Image credit: REUTERS
"Everything Everywhere All At Once" Sweeps The 2023 Academy Awards Ceremony:
This is the first time my favorite movie of the year won Best Picture, and likely a common experience for movie fans who craved something new and original over the last few years. With a net good for humanity, we’ve seen so many “first awards” go to Asian actors for the last time thanks to the cast and crew of this stunning film.
We’re hoping the path from Crazy Rich Asians to Everything Everywhere has finally opened the gates for more incredible Asian-lead films.
Ke Huy Quan wins Best Supporting Actor:
Image credit: ABC Network
We all cried for this one. Child actors face many unfair struggles as they age through Hollywood, an experience uniquely difficult for Asian actors who still fight to prove their worth in Hollywood today.
When accepting his award Ke shared, “I spent a year in a refuge camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage. They say stories like this only happen in the movies. I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This - this is the American dream!”
After not acting for almost 20 years, Ke Huy Quan is no stranger to feeling isolated and undervalued. With many happy turns of events (and a few calls with his lawyer who as a child played Chunk in The Goonies) he found himself surrounded by support and immense talent in Everything Everywhere. In fact, Ke was the first actor casted!
We also can’t ignore his touching moment later in the show with former co-star Harrison Ford 39 years after their work together in 1984’s The Temple of Doom.
Brendan Frasier Wins Best Actor:
“So this is what the multiverse looks like,” said every 90’s kid’s favorite action star the moment he hit the podium. 2023’s award season really was a year of wholesome comeback stories.
In a 2018 interview with GQ, Brendan Fraser revealed that he had been a victim of sexual assault in 2003, which had a profound impact on his mental health. His experiences in the industry left him feeling depressed and isolated, and he struggled with his health and to find work in Hollywood.
His performance in The Whale, a film about a man struggling with obesity and depression, earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor last night.
Fraser's win at the Oscars was a moment of triumph for the actor and his fans, who had long recognized his talent and resilience. It was a reminder that success in Hollywood isn't just about box office numbers and popularity, but also about the ability to persevere through difficult times and continue to pursue one's dreams.
Michelle Yeoh Wins Best Actress:
Truly deserved! Twitter is trending today with the phrase “She is Asian” in honor of Michelle Yeoh’s big win as the first Asian woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress.
Her repertoire includes a wide range from being a Hong Kong action movie star, to playing a sci-fi character in Star Trek. She has a complex and compelling presence across her entire filmography, so if you’ve been following her for a long time you KNEW how deserved this was.
In 2022, her performance Everything Everywhere exemplified her ability to sell a character's inner-workings through the eyes alone.
Honorary Mention: Malala Yousafzai’s Tactful Answer
Human rights activist Malala made a quick appearance from the crowd when Jimmy Kimmel singled her out and asked: "As the youngest Nobel Prize winner in history, I was wondering, do you think Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine?"
Her answer? “I only talk about peace.” Thanks Malala, I’ll be using this.
Honorary Mention II: Lady Gaga’s Face
A no-makeup performance at the Oscar’s takes guts, and Lady Gaga’s got plenty. Now if only the camera could have broken the extended extreme close-ups.
An award miss?
We all love our favorite scream queen and nepo-baby Jaime Lee Curtis, but today’s discourse on Twitter with 203k tweets is covering how movie fans felt slighted that Angela Bassett didn’t win Best Supporting Actress for Wakanda Forever. Would this case be an argument for preferential ballots in the Academy Awards? Let us know!