Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the 96th Academy Awards with his opening monologue.

"It was a hard year, but it was also a great year for movies," he said, referencing the writers and actors strikes from 2023. "The people in this room somehow managed to come up with so many excellent films and memorable performances. This night is full of enormous talent and untold potential -- but so was 'Madame Web,' but who knows."

Kimmel also spoke about the year's biggest hit at the box office, "Barbie," crediting director Greta Gerwig with making the doll a "feminist icon" and poking fun at her widely perceived snub for best director.

"I know you're clapping, but you're the ones who didn't vote for her, by the way," he joked, speaking to the audience.

Kimmel also got a laugh when he said that if "Barbie" stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling didn't win anything tonight, they at least had "already won something much more important -- the genetic lottery."

Also receiving a shoutout was Messi the dog from "Anatomy of a Fall," who the talk show host said "may have given the performance of the year."

Kimmel also joked about how many of the year's nominated films were longer than normal, saying he had his mail redirected to the movie theater when seeing "Killers of the Flower Moon."

The 2024 Oscars red carpet was interrupted by protesters prior to the Oscars ceremony.

Arrivals were stalled for more than 30 minutes as protesters stopped access to cars arriving on the red carpet.

Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy were among the stars impacted by the protests.

There are 10 films vying for the coveted best picture award tonight.

Among them are Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," which has a total of 13 nominations this year, as well as Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things" and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," which have 11 nominations and 10 nominations, respectively.

Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction," Justine Triet's "Anatomy of a Fall," Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers," Bradley Cooper's "Maestro," Celine Song's "Past Lives" and Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest" are also nominated.

Check out a guide on where to watch the best picture nominees here.

Christopher Nolan's biopic "Oppenheimer" could make history tonight by either tying or breaking the record for the most Oscar wins by a single film.

Going into tonight's ceremony, the film was nominated for 13 Oscars, including the coveted best picture award.

Currently, the record for most Oscar wins by a single film is 11. That title is shared by "Ben-Hur," "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," with each of those films winning 11 trophies at Academy Awards ceremonies in 1960, 1998 and 2004, respectively.

With 11 total nominations tonight, "Poor Things" has a shot at tying the record.

Check out more potential historic moments here.

Christopher Nolan won the Oscar for best director for "Oppenheimer."

During his acceptance speech, Nolan thanked Universal Studios and the authors of the biography on which the movie is based, "American Prometheus," by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

He also thanked all the cast members including Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and Cillian Murphy, as well as his wife, "the incredible Emma Thomas … producer of all our films, and all our children. I love you."

"Movies are just a little bit over 100 years old," he continued, adding, "We don't know where this incredible journey is going from here, but to know that you think that I'm a meaningful part of it, means the world to me. Thank you very much."

In addition to best director, Nolan was also nominated tonight for best adapted screenplay, which ultimately went to Cord Jefferson for "American Fiction."

This awards season, Nolan has won a Golden Globe for best director and BAFTAs for best director and best film.

Other nominees in the best director category at the 2024 Oscars included Justine Triet for "Anatomy of a Fall," Martin Scorsese for "Killers of the Flower Moon," Yorgos Lanthimos for "Poor Things" and Jonathan Glazer for "The Zone of Interest."