Oscars 2024 recap: Biggest moments from the 96th Academy Awards

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."

Cillian Murphy won the Oscar for best actor for his role in "Oppenheimer."

The actor, who portrayed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, in "Oppenheimer," said he was "overwhelmed" to have won the award.

"I'm a very proud Irishman standing here tonight," he said. "We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb and, for better or for worse, we're all living in Oppenheimer's world, so I would really like to dedicate this to peacemakers everywhere."

Murphy accepted the Oscar from a group of previous best actor winners, including Nicolas Cage, Matthew McConaughey, Brendan Fraser, Ben Kingsley and Forest Whitaker.

This awards season, Murphy has won a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA.

Other nominees in the category included Bradley Cooper for "Maestro," Colman Domingo for "Rustin," Paul Giamatti for "The Holdovers" and Jeffrey Wright for "American Fiction."

The Oscars paid tribute to those in the entertainment industry who died in the past year during the "In Memoriam" segment.

Michael Gambon, Chita Rivera, Alan Arkin, Julian Sands, Andre Braugher, Glynis Johns, Paul Reubens and Ryan O'Neal were among the stars who were remembered, as well as Mathew Perry, Richard Lewis, Lee Sun-Kyun and Carl Weathers.

During the segment, Andrea Bocelli sang "Time to Say Goodbye" with his son Matteo Bocelli.

“Oppenheimer” won the Oscar for best original score.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo presented the award to composer Ludwig Göransson. This is his second Oscar win and third nomination.

Upon accepting the award, Göransson thanked director Christopher Nolan for allowing him to collaborate with his wife, acclaimed violinist Serena McKinney.

Other nominees in the category included “American Fiction,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Poor Things.”