Oscars winners latest – Kenneth Branagh leads Brits with win for best original screenplay but Olivia Colman misses out

SIR Kenneth Branagh was the night’s biggest British winner, taking home the statue for Best Original Screenplay at the 94th Academy Awards.

The ceremony returned to the Dolby Theatre this year after a Covid-safe event in a Los Angeles railway station in 2021.

“This story is the search for joy and hope in the face of violence and loss,” Branagh said in his speech for writing Belfast.

“We will never forget all of those lost in the heartbreaking, heartwarming, human story of that amazing city of Belfast on the fabulous island of Ireland.”

On the other hand, Olivia Colman lost out on Best Actress when Jessica Chastain took the award for her role in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

BEST PICTURE

CODA took the top prize of the night, winning the award for Best Picture. 

Apple TV+, which distributed the film, became the first streaming service to win an Academy Award for the top prize. 

The film was also the first with a cast of predominantly deaf/non-hearing members to win the award.

BEST ACTOR & ACTRESS

Will Smith took home one of the top prizes of the night, winning the Best Actor award for his role in King Richard.

The award came after Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage after he made a joke about Jade Pinkett Smith’s hair loss.

In a tearful speech, the actor apologized to the Academy for his actions while also explaining how he, like Richard Williams, protects his family.

He mentioned fellow nominee, Denzel Washington, who pulled Smith to the side after the incident with Rock.

“At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you,” Smith said.

Smith ended with: “I hope the Academy invites me back.”

Jessica Chastain won the award for Best Actress for her role in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, where she played the televangelist.

She beat out Olivia Colman, Kristen Stewart, Penélope Cruz and Nicole Kidman for the top prize.

BEST DIRECTOR

Jane Campion won her second Academy Award - however, this was her first for Best Director. Campion directed and wrote The Power of the Dog.

Campion is the third woman to win the award and is the first woman to be nominated twice. In 1994, she was nominated for The Piano, but the award went to Spielberg for Schindler’s List.

Kathryn Bigelow and Chloé Zhao both won the award for The Hurt Locker and Nomadland respectively.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS & ACTOR

Ariana DeBose took home the first televised award of the night for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story - saying it was proof "dreams come true,"

In her acceptance speech, she said: “Now you see why Anita says 'I want to be in America' because even in this weary world that we live in dreams do come true and that’s a heartening thing right now.”

On the production, she added: “It was the summer of a lifetime and I am the most privileged and grateful to have spent it with all of you.

“My God thank you, Steven Spielberg, you’re stuck with me now.”

DeBose became the second Hispanic woman to win the award after Rita Moreno, who won the award 60 years earlier in 1962 for the same role in the original film.

This is the first time two actresses won Oscars for the same role.

Troy Kotsur won Best Supporting Actor for the film CODA. He became the second deaf actor to win an Academy Award after Marlee Matlin, who also starred in the film.

In his acceptance speech, Kotsur thanked his father, who he called “the best signer in our family.”

“But he was in a car accident and he became paralyzed from the neck down, and he was no longer able to sign,” said the actor through his interpreter.

“Dad, I learned so much from you. I'll always love you. You are my hero.”

BEST ORIGINAL & ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

After eight nominations, Sir Kenneth Branagh received his first Oscar after winning Best Original Screenplay for Belfast, which he also directed.

CODA, a film about the only hearing member of a deaf family, won for Best Adapted Screenplay. 

The film was based on the original motion picture screenplay La Famille Bélier, a French film released in 2014.

STARS ON THE RED CARPET

Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Garfield, Olivia Colman, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Kenneth Branagh were all on the red carpet for The Oscars Sunday night.

Cumberbatch was nominated for the Best Actor prize for his role as a cruel rancher in Jane Campion's western The Power Of The Dog, which leads the pack with 12 nominations, but ultimately lost to frontrunner Will Smith, who won for his turn as the father of Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard.

The duo was nominated alongside Garfield for his role as Rent playwright Jonathan Larson in Tick, Tick... Boom!, Javier Bardem for Being The Ricardos, and Denzel Washington for The Tragedy Of Macbeth.

Colman, who won the Best Actress Oscar in 2019 for her turn in The Favourite, landed her second nomination in that category for her role as a mother reflecting on her past in The Lost Daughter.

She picked up a supporting nod last year for her part in The Father.
She competed for the Best Actress gong against Kristen Stewart for her performance as Diana, Princess of Wales in Spencer, Penelope Cruz for Parallel Mothers, Nicole Kidman for Being The Ricardos and apparent frontrunner Jessica Chastain for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye.

Dame Judi and Ciaran Hinds were nominated for their performances in Sir Kenneth's autobiographical film Belfast.

Sir Anthony Hopkins, Mila Kunis, John Travolta, Daniel Kaluuya, Wesley Snipes, Zoe Kravitz, Lady Gaga, Lily James, Uma Thurman and Rami Malek all presented at the ceremony.