1988 Academy Awards: Oscar Winners, Nominees and Highlights
The 60th Academy Awards ceremony, held on April 11, 1988, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, was a night of historic moments and cultural significance
Hosted by the charismatic Chevy Chase, the event celebrated the best in cinema from 1987
The evening's biggest winner was "The Last Emperor," which swept the awards with nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Bernardo Bertolucci
Cher's transformation from pop icon to respected actress was cemented with her Best Actress win for "Moonstruck." The ceremony also marked a shift in Hollywood's landscape, with independent films gaining more recognition
Sean Connery's Best Supporting Actor win for "The Untouchables" was a crowd-pleasing moment, while Bernardo Bertolucci's victory highlighted the growing influence of international filmmakers in American cinema
Against the backdrop of the final years of the Cold War, the 1988 Oscars reflected both the changing face of Hollywood and the broader cultural shifts of the late 1980s.
Major Award Categories: Winners and Nominees
In 1988, during the 60th Academy Awards Cerimony, held on 11/04/1988 the following movies, actors, actresses and directors were awarded with the Oscar in 6 categories honoring the films released in 1988:
What movie won the Best Picture Oscar in 1988?
Who won the Best Director Oscar in 1988?
Who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1988?
Who won the Best Actress Oscar in 1988?
Who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1988?
Who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1988?
Memorable Moments and Trivia
- Cher won Best Actress for her role in "Moonstruck" and gave a memorable acceptance speech, saying "I don't think that this award means that I'm somebody, but maybe I'm on my way."
- "The Last Emperor" dominated the ceremony, winning all nine awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture and Best Director for Bernardo Bertolucci.
- Sean Connery won his first and only Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in "The Untouchables," receiving a standing ovation.
- Michael Douglas won Best Actor for "Wall Street" and thanked his father, Kirk Douglas, in his acceptance speech.
- Billy Crystal made his debut as the host of the Academy Awards, beginning his long-running association with the ceremony.
- Olympia Dukakis won Best Supporting Actress for "Moonstruck" and used her acceptance speech to promote Michael Dukakis' presidential campaign.
- The ceremony featured a controversial musical number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Snow White, which led to a lawsuit from Disney.
- "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from "Dirty Dancing" won Best Original Song and was performed live by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
- Bernardo Bertolucci's Best Director win for "The Last Emperor" marked the first time an Italian director won in this category.
- The ceremony was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, breaking from the tradition of being held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
FAQ
- Who was the host of the 1988 Academy Awards?
Chevy Chase hosted the 60th Academy Awards ceremony in 1988. - What were the biggest surprises at the 1988 Oscars?
One of the biggest surprises was Cher winning Best Actress for 'Moonstruck' over expected favorites Glenn Close ('Fatal Attraction') and Holly Hunter ('Broadcast News'). Another surprise was 'The Last Emperor' sweeping all nine categories it was nominated for, including Best Picture. - What were the most memorable speeches at the 1988 Academy Awards?
Two of the most memorable speeches at the 1988 Academy Awards were: 1) Cher's acceptance speech for Best Actress, where she thanked her hairdresser and called herself 'a cooler version' of Cinderella. 2) Billy Wilder's acceptance speech for the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, where he humorously stated, 'I'm deeply touched. After all, this is a man who could have directed 'Ben-Hur' but decided to do 'The Lost Weekend' instead.'
What happened in 1988?
Discover what the world looked like in 1988: