"CODA" was the big winner of the night, taking home the Academy Award for best picture, while Jessica Chastain and Will Smith won best actress and actor in a leading role.
Winners who made history Sunday night included "The Power of the Dog" director Jane Campion, who became the third woman to win best director, and Troy Kotsur, who became the first deaf man to win an Academy Award for acting.
Liza Minnelli celebrates 50th anniversary of ‘Cabaret’
Showbiz icon Liza Minnelli joined Lady Gaga onstage to hand out the best picture Oscar and to mark the 50th anniversary of “Cabaret.”
Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli speak onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, Calif.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
The Bob Fosse-directed musical earned Minnelli, 76, her sole Academy Award win, taking home best actress for playing Sally Bowles at the 1973 ceremony.
"Good evening,” Gaga said when greeting the audience. “You know how I love working with legends.”
“Oh, my baby,” Minnelli responded.
Later, when teeing up the best picture nominations reel, Gaga could be heard reassuring Minnelli, “I got you.”
“I know. Thank you,” Minnelli whispered back.
Mar 27, 2022, 11:42 PM EDT
Jessica Chastain accepts best actress Academy Award
The actress won the best actress award for her performance in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
This is her third Oscar nomination and first win.
Jessica Chastain accepts the Oscar for Best Actress in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" at the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, March 27, 2022.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
During her acceptance speech, she delivered a powerful message about suicide awareness and discriminatory legislation. “Right now we are coming out of some difficult times that have been filled with a lot of trauma and isolation,” she began. “And so many people out there feel hopelessness and they feel alone. And suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States.”
She then went on to say suicide has touched many families, including her own, and many within the LGBTQ+ community.
“We’re faced with discriminatory and bigoted legislation that is sweeping our country with the only goal of further dividing us,” she said. “There’s violence and hate crimes being perpetuated on innocent civilians all over the world. And in times like this, I think of Tammy and I’m inspired by her radical acts of love.”
She then said that she sees Tammy’s compassion as a “guiding principle that leads us forward” and “connects us all in the desire that we want to be accepted for who we are, accepted for who we love, and to live a life without the fear of violence or terror.”
She concluded her speech with a plea to those who feel “hopeless or alone.”
“I just want you to know you are unconditionally loved for the uniqueness that is you,” she said.
Mar 27, 2022, 11:35 PM EDT
Will Smith wins best actor after Chris Rock confrontation
Will Smith cries as he accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for "King Richard" at the Oscars, March 27, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
“In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what god is calling on me to do and be in this world,” said Smith, who played Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, in the film.
“Art imitates life, I look like the crazy father just like they said,” he continued, referencing a seemingly heated confrontation he had with comedian Chris Rock. “Love will make you do crazy things.”
Earlier in the show, the actor left many speechless after a seemingly heated moment on stage between comedian Rock.
Rock, who was presenting the award for best documentary feature, first addressed a few nominees of the evening including Javier Bardem and his wife, Penelope Cruz, then mentioned Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Will Smith hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Calif., March 27, 2022.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
“Javier Bardem and his wife are both nominated,” Rock said. “Now, if she loses, he can’t win. He is praying that Will Smith wins, like, please lord, Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it, alright?”
Viewers were left stunned when Smith took the stage and appeared to strike Rock after the comedian’s remark. Many took to social media to question if the moment was rehearsed or a genuine reaction from Smith.
While presenting later in the night, Sean “Diddy” Combs mentioned the moment, stating “Will and Chris, we’re going to solve that like family ... But right now we’re moving on with love.”
Smith was then shown in the crowd laughing at Combs’ comments.
“I want to apologize to the Academy,” Smith said about the moment on stage. “I want to apologize to my fellow nominees.”
Mar 27, 2022, 11:23 PM EDT
Jane Campion becomes 3rd woman to win best director
Jane Campion accepts the Directing award for "The Power of the Dog" onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, Calif.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
The New Zealand-born filmmaker, 67, follows in the footsteps of Kathryn Bigelow’s win for “The Hurt Locker” in 2010 and Chloé Zhao’s win for “Nomadland” in 2021. Only seven women have ever been nominated for best director in Oscars history.
Campion, who was previously nominated for her 1994 film “The Piano,” beat out fellow nominees Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”), Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”), Ryusuke Hamaguchi (“Drive My Car”) and Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”).
During her acceptance speech, Campion said, “I love directing because it’s a deep dive into story yet the task of creating a world can be overwhelming.”
“On ‘The Power of the Dog,’ I worked with actors I’m moved to call my friends. They met the challenge of the story with the depth of their gifts.”
