From Adrien Brody and Halle Berry recreating their viral 2003 kiss to Adam Sandler showing up in a hoodie and shorts, the 97th Academy Awards, held at Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 3, had its share of memorable moments that had fans talking on social media.
Halle Berry and Adrien Brody recreate their viral 2003 kiss
Back in 2003, Adrien Brody became the youngest actor in history to win the Best Actor Oscar for his heart-wrenching role in The Pianist, and 22 years later, he won the same award for Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist. While accepting his award for the Roman Polanski-directed Holocaust film in 2003, Brody surprised the audience by kissing Halle Berry on stage, a moment which went viral. This year, the duo recreated the kiss, which captured the hearts of fans. On the red carpet, Berry took everyone by surprise as she playfully interrupted Brody being interviewed and leaned in for a kiss.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo perform Wicked song Defying Gravity
Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo enthralled fans with an electrifying mashup of songs from the Jon M. Chu-directed musical fantasy, which bagged two Oscars — one for best production and another for best costume design. At the gala event, the duo performed a duet of iconic tracks like Home, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Defying Gravity along with classic songs from The Wiz and The Wizard of Oz. Their electrifying performance received a standing ovation from the audience.
Adam Sandler shows up in shorts and hoodie
In true Adam Sandler fashion, the Happy Gilmore star skipped elegant outfits and showed up at the Oscars in a sky-blue hoodie and blue shorts. During the opening ceremony, O’Brien put the actor-comedian on the spotlight and asked, “Adam, what are you wearing? You’re dressed like a guy playing video poker at 2am.” To this, Sandler said, “Nobody even thought about what I was wearing until you brought it up.”
This is not the first time Sandler turned up at an awards show in casual attire. At the movie premiere of his 2023 film Murder Mystery 2, in which he starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Sandler arrived in a sweatshirt and baggy trousers. Aniston’s reaction to her co-star’s attitude was a delight to watch as she was taken aback by his choice of clothes.
Kieran Culkin's anecdote
Most of the ’90s kids remember Kieran Culkin as the “Pepsi kid” from Home Alone, and watching him clinch the Best Supporting Actor for his poignant role in A Real Pain left fans nostalgic. Culkin’s victory marks a significant milestone in his career, adding to an already remarkable awards season that saw him secure Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG Award wins. In a heartfelt acceptance speech, Culkin shared an anecdote that his wife promised him a third kid if he won an Emmy award. “I will give you a fourth if I win an Oscar,” he added, making the audience burst into laughter.
Bond tribute
The 97th Academy Awards paid a tribute to James Bond, featuring dynamic performances by Blackpink’s Lisa, Doja Cat and RAYE. Lisa took the stage first and performed the classic track Live and Let Die from the James Bond film of the same name in a stunning black shirt-dress featuring a thigh-high slit. Following Lisa, Doja Cat churned out her rendition of Diamonds Are Forever. RAYE closed the live performance with a powerful version of Skyfall, the iconic Bond track that won Adele an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2013.
LAFD first responders crack jokes
In a refreshing turn of events, Conan O’Brien invited the LA Fire Department on stage to pay tribute to the first responders during the devastating fires that ravaged the Los Angeles area in January. The captains of the LAFD squads picked up the mic and slammed last year’s major flop Joker 2 and Timothee Chalamet’s singing in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, leaving the audience in stitches.
Morgan Freeman pays tribute to Gene Hackman
Hollywood veteran Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico last week. Morgan Freeman, who starred alongside Hackman in the Oscar-winning film Unforgiven, paid a moving tribute to his “dear friend” Hackman at this year’s Academy Awards, saying that the film community had “lost a giant”. Adding that Hackman never cared about leaving behind a legacy, Freeman said that the late actor only wished people would remember him as “someone who tried to do good work”.
Ukrainian war cry and Israel-Palestine conflict
While presenting the Best Film Editing award, Kill Bill star Daryl Hannah opened her speech by declaring, “Slava Ukraini”—a salute which translates to “Glory to Ukraine”. Her statement caught the attention of fans who saw it as a show of support for Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia.
No Other Land, a collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, received the Best Documentary award at the 97th Oscars. While accepting the award, Israeli journalist and co-director of the documentary Yuval Abraham called out the U.S. government for their handling of the ongoing Israel-Palestine war. “My hope for my daughter is that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now,” the filmmaker, who documented the destruction of his village by Israeli forces in the film, said in his speech.