Arts & Culture

‘Green Book,’ Rami Malek and more of the 2019 Oscar winners

By MARIAH COOPER OF THE WASHINGTON BLADE, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL LGBT MEDIA ASSOCIATION

The 91st annual Academy Awards became a historic night on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as the golden statues were handed out to first-time winners for both Hollywood newcomers and overdue veterans.

Queen, fronted by singer Adam Lambert, kicked off the show with a melody of Queen songs including “We are the Champions.” The hostless show was sped forward simply by presenters and kicked off with the comedian trio of Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler.

“We are not your hosts, but we’re going to stand here a little too long so that the people who get USA Today tomorrow will think we hosted,” Fey joked to the audience.

Soon after, the first major award of the night was given to Regina King for her role in the James Baldwin film adaptation, “If Beale Street Could Talk.” This was King’s first Academy Award win.

King thanked her mother and Barry Jenkins, who also directed Oscar winner “Moonlight.”

“To be standing here representing one of the greatest artists of all time – James Baldwin. James Baldwin bursts this baby and Barry nurtured her, surrounding her with so much love and support. So it’s appropriate to be standing here because I am an example of what it looks like when support and love is poured into someone. God is good, all the time,” King said.

Lady Gaga won Best Original Song for “Shallow,” which she passionately performed with her “A Star is Born” co-star Bradley Cooper earlier in the show. The song beat out the popular song “All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA from “Black Panther” and “The Place Where Lost Things Go” by Emily Blunt from “Mary Poppins Returns,” which was performed by Bette Midler at the ceremony.

Backstage, Lady Gaga was asked what she would say to her fans headed to the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia.

“I’ll tell you something, I hope that everyone there in Sydney feels so much joy and celebrates all sexual identities. And I also have a dream in our future as we evolve as humanity that these award shows not be male and female but include everyone,” Gaga replied.

Rami Malek won Best Actor for his portrayal of bisexual Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Malek is the first Arab-American to win Best Actor.

“I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him, and I think his curly-haired little mind would have been blown,” Malek told the crowd in his acceptance speech. “That kid was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out, and to anyone struggling and trying to discover their voice — listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life unapologetically himself. And the fact I’m celebrating him and this story with you tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this.”

“Bohemian Rhapsody” also won awards for Best Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Film Editing.

Olivia Colman won Best Actress for her role as Queen Anne in “The Favourite.” In her light-hearted speech, Colman said: “This is hilarious. I’ve got an Oscar” and ended her acceptance by blowing a kiss to Lady Gaga.

“Roma” also won big for the night with a win for Best Foreign Picture, Cinematography and a Best Director win for Alfonso Cuarón.

Overall, the night was filled with diversity as a record-number of women won awards. These women included Ruth E. Carter (Best Costume for “Black Panther”) and Hannah Beachler (Best Production Design for “Black Panther”) who became the second and third black women to win non-acting Oscars in the span of a few minutes. Beachler was also the first black woman to ever be nominated for Production Design.

Film veteran Spike Lee won his first Oscar in the history of his career for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman.”

Perhaps the most controversial win of the night went to “Green Book,” which won for Best Picture. The film has maintained plenty of controversy since its release. The film is based on the true story of black pianist Dr. Donald Shirley (Mahershala Ali) who hires Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) to be his driver and bodyguard. The film has been accused of using the “white savior” trope. Shirley’s family have also denounced the film as an inaccurate portrayal of the pair’s friendship.

Mortensen also came under fire during promotion for the film when he used the N-word to describe how race relations have changed over the years.

“For instance, no one says ‘N-word’ anymore,” Mortensen said at the time. He later apologized.

Despite the controversy, the film also nabbed a Best Supporting Actor win for Ali, his second following “Moonlight,” and a win for Best Original Screenplay.

Check out the list of winners below.

Best Picture
“Black Panther”
“BlacKkKlansman”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“The Favourite”
“Green Book”
“Roma”
“A Star Is Born”
“Vice”

Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams-“Vice”
Marina de Tavira-“Roma”
Regina King-“If Beale Street Could Talk”
Emma Stone- “The Favourite”
Rachel Weisz- “The Favourite”

Actor in a Supporting Role
Mahershala Ali- “Green Book” 
Adam Driver- “BlackKKlansman”
Sam Elliott- “A Star Is Born”
Richard E. Grant- “Can You Ever Forgive Me”
Sam Rockwell- “Vice”

Foreign Language Film
“Capernaum”
“Cold War”
“Never Look Away”
“Roma” 
“Shoplifters”

Documentary (Short)
“Black Sheep”
“End Game”
“Lifeboat”
“A Night at the Garden”
“Period. End of Sentence.” 

Documentary Feature
“Free Solo” 
“Hale County This Morning, This Evening”
“Minding the Gap”
“Of Fathers and Sons”
“RBG”

Original Song
“All The Stars” – “Black Panther”
“I’ll Fight” – “RBG”
“Shallow” – “A Star Is Born” 
“The Place Where Lost Things Go” – “Mary Poppins Returns”
“When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” – “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”

Animated Feature Film
“Incredibles 2”
“Isle of Dogs”
“Mirai”
“Ralph Breaks the Internet”
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” 

Adapted Screenplay
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
“BlacKkKlansman” 
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
“If Beale Street Could Talk”
“A Star Is Born”

Original Screenplay
“First Reformed”
“Green Book” 
“Roma”
“The Favourite”
“Vice”

Actor in a Leading Role
Christian Bale- “Vice”
Bradley Cooper- “A Star Is Born”
Willem Dafoe- “At Eternity’s Gate”
Rami Malek-“Bohemian Rhapsody”
Viggo Mortensen- “Green Book”

Actress in a Leading Role
Yalitza Aparicio- “Roma”
Glenn Close- “The Wife”
Lady Gaga- “A Star Is Born”
Olivia Colman- “The Favourite” 
Melissa McCarthy- “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Director
Spike Lee- “BlacKkKlansman”
Pawel Pawlikowski- “Cold War”
Yorgos Lanthimos- “The Favourite”
Alfonso Cuarón- “Roma” 
Adam McKay- “Vice”

Production Design
“Black Panther” 
“The Favourite”
“First Man”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Roma”

Cinematography
“Cold War”
“The Favourite”
“Never Look Away”
“Roma”
“A Star Is Born”

Costume Design
“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”
“Black Panther” 
“The Favourite”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Mary Queen of Scots”

Sound Editing
“A Quiet Place”
“Black Panther”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” 
“First Man”
“Roma”

Sound Mixing
“Black Panther”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“First Man”
“Roma”
“A Star Is Born”

Animated Short Film
“Animal Behaviour”
“Bao” 
“Late Afternoon”
“One Small Step”
“Weekends”

Live Action Short Film
“Detainment”
“Fauve”
“Marguerite”
“Mother”
“Skin” 

Original Score
“Black Panther” 
“BlacKkKlansman”
“If Beale Street Could Talk”
“Isle of Dogs”
“Mary Poppins Returns”

Visual Effects
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“Christopher Robin”
“First Man” 
“Ready Player One”
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”

Film Editing
“BlacKkKlansman”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” 
“Green Book”
“The Favourite”
“Vice”

Makeup and Hairstyling
“Border”
“Mary Queen of Scots”
“Vice”

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