorch. Slowly building as the stage illuminates and we see the dancers behind her strengthening the song’s message of bringing Harriet Tubman’s people with her. As the dancers and choir spill into the aisles and back to the stage, Cynthia is just absolutely delivering as a portrait of Harriet Tubman is illuminated behind the stage. Beautiful. Chills.

Sit up straight! Tom Hanks is talking! Tom is filling us in that the Academy Museum of Motion Picture Arts and Cinema on the corner of Fairfax and Wiltshire in Hollywood, will open on December 14th 2020 and Tom signed off with a tribute to Kirk Douglas as he left the stage by shouting “I Am Spartacus.”

Best Film Editing is awarded to Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker for FORD v FERRARI which is very fitting because this film is incredibly fast and without seamless, high quality editing this film just wouldn’t be the exciting, interesting watch that it is. Great to hear even more normalisation with Spanish featuring naturally and organically in their acceptance speech.

YAS YAS YAS! As if there was any doubt, Roger Deakins THE MAN wins Best Cinematography for 1917 and he should because it’s a bloody triumph! Roger thanks all of the fellow nominees and in a joke for Julia and Will he mentions he’s a pretty good cook, nods to his focus puller Andy Harris.

OK Julia Louis Dreyfus and Will Ferrell have come out to present the Best Cinematographer nominees and winners and their intro is so slicing and biting, I love it. This was of course because Cinematography was supposed to be left out in last year’s Oscars and a petition and static from Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino and more made sure it was honoured as it should be. Also can’t wait to see Julia and Will in DOWNHILL which is going to be soo funny!

Oooh wow! An incredible freestyle from Utkarsh Ambudkar , highlighting just how much diversity and inclusion there’s been in this Telecast. So special!

Randy Newman joins us onstage to give us a super bouncy and upbeat rendition of his song from Toy Story 4. It’s a bright little spot before I feel like something heavy might be coming?

Next up is the noms for Best Sound Mixing and the Oscar oh so rightly goes to 1917. Seriously if you haven’t seen 1917 you NEED to, them just playing the soundtrack sting right now on the Oscars telecast is giving me goosebumps, seriously as the winners Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson take the stage.

Oh Salma! “I can officially say I’ve held an Oscar on this stage now”; as she clasps Oscar Issacs hand. So cute. They’re here to present the nominees and winner for Best Sound Editing. FORD v FERRARI and Don Sylvester takes it out as the winner tonight and throws some shade Disney’s way by saying FORD v FERRARI is the last film to be made by 20th Century Fox. Don thanks James Mangold and says that he should have been up there tonight being nominated for Best Director.

WOW! This super cool music and movies package dissolves into Eminem performing “Lose Yourself” on stage with a small orchestral section, so good. Invigorating this track again after it’s been played so much generally and ahem, appropriated by a small nation’s political party. Great to see members of the audience enjoying it and singing along, Zazie Beetz, Gal Gadot, Kelly Marie Tran…Martin Scorsese not so much. Standing O for Em at the end.

Lin Manuel Miranda is beautifully introduced by Anthony Ramos to the stage as he takes us through the examples of examples of where a film has transported a movie and a movie has transported a song in this little video package.

WOW! Laura Dern wins it for MARRIAGE STORY and you can betcha that Netflix is going to have a lot of people logging in to check that out tonight! A beautiful and gracious speech from Laura thanking all of the creators and crew. Aww wow, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, Laura’s parents are honoured and it’s Laura’s birthday. Wow, so lovely! I’m weepy too.

Geez this montage of the Best Supporting Actress nominees is FULL ON! How are they going to choose this?! I love each and every one of these performers. Kathy Bates, Laura Dern, Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Margot Robbie!

Best Documentary Short Subject winner is LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) a super awesome looking mini-doco that I can’t wait to check out; created by two fierce women; part of a ‘girl crew’ making a love letter to the brave girls that are the subjects at the heart of the film.

Mark Ruffalo that wonderful ally is here to present the Best Documentary nominees and winner; love that Ruffalo highlights that all nominees are either directed by women or co-directed by women. Pretty sure he’s throwing shade and the Best Director category tonight. AMERICAN FACTORY takes it out.

Breathtaking performance of “I’m Standing With You” from Breakthrough.

Maya and Kristen are killing it on this crazy acapella medley to introduce the Best Costume Design nominees. So excited to see Jacqueline Durran wins for Little Women and rightly so! At writing this I’m yet to see Little Women but even from the trailer alone you can see the painstaking work that has gone into this. A short but sweet speech in which Durran thanks Greta Gerwig and her crew and family for allowing her to be a “Working Mother” Fuck yeah!

Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig are silly and fun, giving us “an act” because there’s lots of directors in the room tonight and they’re looking to get their new job. Nancy Haigh and Barbara Ling stomp in to win best Production Design and Set Decoration and WOOOWEEE does Quentin own so much to these two fabulous creators who are still up there thanking their talented crews and speaking about how the couldn’t have achieved the level of realism they did without their crews.

Marshall Curry is the winner for The Neighbor’s Window which takes out the Best Live Action Short Film. Dedicating it to his Mother – the original storyteller in his life; and to all storytellers.

YAS! Kiwi Glory! Taika Waititi wins for Best Adapted Screenplay for the incredible Jojo Rabbit! Like any good Kiwi boy thanks she’s Mum and my heart is soaring because for the first time Taika looks nervous and is speechless. He dedicates this to all the indigenous kids who want to make art and reminds them that they are the original storytellers and that they can make it to this stage too. Leaving us with a cheeky “Keyaurah” before taking the leave of the stage.

Timothee Chalamet and Natalie Portman are here to present the Best Adapted Screenplay and wow is Timothee’s jacket phenomenal! Love it.

Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won win best original screenplay for Parasite! The first Oscar win for Bong Joon Ho. Representing South Korea and their stories HARD! Han dedicated and shared this honour with all of their movie making peers in South Korean.

Previous onscreen lovers in SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves are here to present. Keanu is just the absolute best, they’re only just getting through the telepromoters as they’re off on their own tangent. So cute! Also shout out to Kelly Marie Tran who said that Keanu has the matrix we’d all like to reload.

“Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2 is solidly RIPPING on stage right now so cool to see all the international singers who contribute to bringing Elsa to life around the world. Josh Gad’s cheeky little intro was excellent too with it’s Travolta shade.

Hair Love is the very deserving winner of Best Animated Short Film – a first time nomination and win for these creators and LOVE their sentiment about the importance of representation and normalisation; and showing all of the stories all of the time. Love their dedication to Kobe Bryant and their hope that their second act will be as great as his.

Toy Story 4 wins best Feature Animated Film! So pleased with this as it’s a stunning closing of the Toy Story arc and while it couldn’t exist without the others, 4 is possibly the absolute best.

Brad Pitt wins Best Supporting Actor for his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood! Stoked! I did also love Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Brad’s acceptance speech was much like the man himself, humble and stoic. Loved the comment that Brad said he was happy to ride on Leo’s coattails any day because the view is fantastic.

Charlize Theron is here and she’s trying to find a moment to “get over it” as she says but she can’t she’s too excited! Charlize says Margot Robbie is the emotional heartbeat of BOMBSHELL; Charlize has watched it over 50 times and says she sees something new each time.

Leonardo DiCaprio is THE MAN! When asked what it’s like to be back here after winning (finally!) for The Revenant, Leo said that it never feels the same each time he attends. That’s it’s always exciting. That’s the kind of movie love I’m talking about. Leo is so gracious and wonderful.

Zazie Beetz joins Ryan on the Red Carpet. In some ways she’s the highlight for me in JOKER. Really feel for her being asked questions about how she feels about being involved with JOKER when it’s a film that’s incredible dismissive, even abusive of women. Seeing her trying to come up with superlatives about her role is tough.

Brad is in the Building! Brad Pitt is on the Red Carpet gushing about how cool his buddy Quentin Tarantino is. “I love a stuntman” says Brad as he confirms that he does not do his own stunts, unlike is incredible character Cliff Booth from Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.

The stunning Margot Robbie joins us to talk about her creating a burner account on Twitter so that she could gauge audience opinion and actual sentiment about the character of Kayla who she plays in BOMBSHELL. We were just hearing about how Margot wrote to Quentin Tarantino about a specific role…then we cut to Ryan Seacreast inside the Dolby Theatre as we’re about to be kicking off!

Cynthia Erivo looking FIERCE and so glad to see her freaking OUT with Billi Graham about her first visit here tonight for her nomination as icon Harriet Tubman in Harriet.

Great to see Renee Zellweger on the Red Carpet chatting about JUDY. I missed the screening for this in 2019 but I’ve got the Blu Ray in my “To Be Reviewed” pile and I can’t wait to check it out.

OK this adorable video package showing all of the nominees watching the Nominees Live Stream and reacting on their socials is absolutely giving me LIFE. This is what Oscars is about, the excitement of being part of this incredible part of Cinema life. I aspire to this moment!

2019 Winner Regina King joins us to chat about the experience of winning last year and what we can expect from her upcoming directorial debut. LOVE Regina’s gown and her hair and make up styling.

Sam Mendes having a quick chat about 1917. I hope that 1917 scoops the awards today, such an incredible film and WAY more deserving in every category that JOKER. There. I said it.

Billy Graham is serving REALNESS on the Red Carpet Interviews here! Loving this. So far we’ve chatted to Lin Manuel Miranda, Billie Eilish, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Penelope Cruz.

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