The 94th Academy Awards proved to be a star-studded affair marked by notable wins and set itself apart as one of the most inclusive awards ceremonies till date.
According to The Guardian, Ariana DeBose won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and became the second Latina to win an Oscar. Troy Kotsur became the second deaf actor to win Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Coda. Jane Campion became the third woman in the history of the Academy Awards to take home the Oscar for Best Director for The Power of the Dog.
In a moving acceptance speech, Kotsur said, “This is dedicated to the deaf community, the Coda community and the disabled community. This is our moment.”
Will Smith won the Best Actor award for his performance as Serena and Venus Williams’ father in King Richard. Jessica Chastain bagged the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Riz Ahmed became the first Muslim and the first person of Asian descent to win the award for the Best Live Action Short Film.