The 2021 Oscars Ceremony was an in-person, socially distanced, live event from Union Station in Los Angeles with additional show elements live from the Doby Theatre in Hollywood and the Hollywood & Highland Center. For overseas members unable to travel to Los Angeles due to Covid restrictions, additional venues were added in London and other locations, because the 2021 Oscars did want to include a ZOOM option.

Oscars logo

Regina King was not the host of the 93rd Academy Awards Ceremony, but she opened the show. There has not been a host of the Oscars Ceremony since Kevin Hart stepped down as the planned host in 2019.

The broadcast opened live on ABC with Regina King grabbing an Oscar and walking through the doors into the theater and the camera followed. Regina walked quite a way before arriving on the stage to a small audience applauding her arrival. She was out of breath, tripped, and almost fell, but caught herself and said, “Live TV here we go. Welcome to the 93 Oscars.” “It has been quite a year.” She spoke on the trial this week and said if things had gone a different way, she would have grabbed her marching boots.

Regina addressed Covid restrictions by saying, “Yes, we are doing this mask- less. Well, think of this as a movie set. People have been vaccinated, tested, and retested.

Regina went into describing the nominees for the category of Best Original Screenplay. The 2021 Oscar went to Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell. Regina also presented the category, Adapted Screenplay. She described each nominee and their work. The 2021 Oscar went to Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller for The Father.

Laura Dern was the next presenter. The category, International Feature Film. The nominees were Another Round, Denmark, Better Days, Hong Kong, Collective, Romania, The Man Who Sold His Skin, Tunisia, and Quo Vadis, Aida?, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 2021 Oscar went Another Round, Denmark, director, Thomas Vinterberg

He said he has been imagining a moment like this his whole life. “Since I was five, I’ve been preparing speeches.” He thanked his wife for being the angel of this project. He thanked his family, his screenwriter, the cast, crew.

Laura then presented the next award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The nominees were

Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah, Sacha Baron Cohen for The Trial of the Chicago 7, Paul Raci, Sound of Metal, Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami, and Lakeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah. The 2021 Oscar went to Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah. “Thank you, God! Thank you, God!” He thanked his family, his team, and Warner Bros. “I am so happy to be alive.”

Don Cheadle was the next presenter for the category, Best Makeup and Hairstyling. The 2021 Oscar went to Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal, and Jamika Wilson for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Don also announced the nominees for Costume Design. The 20221 Oscar went to Ann Roth for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

The Oscars paid tribute to the Motion Picture and Television Fund and the work and help the fund has provided to so many people and families in the industry if hard times arrive. It’s the 100th anniversary of the fund. Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The first time the award has gone to an organization.

The award for Best Directing was presented in Seoul. The nominees were Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round, David Fincher for Mank, Lee Isaac Chung for Minari, Chloé Zhao for Nomadland, and Emerald Fennell For Promising Young Woman. The 2021 Oscar went to Chloé Zhao for Nomadland. Chloé Zhao talked about growing up in China and a game she played with her father. She said she has always found goodness in the people that she has met in the world. “This is for you. You inspire me to keep going. Thank you, thank you.”

The next category was Achievement in Sound. The 2021 Oscar went to Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh for Sound of Metal.

Best Live Action Short Film was up next. The 2021 Oscar went to Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe for Two Distant Strangers.

Reese Witherspoon was the next presenter. Her category, animation. The 2021 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film went to If Anything Happens I Love You by Will McCormack and Michael Govier. Reese also presented the nominees for Animated Feature Film. The 2021 Oscar went to Pete Doctor and Dana Murray for Soul.

Marlee Matlin was next to present the nominees. Her category Documentary Short and the 2021 Oscar went to Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard for Colette. Marlee also announced the nominees for Documentary Feature. The 2021 Oscar went to My Octopus Teacher by Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed, and Craig Foster.

Visual Effects was the next award, and the 2021 Oscar went to Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley, and Scott Fisher for Tenet.

Brad Pitt arrived to announce the nominees for Best Supporting Actress. The nominees were Maria Bakalova for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Glenn Close for Hillbilly Elegy, Olivia Colman for The Father, Amanda Seyfried for Mank, and Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari. And the 2021 Oscar went to Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari. “Mr. Brad Pitt, finally. Nice to meet you.” I can’t believe I’m here. Let me pull myself together.” I’d like to thank my two boys who make me go out and work.” Thank you.” She must have been thrilled to have Brad Pitt take her backstage.

Halle Berry read the nominee’s descriptions for the category of Production Design. The 2021 Oscar went to Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale for Mank. Halle also presented the nominees for Best Cinematography, and the Oscar went to Erik Messerschmidt for Mank.

Harrison Ford did the honors of announcing the nominees for Film Editing. The 2021 Oscar went to Mikkel E. G. Nielsen for Sound of Metal.

Viola Davis presented the Humanitarian Award to Tyler Perry for his incredible body work and continuous humanitarian support. Tyler Perry was honored to receive theJean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. “I refuse to hate. I hope that we would refuse hate.” “Meet me in the middle to refuse hate.” Thank you, Academy.”

Zendaya presented the nominees for the Best Song. The 2021 Oscar went to Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Jon Batiste for Soul. Zendaya also announced the nominees for Best Original. The Oscar went to Fight For You from Judas and the Black Messiah; Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas.

H.E.R.  closed her acceptance speech with, “I have no words. I’m just so happy and grateful. Knowledge is power music is power. Thank you so much!”

Glenn Close did the butt. Watch the rerun. So much went on in that segment. It was awkward, censored, and will never happen again on the Oscars.

Angela Bassett presented the In Memoriam segment to acknowledge this year of great loss to the music of Stevie Wonder, I’ll Be loving You Always.

Rita Moreno presented the award for Best Picture.  The 2021 Oscar went to Nomadland, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, and Chloé Zhao, Producers.

Rene Zilwigger presented the award for Best Actress. The nominees were Viola Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Andra Day for The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman, Frances McDormand for Nomadland, and Carey Mulligan for Promising Young Woman. The 2021 Oscar went to Frances McDormand for Nomadland.

Joaquin Phoenix presented the Best Actor Award. The Oscar went to Anthony Hopkins for The Father. Joaquin accepted on his behalf.

Questlove closed the 2021 Oscars. Congratulations to all the winners.

Tanya Hart

AURN.Com Hollywood Live

Follow me on Instagram

Find me on Twitter

The Kelly Wright Show with Tanya Hart on the 2021 Oscars