2003 Academy Awards: Oscar Winners, Nominees and Highlights
The 75th Academy Awards, held on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, celebrated a year of cinematic excellence amid global tensions
Hosted by Steve Martin for the second time, the ceremony provided a welcome distraction from the ongoing Iraq War, which had begun just days earlier
The musical "Chicago" dominated the night, winning six awards including Best Picture, marking a resurgence of the movie musical genre
Adrien Brody made history as the youngest Best Actor winner for "The Pianist," while his passionate, unscripted kiss with presenter Halle Berry became an iconic Oscars moment
Roman Polanski's win for Best Director stirred controversy due to his legal status
The ceremony also saw Eminem's "Lose Yourself" become the first hip-hop song to win Best Original Song, though the rapper notably absent from the event.
Major Award Categories: Winners and Nominees
In 2003, during the 75th Academy Awards Cerimony, held on 23/03/2003 the following movies, actors, actresses and directors were awarded with the Oscar in 6 categories honoring the films released in 2003:
What movie won the Best Picture Oscar in 2003?
Who won the Best Director Oscar in 2003?
Who won the Best Actor Oscar in 2003?
Who won the Best Actress Oscar in 2003?
Who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 2003?
Who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2003?
Memorable Moments and Trivia
- Adrien Brody won Best Actor for "The Pianist" and surprised presenter Halle Berry with an unexpected passionate kiss during his acceptance speech
- Michael Moore's controversial acceptance speech for Best Documentary Feature ("Bowling for Columbine") criticized President George W. Bush and the Iraq War, eliciting both cheers and boos from the audience
- "Chicago" won Best Picture, becoming the first musical to win the top prize since "Oliver!" in 1968
- Eminem won Best Original Song for "Lose Yourself" from "8 Mile" but didn't attend the ceremony, making him the first hip-hop artist to win in this category
- Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was nine months pregnant, performed "I Move On" from "Chicago" with Queen Latifah and won Best Supporting Actress later that night
- Roman Polanski won Best Director for "The Pianist," but couldn't attend due to his fugitive status in the United States
- Peter O'Toole received an Honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in film, despite his initial reluctance to accept it
- Nicole Kidman won Best Actress for "The Hours," famously wearing a prosthetic nose in the film to portray Virginia Woolf
- U2 performed "The Hands That Built America" from "Gangs of New York," which was nominated for Best Original Song
- The ceremony was held just days after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, leading to a subdued red carpet with many celebrities opting for less flashy attire
FAQ
- Who was the host of the 2003 Academy Awards?
Steve Martin hosted the 75th Academy Awards ceremony in 2003. - What were the biggest surprises at the 2003 Oscars?
The biggest surprise was Roman Polanski winning Best Director for 'The Pianist,' despite not being present due to his fugitive status. Another surprise was Adrien Brody's upset win for Best Actor for 'The Pianist' over favorites like Daniel Day-Lewis and Jack Nicholson. - What were the most memorable speeches at the 2003 Academy Awards?
The most memorable speeches included: Michael Moore's controversial anti-war speech after winning Best Documentary for 'Bowling for Columbine'; Adrien Brody's passionate speech and unexpected kiss with Halle Berry after his Best Actor win; and Pedro Almodóvar's speech for Best Original Screenplay, where he dedicated his award to those who raise their voices in favor of peace, human rights, democracy and international legality.
What happened in 2003?
Discover what the world looked like in 2003: