Best Moments From the 2018 Oscars

Film |

The 90th Academy Awards on Sunday were full of women’s empowerment, political jabs and history-making moments. From Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue to Jordan Peele winning big with Get Out, take a look at the highlights from the 2018 Oscars.

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Jimmy Kimmel’s Time’s Up moment

In his opening monologue, host Jimmy Kimmel was all about supporting women. He brought attention to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements saying, “what happened with Harvey, and what’s happening all over, was long overdue. We can’t let bad behavior slide anymore.” Kimmel also noted the nominees making history, including Rachel Morrison who was the first ever woman nominee for cinematography.

Kobe Bryant wins an Oscar

Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is now also an Oscar winner. The former Los Angeles Laker, who retired in 2016, won best animated short film for Dear Basketball along with animator Glen Keane. The film is based on a letter Bryant wrote for The Players’ Tribune announcing his retirement in 2015. Keane said the win is “a message for all of us—whatever form your dream may take, it’s through passion and perseverance, that the impossible is possible.”

Daniela Vega makes history

The star of the Oscar-winning film A Fantastic Woman became the first openly transgender presenter at the Academy Awards. “Thank you so much for this moment,” Daniela Vega said. “I want to invite you to open your hearts and your feelings to feel the reality, to feel love. Can you feel it?”

Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph bring the laughs

From the minute they got onstage to present awards, Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph had the crowd laughing. “We are so happy to be here but a little nervous too because a few years ago people were saying that Oscars were so white and since then, some real progress has been made,” said Rudolph. Haddish added, “But when we came out together, we know some of you were thinking, ‘Are the Oscars too black now?'”

Common and Andra Day stand up

Common and Andra Day passionately performed their collaboration “Stand Up For Something” from Marshall, the 2017 biopic about the first African-American Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. They had the whole crowd applauding.

Jordan Peele wins big

Jordan Peele won the award for best original screenplay for his highly buzzed-about film Get Out. He became the first African-American to win this award. “I stopped writing this movie about 20 times because I thought it was impossible,” he said. “I thought it wasn’t gonna work, I thought no one would ever make this movie, but I kept coming back to it because I knew if someone let me make this movie, that people would hear it and people would see it.”

Gary Oldman finally wins an Oscar

Starting his career in the 80s, Gary Oldman finally won the Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. He ended his speech by thanking his 99-year-old mother, who he said was watching the show from her sofa. “Thank you for your love and support. Put the kettle on. I’m bringing Oscar home,” he said.

Frances McDormand acknowledges the females

When accepting the award for best actress for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Frances McDormand asked all the female nominees to stand up. “Look around ladies and gentlemen because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed,” she said.

Guillermo del Toro and The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro proved dreams come true by winning best directing for The Shape of Water. The film also won for best picture. “Growing up in Mexico, I thought this could never happen,” he said. “This is a door, kick it open and come in.”

anna halkidis

anna halkidis

Anna Halkidis is a senior web editor at Long Island Pulse. Feel free to reach out at anna@lipulse.com or on Twitter @annahalkidis.