Taking a Look Back at the 2023 Oscars

The 13th of March saw an array of figures from the film industry take their seats at the 95th Academy Awards - a night dedicated to honour and celebrate some of the most notable and iconic films of the past year. Whilst we sometimes forget about pop-culture and showbiz events quite soon after, let’s take a look back at this year’s Oscars - the history that was made and who won–and perhaps who I would have liked to have won too.

Best Supporting Actress - Jamie Lee-Curtis

The Best Supporting Actress Award went to first-time nominee Jamie Lee-Curtis for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO) as IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre. Her co-star Stephanie Hsu was also nominated for Best Actress for EEAAO. Jamie Lee-Curtis’ win resulted in some mixed feelings on Twitter. Many were overjoyed with her win but many also wanted some of the other nominees to take home the award. There is no denying that Jamie Lee-Curtis has made her mark on the film industry–whether she be running away from Michael Myers in Halloween or embodying her iconic role in Freaky Friday (an underrated classic in my opinion)–so, I was ridiculously happy for her when she won. I do also think the category was incredibly competitive which just proves how amazing the nominees were. My personal favourite was Kerry Condon for her role in The Banshees of Inisherin (and a first-time nominee also). Her role as Siobhán symbolised hope in the film for not only the viewers but for the characters. I also think Stephanie Hsu was amazing in EEAAO and it was lovely to see her as a first-time nominee as well. Of course, Angela Bassett was brilliant in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. So, as you can see, there were some amazing performances within the category. I am happy for Jamie Lee-Curtis and she deserves the recognition after being in the industry for so long!

Best Supporting Actor - Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan won the award for Best Supporting for his role as Waymond in EEAAO. His win was not only historic but it was also so wonderful to witness. I first saw Ke Huy Quan in The Goonies when I was a kid so, it was so heartwarming to see him get the recognition he deserves after so many years. As well as being a first-time nominee, he also became the second performer of Asian descent to win the Best Supporting Actor award at the Academy Awards. The first actor of Asian descent to win was Haing S. Ngor in 1985 (nearly thirty years ago!) for his role in The Killing Fields (1984). Not only did Ke Huy Quan create history, but he also gave one of the sweetest acceptance speeches in Oscars’ history. From his wins throughout the awards season, I knew Ke Huy Quan was going to be winning - and he deserved it. Ke was my first choice; however, a very close second and another worthy nominee was Barry Keoghan for his role in Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin. I think Barry is an amazing actor from his disturbing role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer (another film in which he stars alongside Colin Farrell) to playing Dymphna in Calm with Horses. I am really happy to see Barry get recognised for the work he has done, especially with his future work. I have no doubt in my mind that he will win an Oscar one day (and I really hope he does).

Best Actor - Brendan Fraser

I would say that the award for Best Actor was the most complicated one to predict–well, it was for me anyway. Brendan Fraser, Austin Butler, and Colin Farrell all have received awards for their work throughout the 2023 awards season so there was really no way of predicting. The award for Best Actor ultimately went to Brendan Fraser for his work in The Whale, an actor who deserves so much but who I didn’t think was going to win. I thought Austin Butler would win–the jury loves a good biopic–so I was surprised. However, I was incredibly happy for Brendan Fraser and with everything he has been through, you could tell he was over the moon and in disbelief. My personal pick for the award was Colin Farrell for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin–one of my favourite films I have seen from the past year. After many years in the industry, I was also happy to see him finally get nominated after the variety of characters and personalities he has played over the years. I was also rooting for Paul Mescal - another first-time nominee and an amazing actor. Aftersun had me balling and a lot of it was down to him. Even though my personal picks didn’t win, I am still so happy for Brendan and I can’t wait to see what other roles and characters he will undertake. 

Best Actress - Michelle Yeoh

For many, the Best Actress award was between Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh - who are both incredible. However, with how many awards she had swept up over the season, her win was definitely not unexpected. Michelle Yeoh was my top pick for Best Actress and her performance in EEAAO was a tear-jerker (particularly in the last part of the film). Her win was not only deserved but, like Ke Huy Quan, it was historic as Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Award in Academy Award history. Although this is amazing and a historic moment, it shows how little diversity and representation there has been in the Academy Awards, especially since the first Oscars was in 1929–it has taken that long! I hope moving forward that the Academy actually recognise POC actors and figures in the film industry. I am so happy for Michelle Yeoh and her work in EEAAO will stay with me for a very long time.

Best Film - Everything Everywhere All At Once

It’s no surprise that the Best Film award was handed to Everything Everywhere All At Once. With all of the awards the film has won throughout the year through by the awards season, it was all coming together for a final win at the Academy Awards. A film featuring hot dog fingers, butt-plug trophies, and multi-dimensional universes won the award for Best Film and I think it was well deserved. EEAAO is a completely unique film-goer experience and it is one that will stick with me for a while. I would love to see more work by the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) as well as the amazing ensemble cast.

The 2023 Academy Awards may have been one of the most enjoyable Oscars to watch, not only due to the tight competition and unknowing of who will win but also celebrating the amazing performances of the past year, as well as celebrating some historical moments too.