1991 Academy Awards: Oscar Winners, Nominees and Highlights
The 63rd Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 25, 1991, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, celebrated the best films of 1990
Hosted by Billy Crystal for the second consecutive year, the event was marked by several notable moments and historic wins
"Dances with Wolves," directed by and starring Kevin Costner, dominated the night, winning seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director
The ceremony also saw Whoopi Goldberg become the second African American woman to win an acting Oscar, for her supporting role in "Ghost." Jeremy Irons took home Best Actor for "Reversal of Fortune," while Kathy Bates won Best Actress for "Misery." The awards took place against the backdrop of the Gulf War, which had concluded just a month earlier, lending a somber tone to some of the proceedings.
Major Award Categories: Winners and Nominees
In 1991, during the 63rd Academy Awards Cerimony, held on 25/03/1991 the following movies, actors, actresses and directors were awarded with the Oscar in 6 categories honoring the films released in 1991:
What movie won the Best Picture Oscar in 1991?
Who won the Best Director Oscar in 1991?
Who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1991?
Who won the Best Actress Oscar in 1991?
Who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1991?
Who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1991?
Memorable Moments and Trivia
- Whoopi Goldberg became the second African American woman to win an Oscar for acting, winning Best Supporting Actress for "Ghost." In her acceptance speech, she said, "Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted this."
- Kevin Costner's "Dances with Wolves" won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, surprising many who expected Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" to win.
- Joe Pesci gave one of the shortest acceptance speeches in Oscar history after winning Best Supporting Actor for "Goodfellas," simply saying, "It's my privilege. Thank you."
- Madonna performed the Oscar-nominated song "Sooner or Later" from "Dick Tracy," wearing a glamorous Bob Mackie gown and channeling Marilyn Monroe.
- Kathy Bates won Best Actress for "Misery," beating out favorites Julia Roberts ("Pretty Woman") and Meryl Streep ("Postcards from the Edge").
- Jeremy Irons won Best Actor for "Reversal of Fortune," and in his speech, he thanked his wife Sinéad Cusack, joking that he had learned from her "that to be free is not to be in control, but to be in love."
- The show featured no official host, instead relying on multiple presenters to move the ceremony along.
- Kim Basinger used her time as a presenter to criticize the Academy for not nominating Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" for Best Picture the previous year.
- Sophia Loren presented an honorary Oscar to Myrna Loy, who received a standing ovation for her lifetime of work in film.
FAQ
- Who was the host of the 1991 Academy Awards?
Billy Crystal hosted the 63rd Academy Awards ceremony in 1991. This was his second time hosting the Oscars. - What were the biggest surprises at the 1991 Oscars?
One of the biggest surprises was Kevin Costner's 'Dances with Wolves' winning Best Picture over Martin Scorsese's 'Goodfellas', which was widely considered the favorite. Another surprise was Kathy Bates winning Best Actress for 'Misery' over perceived frontrunner Julia Roberts for 'Pretty Woman'. - What were the most memorable speeches at the 1991 Academy Awards?
The most memorable speech was likely Joe Pesci's for Best Supporting Actor, which was notably brief, lasting only a few seconds. He simply said, 'It's my privilege. Thank you.' Another memorable moment was when Jack Palance did one-armed push-ups on stage after winning Best Supporting Actor for 'City Slickers', demonstrating his fitness at age 73.
What happened in 1991?
Discover what the world looked like in 1991: