After an opening musical performance by Justin Timberlake, host Jimmy Kimmel took the stage with a relaxed, comedic tone that largely steered clear of the controversies many anticipated the Academy would address at the outset. Kimmel’s approach was light and personable throughout the night: he presented an Oscars-themed edition of Mean Tweets, delivered playful monologues, and staged a warm, unexpected encounter with several tour-bus passengers who were surprised by a ceremony appearance—one of the evening’s most heartfelt moments.
The ceremony’s most dramatic and widely discussed moment occurred near the end of the night. Initially, La La Land was announced as Best Picture, but the result was later corrected to Moonlight. The confusion happened because the presenters were handed the envelope for a prior category, leading to a mistaken announcement. Cast and crew from La La Land, who had already given speeches and been photographed on stage, were subsequently asked to step aside as the Moonlight team took their rightful place to accept the award. The incident overshadowed what had otherwise been a celebration of cinematic achievements and provoked widespread discussion following the broadcast.
Several notable winners shaped the overall narrative of the awards. Damien Chazelle was named Best Director for La La Land, making history as the youngest director ever to win that Oscar at the age of 32. Casey Affleck won Best Actor for his performance in Manchester by the Sea, prevailing over strong contenders, including Denzel Washington for Fences. Viola Davis received the Academy Award for Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in Fences. Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor for Moonlight, further recognizing the film’s critical success.
The night also recognized technical and creative achievements across a range of categories. La La Land received awards for Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song for “City of Stars.” Hacksaw Ridge was honored for Achievement in Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing. Arrival won Best Sound Editing, and The Jungle Book took home Achievement in Visual Effects. Suicide Squad was acknowledged for Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling, while Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them won for Costume Design.
Documentaries and short films were celebrated as well. O.J.: Made in America won Best Documentary, and The White Helmets earned the Documentary Short Subject award. In the short film categories, Sing won Best Live-Action Short Film, and Piper received Best Animated Short Film. Zootopia was named Best Animated Feature, offering recognition to family-oriented storytelling and animation craft.
Screenwriting awards highlighted both original and adapted work: Kenneth Lonergan won Best Original Screenplay for Manchester by the Sea, and Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney won Best Adapted Screenplay for Moonlight. These honors underscored the strength of intimate, character-driven narratives recognized that year.
Below is a full list of the winners announced that evening:
Best Supporting Actor – Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling – Suicide Squad
Costume Design – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Best Documentary – O.J. Made in America
Best Sound Editing – Arrival
Best Sound Mixing – Hacksaw Ridge
Actress in a Supporting Role – Viola Davis (Fences)
Best Foreign Language Film – The Salesman (Iran)
Best Animated Short Film – Piper
Best Animated Feature – Zootopia
Achievement in Production Design – La La Land
Achievement in Visual Effects – The Jungle Book
Achievement in Film Editing – Hacksaw Ridge
Documentary Short Subject – The White Helmets
Live-Action Short Film – Sing
Achievement in Cinematography – La La Land
Best Original Score – La La Land
Best Original Song – “City of Stars” from La La Land
Best Original Screenplay – Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
Best Adapted Screenplay – Barry Jenkins & Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight)
Best Director – Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Actor in a Leading Role – Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Actress in a Leading Role – Emma Stone (La La Land)
Best Picture – Moonlight
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